Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Troham 1086 DB 1200 Abbr 13 WinchLB 1201 Cur 1220 Fees 1327 SR

• Trouham l.13 BGli

• Truham 1190 P 1208 Cur 1221 Ass 1221 Eyre

• Throham 1255–90 CirenR

• Throgham 1378 Ass

• Trugham, Trogham 1287 Ass

• Truchham 1287 Ass

• Thurgham 1313 Pat

• Throughham 1318 FF

• Throuham 1378 Works

• Througham 1477 Pat 1535 VE 1544 LP 1629 Asht

• Drowham 1377–99 Works

• Thoroweham 1448 FF

• Thruffham 1549 FF

• Druffham 1830 M

Etymology

The spellings favour derivation from OE  þrūh 'conduit' rather than OE  trog 'trough, valley', though doubtless there has been some confusion (cf. EPN ii, 187, 217). OE  þrūh meant 'water-pipe, conduit, coffin' and may here refer to the water-course in the deep-cut valley of Holy Brook, a semantic development paralleled by the topographical sense 'hollow, valley' which OE  trog developed from 'trough'. The latest form Druffham is dialectal (cf. Phonol. §§ 36, 41a ).The second el. is OE  hām or hamm. Cf. Đruhham BCS 180 (Ha).