English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Cowlam

Major Settlement in the Parish of Cowlam

Historical Forms

  • Colnun (4), Coletun (sic) 1086 DB
  • Collum 12th Malton 1109–19 RegAlb 1316 NomVill
  • Collom(a) 1210–20 Melsa 1297 LS 1348 Kirkham 1527 BM
  • Colum 1203 Cur 1294 Pat
  • Colome als. Collome 1601 FF
  • Cullum 1285 KI
  • Coulham 1608 FF 1695 Morden

Etymology

On topographical grounds OScand  kollum 'at the hill-tops,' dat. plur. of OScand  kollr , would be appropriate, even though it involves the rejection of the four DB spellings Colnun .

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site