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.

Saxlingham

Major Settlement in the Parish of Saxlingham

Historical Forms

  • Saxelinghaham, Saxelingham, Sexelingaham, Saxelingaham 1086 DB
  • Saxlingham 1198 FF 1203,1204 P 1207 Cur 1209to1286 Ass 1243 Fees 1262 Cl 1275 RH 1304–8,1315,1320 Ipm 1333 SR
  • Saxlingeham 1199,1209 FF 1220 Cur 1257 Ass
  • Saxelingham 1219 FF
  • Saxlingheham 1269 Ass
  • Saxlyngham 1317,1372,1420 FF 1396 Pat
  • Sarslyngham 1548 Pat

Etymology

The first element is the genitive plural of a group name in -ingas formed from a pers.n. and followed by hām , a type which often occurs in East Anglia. In this case the pers.n. could be *Seaxel or a compound name such as Seaxhelm or Seaxwulf . Cf. Saxlingham Nethergate and Thorpe in Henstead Hundred (v. Ekwall, PN -ing 138).