Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Ylman dunes gemære 978 KCD620 11th

• (æt) Ylmondune c.1000 Aelfric,DedicatoryEpistletoHomilies

• Edelmitone 1086 DB

• Ilmedon(e) ib.

• Ilmedone 1247 Fees 1428 FA

• Ilmedona 1168 P

• Ylmedon t.Hy3 CartMisc

• Imeldona 1178 P

• Illamedone 1204 Cl

• Hylmendone 1227 FF 1232 Ass

• Hilmendon 1262 ib

• Hulmendon 1376 ADiii

• Ilmyndon(e) 1269 Wigorn 1428 ADv

• Ilmendon(e) 1248 Cl 1272 FF 1298 Ipm

• Ilmyngdon(e) 1306 Ass 1496 Pat 1535 VE

• Ilmyngton ib.

• Elmyngdon 1445 Pat

Etymology

This is a difficult name. It is possible that the 11th-century form Ylmandun is for earlier ylmenandun and that we have a lost adj. *ylmen , a derivative of OE  ulm , 'elm.' That such a form as ulm existed side by side with the usual elm is shown by the form ulmtreow found once in OE. This is cognate with LGer  olm (cf. Walde-Pokomy i, 152). Such compounds of dun and an adjective derived from a tree-name are found elsewhere (cf. Bockendon supra 180). Hence perhaps 'at the elm-grown hill.'The only objection to this etymology is that we should have expected some ME  forms in Ulme (n )-, but the objection is not fatal to the etymology suggested. Cf. Introd. xxvi.