Dumpford
Early-attested site in the Parish of Trotton
Historical Forms
- Demesford t.Hy2 Durf5 1232,1237 FF 1272,1302 RH 1289
- Demetford t.Hy2 Pat 1361
- Denford 1249 FF
- Demeford 1254 FF 1258 Ipm
- Demford 1456 IpmR
- Dempford 1538 Ct
- Dumford 1540 Ct 1724 B
Etymology
For further forms v. Dumpford Hundred supra 33. Amid widely variant forms it may be suggested that this name means the 'dammed ford,' the first element being the past part, of OE demman , 'to dam,' v. NEDs. v. dem , the name having been given from some dam on the stream here. There is a mill close by. In that case we must assume that the s in many of the early forms is pseudo-genitival. Corruption of names commonly used as hundred-names is specially common in early documents. The 16th cent, change of vowel is quite irregular.