English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Broxholme

Major Settlement in the Parish of Broxholme

Historical Forms

  • Broxholme 1086 DB 1315,1389,1391 Pat 1402 FA 1405 Pat
  • Broxholm c1115 LS 1254 ValNor 1271,1277 RRGr 1291 Tax 1294 RSu 1305 Cl 1305 Ipm 1308 Pat 1316 FA 1310,1325 Pat 1327 SR 1526 Sub
  • Brocsholm c1210 RAix
  • Brokesholme 1219 Welles 1460 Pat
  • Brokesholm 1248 FF
  • Brockesholm 1220 Welles
  • Broxhome 1484 Pat
  • Broxham 1391 Pat
  • Broxhame 1576 LER

Etymology

Fellows Jensen, SSNEM 153, suggests that this is a Scand formation from the gen.sg. of ODan  *brōk 'a marsh' and holmr 'raised land amidst the marshes', topographically appropriate here. The gen.sg. -s - pronounced [s] is Scand in contrast to OE [z] and is a clear indication that the name had been coined by Danes.