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.

Kigbeare

Early-attested site in the Parish of Okehampton and Okehampton Hamlets

Historical Forms

  • Cacheberga 1086 DB
  • Cakeber(e) 1242 Fees784 1303 FA 1333 Ch
  • Cackebere 1343 Cl
  • Kadekeber' 1256 Ass
  • Cadekeber' 1303 FA 1310 Ipm 1378 IpmR
  • Cadekbear 1391 IpmR
  • Catokebeare 1441 IpmR

Etymology

v. bearu . The first element may be the Celtic pers. name Cadoc , *Catawc , a derivative of cad , 'battle,' v. Förster KW 180.Alternatively it might be a diminutive of OE  Cada , which is however itself a Celtic loan-name. Cf. Cadson in St Ive (Co), Cadokestun 12th (1348) Pat, Cadeston 1365 FF. The absence of inflexional s suggests a weak derivative of this pers. name.