Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cameslingeham (sic) 1086 DB

• Camelingeham 1086 DB

• Camelingehame 1219 Wellesi

• Camringham c1115 LS

• Cambrigeham 1126,1184–88 France

• Cambringeham Hy2 Ch 1317 France c1175,1192

• Kameringeham 1219 WellesLA 1220 LAHW

• Cameringham 1202 Ass Ed1 HarlCh 1292 RSu 1296 Pat 1298 Ass 1317 Pat 1317 ChancW 1327 Pat 1343 NI

• Cameringam 1563 InstBen 1610 Speed

• Cameryngham 1291 Tax 1303,1316,1325 FA 1325 Pat 1327 Cl 1332 SR 1335 Cl 1342 Fine 1345 Cl 1535 VEiv

• Kameringham 1232 Welles 1289 Ass

• Kameryngham 1373 Peace

• Camryngham 1327 SR 1382 Pat

• Camringham 1657 SP

• Cammeringham 1576 LER

• Cambryngham 1316 Pat 1519 DVi 1535 VEiii 1545 LPxx

• Cambringham 1575 WillsCal

• Caneryngham (sic) 1337 Fine 1337,1341,1347 Cl

• Caneringham 1356 Pat

Etymology

This is an OE group-name formation in –ingahām, comparable with Fillingham infra . The etymology of the first el. is difficult, but we may tentatively suggest an OE  unrecorded pers.n. *Cantmǣr as first el. Dr Insley comments that this would be an extremely early borrowing into OE , in which the -i - of British *Canti - had been syncopated before OE i -mutation, cf. by contrast the OE  pers.ns. Centwold and Centwine . A parallel formation is the name of the men of Kent, OE  Cantware , which also shows early syncope of -i -. Hence, the name would denote 'the homestead, the estate of the family, the dependants of Cantmǣr', from the gen.pl. Cantmǣringa of the group name *Cantmǣringas 'the family, the dependants of Cantmǣr . The interchange between -r - and -l - in the early forms is apparently due to AN influence.