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.

Buttermere

Major Settlement in the Parish of Buttermere

Historical Forms

  • Butermere 863 BCS508 12th
  • (æt) Buter mere 931 ib
  • Bwtermæræ t.Wm1 BM
  • Butremare 1086 DB
  • Butremere 1199 FF 1249 Ass 1259 Cl
  • Buttermere 12th BCS508,1268
  • Buttermare 1276 Ass
  • Botermere 1276,1278 FF 1308 Sarum
  • Boturmere 1440 Pat

Etymology

Literally 'butter mere or pond,' v. mere . The reason for the name is not certain. It probably has reference to the colour of the water as in buterw (y )elle (KCD 813) and Butter Hill (Fd) in Hankerton infra 462.

Places in the same Parish