Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bakeberge 1201 Cur 1208 P

• Bakeber(e) 1204 FF 1208 1212 RBE 1243 Fees 1244 Ass 1263 Ipm 1268 Ass 1280 1288 c.1500 Eg

• Bakepere (sic) 1316 FA

• Estbakebere 1363 Pat 1412 FA

• Westbakeber' 1398 Cecil

• Bakebeare 1412 FA 1436 Fine

• Bakebery 1445 ib

• easte Bakebeere 1620 CH

• Bakkeber(e) 13 Glast m14 GlastF 1342 FA 1428

• Backebere 1244 Ass 1303 FA

• Bakber' 13 GlastR

• Baggeber(e) 1244 Ass 1338–40 Glast

• Baggeberg' 1244 Ass

• Baggeber' [Baggebur'] 1303 FA

• Bagbere 1475 IpmR e16 Prideaux 1515 Hutch3 1870 et freq

• Bagbor(e) 1575 Saxton 1795 Boswell

• East Bagber, West Bagber 1583 SPDom

• Castle Bagber 1619 CH

• East Bagbeere 1620 ib

• Bagbeare 1680 AddRoll

Etymology

Probably 'Bacca's wood or grove', from the OE  pers.n. Bacca (Redin 83) and bearu (some of the early spellings showing influence from beorg 'hill, barrow'). Derivation of the first el. from bagga 'bag-like feature, badger' as suggested in EPN 1 23 is not supported by the majority of early forms. The affixes East and West probably represent the two parts of Bagber mentioned in Hutch3 4 339, one part having belonged to the manor of (Sturminster) Newton (hence perhaps alternatively Castle -) , the other to the hundred of Cranborne. The former chapel here is capellam de Bakebere 1340 NI, v. Hutch3 4340, cf. Hr Chapel , Lr Chapel , Chapel Cl 1839TA .