Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Becker(es)motes 1241 Percy

• Bykermouth 1432 WillY

• Bekermouthe 1540 MinAcct

• Bekirmontis 1408 Pat

• Becarmondes 1546 WillY

• Bekermonde 1547 1574 Skp

• Bekermonds 1598 ib

• Beggermo(u)nd(es) 1564 WillY 1598 Skp 1656 PRClp

• Beggermons, Beggarmons 1577 Whit

• Beggarmans 1692 PRArn 1695 M

Etymology

'The confluence of streams', from ON  bekkr (gen.sg. bekkjar ) and mót ; the same compound is found in Beckermote v, 206 supra . The earliest spelling Beckeres - has a false gen.sg. -es , probably because the first el. was wrongly thought of as a pers.n. A parallel name Eamont Cu 12 (from ēa-mōt 'river-confluence') also has replaced -mot by -mont , -mond , doubtless through the influence of OFr  mont 'hill'. The name refers to the place where Green Field Beck and Oughtershaw Beck unite to form the R. Wharfe.