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.

Warcombe

Early-attested site in the Parish of Ilfracombe

Historical Forms

  • Warcoma 1086 DB
  • Worcumb(e) 1242 Fees784 1281 Ass
  • Worcomb(e) 1303 FA 1356 ADiv
  • Worthcumbe 1314 Ipm
  • (al. Worcumb) 1316 Ipm
  • Wercombe 1327 Banco

Etymology

This, as Blomé suggests (22), may contain a river-name allied to the Celtic Worica (v. Holder s. n .), but the river-name Worf , of varied origin and going back either to Worf or Worgh (v. Ekwall RN 470), is more probable.