Durham

English

Etymology

From Old English Dunholm, meaning "hill islet". In order to get from Dunholm to Durham, two major processes had to take place. Firstly, the n at the coda of the first syllable, dun, underwent dissimilation. Specifically, by influence of the m in the coda of the following syllable (holm), said n denasalised and lenited to the oral r, thus dur. Secondly, after a weakening of the vowel quality in the more weakly-stressed syllable holm, this ending was misanalysed as the similar-sounding toponymic suffix, -ham, meaning home or farm. Doublet of Duresm and Dunelm.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdʌ.ɹəm/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈdɝəm/
• Homophone: durum

Proper noun

Durham

1. County Durham (a county in the Northeast of England)
2. A city in and the county town of County Durham, England.
3. Durham County Council, a local government unitary authority which replaced the county council in 2009 in all of County Durham except Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees.
4. An English habitational surname from Old English from the city in England.
5. An outback town in Queensland, Australia.
6. A locale in Canada.
   1. A community in New Brunswick; named for Lord Durham, Governor General of Canada.
   2. A community in West Grey, Grey County, Ontario.
   3. The Regional Municipality of Durham, a regional municipality east of Toronto, Ontario.
7. A locale in the United States.
   1. A township and unincorporated community in Washington County, Arkansas.
   2. A census-designated place in Butte County, California; named for California politician W. W. Durham.
   3. A town and census-designated place therein, in Middlesex County, Connecticut; named for the city in England.
   4. An unincorporated community in Walker County, Georgia; named for Durham Coal and Coke Company.
   5. A township in Hancock County, Illinois.
   6. An unincorporated community in Gibson County, Indiana.
   7. A minor city in Marion County, Kansas; named for the breed of cattle.
   8. A town in Androscoggin County, Maine; named for County Durham, England.
   9. An unincorporated community in Lewis County, Missouri; named for a railroad employee.
   10. A town and census-designated place therein, in Strafford County, New Hampshire.
   11. A town in Greene County, New York; named for the town in Connecticut.
   12. A city, the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina; named for landowner Bartlett S. Durham.
   13. A township in Durham County, North Carolina, most of which is in the city.
   14. An unincorporated community in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma; named for postmaster Doris Durham Morris.
   15. A city in Washington County, Oregon; named for pioneer and Oregon Territory legislator Alberto Alonzo Durham.
   16. A township and unincorporated community therein, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Derived terms

• County Durham
• Durham boat
• Durham County
• Durhamism
• Durhamite
• Durham rule
• New Durham

Noun

Durham (plural Durhams)

1. One of a breed of short-horned cattle, originating in the county of Durham, England, and noted for their beef-producing quality.

References

• Notes and Queries, Number 37, July 13, 1850 by Various page 108, Project Gutenberg