Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (æt) Buchæmatune 1002–12 ASWrits

• Bochehamtone 1086 DB

• Bochehamtona Exon

• Bocameton 1212 Fees

• Buchamt' 1213 ClR

• Bocham(p)ton(e) 1228 Ch 1270 ADI 1280 Ass 1332 SR

• Bokham(p)ton(e) 1244 Ass 1327 SR 1407 Pat

• Bukhamton 1244 Ass

• Buckhampton 1244 ib

• Buketon 1269 Pat

• Bechampton 1288 Ass

• Bokampton 1412 FA

• Bokehamton 1497 Ilch

• Beckinton 1575 Saxton

• Bock Hampton, Book- Hampton 1641 ib

• Beakhampton, Boakhampton 1653 ParlSurv

• Bockington 1664 HTax

• Brockhamton 1795 Boswell

• (New) Bockhampton 1811 OS

Etymology

Lr Bockhampton (SY 721908), Hr Bockhampton (Bldgs) (726924), ? (æt ) Buchæmatune 1002–12 ASWrits, Bochehamtone 1086 DB, Bochehamtona Exon, Bocameton 1212 Fees, Buchamt '1213 ClR, Bocham (p )ton (e )1228 Ch, 1270 AD I, 1280Ass et freq to 1332 SR, Bokham (p )ton (e )1244Ass , 1327SR et freq to 1407 Pat, Bukhamton 1244Ass , Buckhampton 1244ib (p), Buketon 1269 Pat, Bechampton 1288Ass , Bokampton 1412 FA, Bokehamton 1497Ilch , Beckinton 1575 Saxton, Bock Hampton , Book - Hampton 1641ib , Beakhampton , Boakhampton 1653ParlSurv , Bockington 1664 HTax, Brockhamton 1795 Boswell, (New ) Bockhampton 1811 OS. Possibly 'farm of the Bōchǣme ' ('dwellers by the beech-tree'), v. bōc 1 , hǣme (gen. pl. hǣma ), tūn , though the first el. may be an abbreviated form of an older p.n. like Bocland from bōcland 'land granted by charter' (DEPN s.n., EPN 1 216). However, if the earliest form does in fact belong here (on the doubtful identification, v. ASWrits 484), the first el. may be bucc 'a buck' (cf. also the 13th- cent. spellings in Buc -, etc.), but the meaning of Bucchǣme would be difficult to determine. The possible presence of, or influence from, OE  hām-tūn in the forms is discussed by Tengstrand MN 97, cf. Bockhampton Brk 334, Ha (DEPN), both of which are 'village by the beech-tree' from bōc and hām-tūn.