Felmingham
Major Settlement in the Parish of Felmingham
Historical Forms
- Felmincham, Felmicham 1086 DB
- Felmingham 1101–7 Holme 1203etfreqto1230 P 1212 Fees 1225,1312 Pat 1242 P 1250(p),1269,1286 Ass 1254–75 Val 1275 RH 1285 Ipm
- Felmingeham 1175–9to1196 P 1200 FF 1210(p),1225 Cur 1225 Cl 1228 Fine 1257 Ass
- Felmyngham 1286 Ass 1286,1309,1311 FF 1316,1402 FA 1336to1480 Pat 1389 EngG 1428 Fine 1535 VE
- Felmigeham e.13 HMC
- Felmigham 1275 RH 1286 Ass 1312 Pat
Etymology
The first el. has been explained as an -ing derivative of the OE pers.n. *Feolma and the second el. as hām (DEPN s.n.). Although not on independent record, this pers.n. would be a regular short form of, for instance, OE Feolomǣr , for which there is evidence in charters (v. PN BdHu 31 and DEPN s.n. Felmersham).Alternatively the origin might be *Felma , a nickname formed from the stem *felma - 'fear'. v. PN-ing 1962: 134. The body of the church (dedicated to St Andrew) was rebuilt in brick in 1742 (Pevsner 132).