Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (æt) Porteshamme 1024 Ilch(KCD741,S961)

• Portes-hom c.1200 O&N

• Portesham 1086 1210 P 1212 Fees 1221,1269 Ilch 1280 Ass

• Porttesham 1332 SR

• Portisham 1548,1556 Fry 1795 Boswell 1811 OS 1863 Hutch3

• Portsham 1653 ParlSurv

Etymology

'Enclosure belonging to the market town', v. port 2 (gen.sg. portes ), hamm . The town referred to is no doubt Abbotsbury (as it is also in the lost st.n. Portewey in Abbotsbury par. supra ). The Anglo-Saxon bounds of Portisham are given in 1024Ilch (KCD 741, S 961). The notion that names such as Portisham may contain a pers.n. Port (as suggested for instance s.n. Portslade PN Sx 289 and Porsham PN D 242) has been long rejected, v. Fägersten 248–9 and Gelling Signposts 78–9, cf. the assertion in 1774 Hutch1 1553 that Portisham 'seems to derive its name from some Saxon owner, who formerly dwelt here'.