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.

March

Major Settlement in the Parish of March

Historical Forms

  • Merc(c) 1086 InqEl
  • Merche, Mercha 1086 DB
  • Merch(e) 1170 LibEl 1355 Walden
  • Merch 1819 Carter
  • Merk(e) 1236 Ch 1298 Ass
  • March(e) 1286 MinAcct 1554 Pat
  • March(e) by Welle 1346 ib
  • Mersh 1576 Saxton
  • Marsh 17th AdvL

Etymology

Probably, as suggested by Ekwall (DEPN), OE  mearc , 'boundary,' with mutated a and palatal c from a locative form in -i . March was originally a hamlet of Doddington and was situated some two miles to the south of the modern town, near the old church of St Wendreda.