Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (on) Port 837 ASC l9 ASC 837 12

• On Portlande 862 BCS535 14

• insulam de Portland(e) 978×984 Add(S938) 14 ASC 982 ASWrits m11 ASC 1053–66 SD 12 Pap 1052 Fees 12 12 1205 1212

• Portlaund(e) 1100–7 WinchCath l13 Ass 1244 Fine 1290

• Portlond(e) c.1127 WinchCath l13 Ass 1268 Weld1 1460

• Porthlond 1249 Acct

• Porland(a) 1086 1156 PR 1194 CurR 1236 Cl 1275 RH

• Porlaund 1235 Cl 1267 Pat

• Porlond 1296 Ipm

• Portelaund(e) 1270,1283 Cl 1284 Ch 1285 Cl 1297

• Portelond 1305–1461 Pat 1340 Cl

• Porteland 1319–1371 Pat

Etymology

'The harbour', v. port 1 , no doubt with reference to Portland Harbour infra , with the later addition of land 'land, tract of land, estate'; Fägersten 165 suggests that the whole name should probably be understood as 'land forming (or giving protection to) a harbour'.The loss of interconsonantal t in Porland (a ), etc., and the -laund (e ) spellings, show AN influence, v. Feilitzen 95, ANInfl 153 ff.