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.

Blackmore

Major Settlement in the Parish of Blackmore

Historical Forms

  • (la) Blakemore, Blakemora 1213 Abbr 1232 Ch
  • Blakemere 1295 Ipm
  • Blakemoor 1303 FA
  • Blakmore 1234 FF 1471 Pat
  • Blakamore 1374 Cl
  • Blakemeure 1539 FF
  • Blakemore 1768 M

Etymology

The first element is OE  blæc, 'black,' from the nature of the soil (M ii, 56). The second is mor, 'swamp.' This was originally the name of the Priory, whilst the parish was called Fingrith infra . Cf. priore ecclesie sancti Laurencii de Blakemora in parochia de Fyngreth 1310 Londin, ecclesie parrochialis de la Blakemore alias de Fynggrethe ib., Fyngryth in Blakmore 1471 Pat.