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.

Bodham

Major Settlement in the Parish of Bodham

Historical Forms

  • Bodham, Bodenham, Botham 1086 DB
  • Bodeham 1175,1180 P 1201 FF 1206,1220 Cur 1209,1250,1257 Ass 1262 Pat 1272 FineR 1275 RH
  • Bodham 1199,1201,1220 Cur 1199,1233,1243 Fees 1202to1366 FF 1206,1208 P 1209,1210 P t.Hy3 RBE 1250,1269,1286 Ass 1254–75 Val 1261 Ipm 1263,1277 Cl 1275 RH 1302to1428 FA 1304,1314,1330 Ipm 1328 DeBanco 1330 Bodl 1333 SR 1366 Fine
  • Boddham 1261 Ipm
  • Boddeham 1310 Pat

Etymology

The old spellings suggest a name in OE  hām in which the first element is a pers.n. in the genitive, an old type frequent in Norfolk. The pers.n. Boda (gen. Bodan ) is well recorded (Redin 45) and has Continental parallels, OHG  Bodo , Boto (v. DEPN).