Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Hod-hill 1774 Hutch1

Etymology

Hod Hill (ST 855108) & Hod Wd, 1840TA , Hod-hill 1774 Hutch1, cf. due acre …iacent in campo Australi quod vocatur sub Hod , (viam que vocatur ) Hodweye c. 1270AddCh (entries concerning the neighbouring par of Shillingstone, v. Hodway Lane in that par. infra ), 'Hod meadow '1302 AD I(2 ×), possibly from OE  hōd1 'a hood', in allusion to the shape of the 470′ hill, but more probably from an OE  hōd2 'a shelter', with reference to the Iron Age hill-fort (incorporating a Roman fort) which crowns the hill, marked Camp 6″, v. hyll , cf. Hood D 297, YN 195, EPN s.v. hōd , DEPN s.n. Hood. Dr Gelling notes that if either explanation is correct, the apparently early shortening of the vowel is surprising, especially as Hod was a simplex name in c. 1270.