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.

Askham

Major Settlement in the Parish of Askham

Historical Forms

  • Ascum, Askum 1232 Pat 1235 P 1279 Ass15 1291 1292 QW 1476 Lowth
  • Ascun 1242 Pipe
  • Ascumbe c.1235 Clib
  • Ascombe 1429 Pat 1551 Lowth
  • Aschum 1278 Ass5d 1279 ib
  • Ascom, Askom 1291 Tax 1295,1319 Carliol 1326 Ipm 1513 Hothf
  • Ascome 1315 Ipm 1323 MinAcct 1340 Clib 1592 Lowth
  • Askam(e) 1543 FF 1552 Visit 1573 PR
  • Askhame 1576 CWxxi,211
  • Askham 1577 Harrison 1591 Comm 1777 M

Etymology

'At the ash-trees', from ON  askum , dat.plur. of askr, v. -um . It may be, as Ekwall suggests, a Scandinavianised form of an OE  æscum (v. æsc ).