Grafham
Major Settlement in the Parish of Grafham
Historical Forms
- Grafham 1086 DB 1140–5 BM 1159 P John BM 1200 FF 1235 Cl 1237 FF 1278 Ass 1302 Cl 1303 FA 1314,1323,1348 Ipm 1373,1400,1416 FF 1428 FA
- Grafam 1140–50 BM
- Graffham 1207 FF 1236 Cl 1316 FA
- Grapham E1 BM 1285 FA
- Grofham 1342,1368 Cl 1370 FF 1382 Cl 1409 BM 1411 FF 1428 FA 1434,1460 FF 1548 Pat
- Groff(e)ham 1387 IpmR 1509 FF 1535 VE 1549 Pat 1575 FF
- Grofom 1393 BM
- Gropham 1526 LS
- Graff(e)ham 1535 VE 1554 FF
- Groffam 1535,1553 FF
- Croffham al. Groffham 1600 FF
Etymology
'Grove-homestead' v. graf , ham . Grafham, three miles from Weybridge Farm supra 232, is in an old forest-area, and in the Ramsey Cartulary (ii. 304) we have mention of sex gravetae in Grafham. In the history of the name there has been a curious fluctuation between forms with short o from the long o which developed normally from OE ā , and forms with short a which developed before the rounded o -forms arose.