Flansham
Early-attested site in the Parish of Felpham
Historical Forms
- Flennesham 1220 FF
- Flomesham 1279 Ass
- Flemesham 1279 Ass
- Flemsham or Flenisham 1398 Ass
- Flansham 1688 MarC
Etymology
This is a very difficult name. The first element may be a pers. name. As ms is more likely to become ns than the reverse, we should probably start from a base Flæm -. (The o of the Ass form is probably an error.) A pers. name Flæmmi would be a regular hypocoristic formation from an OE pers. name Flǣdmǣr , a possible name (cf. OGer Flatamar , Förstemann PN 509), though OE names with Flǣd - as a first element are not on record. Flǣd is a common second element in fem. pers. names and Flǣda is found in p.n.'s, cf. Fladbury (PN Wo 126).v. hamm .