Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Penn 1811 OS

• de la Penne 1244 Ass

• de la Penne 1292 Drew

Etymology

Penn, Penn Fm & Penn Hill (SY 342954), Penn 1811 OS, first recorded in the surnames of Adam de la Penne 1244Ass , Elyas de la Penne 1292 Drew, cf. Penne Field 1577Dun , Penn Fd (Orchd ), Penn Md 1843 (Whitchurch C.). Penn Hill at over 500′ is crossed by the Charmouth-Axminster road at a sharp angle of the Do-D county bdy which from this point is formed by the road. Penn is probably therefore a hill-name from PrWelsh  *penn 'head, top' (cf. discussion of Pilsdon Pen in Pilsdon par. supra for the possibility that penn may have been adopted as a local term for 'hill'), otherwise perhaps from OE  penn2 'enclosure, fold'.