Hockerill
Early-attested site in the Parish of Bishop's Stortford
Historical Forms
- Hokerhull(e) t.Hy3 Rental 1316 Ass
- Hokerhille 1427 Ct
- Hokkerell Bregge c.1350 StPauls
- Hokerell c.1400 Ct
- Hockrill 1722 FF
- Hokerhille, Hokyrhellefeld, Hokyrhillebregge 1427 Ct
Etymology
The first element in this name is identical with that of Hockerton (Nt), Hocretone 1086 DB, Hocretune , Hocretona c. 1150, c. 1180 Dane, Hocherton 1175 P, Hokerton ib.et passim , Ocartuna t. Ric 1 (1308) Ch, Hokirton 1203FF , and Hockerwood in Southwell (Nt), Hocerwuda 958 (c. 1300) BCS 1029. We find a Hokerhulle near St Albans (c. 1275 Gesta) and Hokerhill (1492) in Glamorganshire (NCPNW 306). Ekwall (DEPN s. n .) is doubtless right in taking the first element in all these names to be an OE hocer , a lost cognate of Ger höcker , MHG hocker , 'hill, hump.' He notes that Hockerton and Hockerwood are near a marked ridge.They are on either side of a valley at the end of low spurs, with low lying land between them.
Hockering (Nf), which Ekwall (loc. cit .) takes with these places, lies on a rounded spur.