Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Mukelford 1244 Ass 1309,1315 FF 1402 DorR

• Mukleford 1268 FF

• Mucleford 1268 Ass

• Mukeleford 1288 ib

• Muckilford 1575 Saxton

• common Feilds of Muckleford 1636,1662 GW 1811 OS

• Mokeleford 1268 Ass

• Mokelford(e) 1327 SR 1504 Ipm

• Mukelesford 1288 Ass

Etymology

'Mucel's or Mucela's ford' (across R. Frome), from the OE  pers.n. Mucel (Redin 142, cf. Mucklestone St, Muggleswick Du (DEPN)) or an unrecorded weak form Mucela , and ford. Most of the spellings suggest Mucela , but they can also be accounted for as an uninflected genitive of Mucel or by assuming loss of gen. -s in the compound. Kökeritz 125 suggests connecting the first el. with S dial. muckle '(a heap of) manure', cf. also muckle 'furze or heath laid in on the top of a drain ere the earth is cast in' (Barnes 83). Eyton 123–4 tentatively suggested identification of the small lost DB manor of Hiwes (f. 80b) with this place, v. the f.n. Hywysshhegge in the adjacent par. of Winterborne St M. infra .