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.

Fordham

Major Settlement in the Parish of Fordham

Historical Forms

  • Fordehā, Forham, Forhā, Infordehā (sic) 1086 DB
  • Fordham 1087 EHRxl 1450
  • Little Fordham 1247 Ch
  • Fordham Magna 1254 Ass
  • Fordam 1371 Pat
  • Fordom 1412 FA
  • Ford(h)am alias Fordyngham, Ford(h)am Hall alias Fordyngham Hall 1542 FF 1544 LP

Etymology

'The ham(m) by the ford.' Great as opposed to Little Fordham, now Bourchier's Hall in Aldham supra 359.