English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Bideford

Major Settlement in the Parish of Bideford

Historical Forms

  • Bediford(a) 1086 DB 1201 Cur 1202 FF
  • Bedyford 1356 Ass
  • Bedeford(e) 1086 DB(Exch) 1210–12 RBE 1261–8 Exon
  • Budiford 1232 Pat
  • Budeford 1238 Ass 1291 Tax
  • Bydiford 1238 Ass 1314 Ipm
  • Biddiford 1632 Barum1,55
  • Bydeford 1242 Fees778
  • Byddeford 1446 IpmR

Etymology

This is a difficult name. Blomé (34) suggests a first element byden as found in Bidna infra 102, but this would not account for the persistent forms with medial i . It may well be for Bȳdingford , 'Bȳda 's ford,' Bȳda being a recorded OE pers. name. For early loss of ing , cf. s. n. Hartland supra 71.