Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Camelesford(e), Canbesford(e), Ca'besford(e), Gamesford(e) 1086 DB

• Camelesford(e) 12 Drax14 1154–81 YChvi 1194–1214 Selby 13 YDviii 1244 Ass4 1295 Baild 1468 Ipm

• Kamelesford 1246 Ass28d

• Camellesford 1280 YI

• Kamlesford, Camelisford 13 Ch 1311

• Camelegford 12 Ch 1311

• Kembilford 1246 Ass21

• Camforth 1182–4 YChvi

• Kamesford' 1219 Fees

• Cameleford 1204 OblR 1276 RH

• Camylford 1410 Selby 1537 Dugdvi

• Camelford 1444 Pat

• Camyleford 1546 YChant

• Camelsford 1311 YDviii 1360 Ass3 1536 MinAcct

• Camelsforth 1458 YDiii

• Camelsfurth(e) 1559 FF 1600 YDii

• Camylsforth(e) 1411 Pat 1499 YDix

• Camilsfurth 1606 FF

• Camblesforth 1641 Rates

• Camblefforth 1657 SelbyW

Etymology

Moorman takes the spelling Camelegford to indicate that the first el. is an OE  Cameleac (a Welsh  name recorded in ASC s.a. 915A as that of a Bishop of Llandaff); in view of the rest of the material, this isolated spelling must be taken as an error for Cameles -. Ekwall (DEPN s.n.) suggests a river-name corresponding to Welsh  Camlais 'crooked stream' (v. cambo-, glassjo-). But it is difficult to be certain of the original topography in this low-lying land where the maximum height is only 23 ft. and the ground sinks gently away. There is no identifiable stream in or near the village, and the names of Water Lane and Brigg Lane on its east side near two small pools need indicate no more than marshy ground; the 'ford' (v. ford ) itself may well have been some raised or hard track through the marsh or one usable in flood-time. At the most the ford would cross some trifling stream; it is unlikely to have retained a British name. On the whole, therefore, a pers.n. Camel (e ) is to be preferred. Such a pers.n. is not recorded in OE and does not seem to be evidenced in other p.ns. (apart from Camela Wood infra ), unless the f.n. Camelhul ii, 40 supra is an example; but in the latter, as in Gamsworth vi, 61infra where Cameles - is merely an occasional scribal variant of Gameles -, the single spelling may not be significant. An OE  Camel could be an OE  -el derivative of the pers.n. Cam found in Campsall ii, 45supra , or an OE adoption of some Brit  pers.n. equivalent to Gaulish Camulus (cf. Holder 728). Survivals of Celtic pers.ns. in OE are paralleled in such p.ns. as Dewsbury ii, 184supra , etc.