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.

Cobham

Major Settlement in the Parish of Cobham

Historical Forms

  • Coveham 675,933,967(13th) BCS 697,1195,t.Hy2(1285) Ch 1174–89 Chertsey 1205 Cur 1221 FF 1517 ADi
  • Chirche Coveham, Stret Coveham 1298 Ass
  • Covenham 1062 KCD812 13th DB 1086 FF 1218,1235,1306 FF 1235 FF 1604
  • Cobbeham 1434 Pat
  • Cobeham 1465 Pat 1540 SR
  • Coveham or Coham 1466 FF
  • Cowham t.Hy6 SACxxi
  • Coham al. Cobham 1570 FF
  • Cobham al. Coveham 1577 ADiii
  • Coveham al. Cobham 1577 FF 1587 SrWills
  • Coveham al. Cobeham 1583 FF
  • Strete Cobeham 1521 FF
  • Coveham Stret 1609 LRMB

Etymology

'Cofa 's ham(m),' containing the same pers. name as Coventry (Wa), Covington (PN BedsHu 238) and Covenham (L). The development of the name has been uncertain. One would have expected ModEng Coveham , Covenham or (possibly) Coham . The development to Cobham is entirely irregular. Street Cobham is the part of the village on the Portsmouth Road, as opposed to Church Cobham, where the church is.