Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• ?Gillingaham 993 Cott(S876) l10

• (wið) Gillinga hám 1016 ASC 11

• (wið) Gillinga 1016 ASC 12

• Gillingaham e12 FW 12 SD

• Gelingeham 1086 DB 1209

• Ingelingeham, Gelingham 1086 DB

• Gellingeham 1130 P 1155 PR 1168 P 1196 ChancR 1212 Fees

• Gellingham 1258 For

• Egelingham, Egelyngham 1280 Ass

• Gilling' 1135–54 Ch 1317

• Gyllingeham, Ghillingeham 1152–8 MontC

• Gillingeham 1156 RBE 1161,1194–9 P John RBE 1201–6 P 1208 ChancR 1209 FF 1310 Ipm

• Gilling'ham 1201 1210 P

• Gilingeham 1209 LibR

• Gillengeham 1229 Cl

• Gylling(g)eham 1236,1263 ib

• Gillyngeham 1310 Ipm

• Gyllyngeham e15 LHyda

• Gildingeham 1156 PR

• Geldingeham 1157 1159 P

• Goldingeham 1160 ib

• Gillingham 1198 P 1200 1201 1204 1205–9 ib

• Gilingham, Gylingham, Gyllingham, Gyllyngham, Gyllynghame c.1300 DCMDeed

• Killingham 1199 P 1265 Cl

• Guillingh' 1262 Cl

• Gillingham Major or the Town Tithing and Gillingham Minor or the Free Tithing in 1869 Hutch3

• Gillingham Towne Tithing 1664 HTax

• Gillingham Major 1795 Boswell

• Fretethyng', Middelton' Frethething' 1288 Ass

• Liber(a) Decenna 1327 SR, 1332 SR

• Free Tithing 1664 HTax

• Gillingham Minor alias Free 1795 Boswell

Etymology

Probably 'homestead or village of Gylla's people', v. -ingas (gen.pl. -inga ), hām , as suggested by Karlström 50, Ekwall DEPN and PN -ing 127, cf. Fägersten 5, Gilscott D 85. A pers.n. *Gylla is not recorded but Ekwall supposes it may be a hypocoristic form of a pers.n. *Gyðla postulated for Givendale YW 154. Gillingham K (now pronounced with initial [dʒ] and Gillingham Nf are probably of identical origin, v. Ekwall DEPN, cf. KPN 303–4, PN K 128–9. In the second of the two forms from ASC the omission of -ham is simply an error, whilst the 12th cent. form Gilling ' is no doubt an abbreviated form of Gillingham .The early spellings in Gel (l )- are due to AN substitution of e for i , v. Zachrisson IPN 113, Feilitzen 50, and the form Egelingham , Egelyngham apparently has prosthetic e . In the DB form Ingelingeham the preposition in has been wrongly attached to the name, and the 12th cent. forms from the Pipe rolls with -ld - are probably also errors. The bounds of the manor of Gillingham are given in 1247 (1270) For (E 32/11/m. 4v), reproduced in Hutch3 3 663. Gillingham was divided into two tithings, called Gillingham Major or the Town Tithing and Gillingham Minor or the Free Tithing in 1869 Hutch3; the former is Gillingham Towne Tithing 1664 HTax, Gillingham Major 1795 Boswell, the latter is Fretethyng ', Middelton ' Frethething '1288Ass , Liber (a ) Decenna 1327SR , 1332 SR, Free Tithing 1664 HTax, Gillingham Minor alias Free 1795 Boswell, v. frēo , tēoðung , Milton on Stour infra .