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.

Sessingham

Early-attested site in the Parish of Arlington

Historical Forms

  • Sesingeham, Sasingham 1086 DB
  • Sessingham, Cessingham 1271 Ass 1364 CplM
  • Ses(s)ingeham, Cessingeham 1285 Bay 1302 FA
  • Sassingham 1622 CplM

Etymology

This name and Sessacott (D) and a lost Sessinghope (PN NbDu 174) point to an OE  pers. name *Sessa , *Seassa (Ekwall, PN in -ing 131), perhaps a pet-form of an OE  pers. name in Seax -, hence 'homestead (or enclosure) of Se(a)xa's people,' v. ham(m). Cf. also Sissinghurst (K), Saxingeherste 1206 FF (ZONF 4, 290).