Page:A century of Birmingham life- or, A chronicle of local events, from 1741 to 1841 (IA centuryofbirming01lang).pdf/21



HE derivation of the word Birmingham has been the source of considerable controversy; and has afforded "gentle dulness" one of its favourite occupations. Hutton's etymological knowledge was of the most limited nature, and a common corruption in pronouncing the word led our genial old gossip astray. He tells us that the "original seems to have been Bromwych: Brom, perhaps, from broom, a shrub, for the growth of which the soil is extremely favourable: Wych, a descent; this exactly corresponds with the declivity from the High Street to Digbeth." Having got his Bromwych, he has to account for the ham. This word being Saxon for home, he says, was added "probably, under the Saxon Heptarchy." Thus the meaning of the word would be the home-on-the-descent-on-which-broom-grows. Unfortunately for this pretty theory, the old name was not Bromwycham, but Bermingcham or Bermingham, and therefore the prolific nature of the soil in producing broom has nothing to do with the name at all. A better, and, doubtless, the true derivation is given by Mr. James Freeman, in a letter published in the Athenæum, September 8, 1855—He says, "The word Birmingham is so thoroughly Saxon in its construction, that nothing short of positive historical evidence would warrant us in assigning any other than a Saxon origin to it. The final syllable, ham, means a home or residence and Bermingas would be a patronymic or family name, meaning the Berms (from Berm, a man's name, and ing or iung, the young, progeny, race, or tribe). The word, dissected in this manner, would signify the