Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Huntingeford Hy3 Cerne 14

• pontem de Huntingford 1300 Hutch3

• Huntingford Bridge 1568 ib

• Huntingford Howse 1609 LRMB 1811 OS

• Huntyngford(') 1333 For 1438 GillCt

• Hontyngford(e) 1381 ib

• Hunteneford 1258 For 1268 Ass 1270 For 1306 GillCt

• Huntenford 1338 For

• Huntreford 1258 For

• Hunteford' 1292 GillCt

• Huntleford 1364 Hutch3

• Huntleford Lane 1609 LRMB

• Huntilfordbrig' 1415 GillCt

• Huntelford' 1438 ib

• Huntil(l)ford(e) (Bridge) 1609 LRMB

Etymology

'The hunters' ford, the ford used by people going hunting', from OE  hunta (gen.pl. huntena ) and ford , with brycg , cf. Huntingford Gl 2257. In Hunting (e )ford , etc, the -ing - is probably analogical, but influence from OE  hunting 'hunting' is possible. The isolated 13th cent. form Huntreford may show dissimilation of n-n to n-r or contain OE  huntere 'hunter'. The forms Huntleford , etc, presumably show dissimilation of n-n to n-l . The ford (marked 6″) is where a road crosses Shreen Water near the county bdy, and is mentioned in the bounds of the royal forest of Gillingham, in the perambulation of Hy 3 (14) Cerne making the starting and finishing point of the bounds, so that the association with hunting is clear. It is even possible that Huntingford is to be identified with the small DB manor of Gelingeham held TRW by Edward venator ('the huntsman'), v. VCHDo 3113.