Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Baggepath(e) 1174 Glouc 1348 Ass c.1250,1265 Berk 1532 FF

• Baggepaht 1221 Ass

• Baghepathe 1221 ib

• Baggapath c.1238 Berk

• Bagepath 1248 Ass, FF

• Bakepade 1274 Fine

• Bagpath 1328 Banco 1830 M

• Backpath, Backbath 1741,1749 PR

• Bagepenn 1221 Ass

Etymology

Bagpath, Baggepath (e )1174 Glouc, 1348Ass , c. 1250, 1265 Berket freq to 1532FF , Baggepaht 1221Ass , Baghepathe 1221 ib, Baggapath c. 1238 Berk, Bagepath 1248Ass , FF , Bakepade 1274 Fine, Bagpath 1328 Bancoet freq to 1830 M, Backpath , Backbath 1741, 1749 PR 2. The el. bag is very common in p.ns., and in some cases we undoubtedly have the OE  pers.n. Bacga . But many of them contain woodland terms (as in Bagley i, 91 supra ) or words for 'hill', and they may well be from an OE  *bagga 'bag', denoting some kind of animal to be found in woodland or hilly areas (v. EPN i, 17, where it is suggested that an appropriate native animal might be the badger or brock as in Brock Hill infra ). Swed  bagge means 'wether, ram' and it is possible that some such meaning would be suitable in combination with OE  pæð 'path, track', as also in other local names, Bagepenn 1221Ass (from OE  penn2 'pen, enclosure'), and Bagecroft , Bagpound (iii, 46 infra ). There is another Bagpath in Rodborough (i, 104supra ).