Rainham
Major Settlement in the Parish of Rainham
Historical Forms
- Renaham 1086 DB
- Reneham 1141 Mandeville 1199,1202 FF
- Raineham 1086 DB
- Reineham a.1200 Bart
- Renham 1205 FF 1309 Ipm
- Reenham 1296 Ipm
- Reinham, Reynham 1234 FF 1346 FA
- Little Reynham 1511 FF
- Rayn(h)am 1254 Ass 1432 Pat
- Reignham 1352 Works
- Reyngham 1365 Ct 1520 LP
- Roeginga ham in 811 (BCS 335)
Etymology
The name may be identical with Rainham (K) on the opposite side of the Thames. This occurs as Roeginga ham in 811 (BCS 335) with similar early forms Renham , Reneham , Reynham from 1129 onwards. Wallenberg (PN K 261), rejecting his own previous improbable suggestion (KPN 115), is now inclined to endorse the etymology tentatively advanced by Ekwall (PN in -ing 129), who associated the name with the stem of OE rōgian , 'to flourish, prevail,' and to interpret Roegingas as denoting some ruling or powerful people.