Where does “Birmingham” come from?
Birmingham is derived from Old English Beormingahām, composed of Old English ham meaning "homestead," from Proto-Germanic haimaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kōim- meaning "home."
Ancestry of “Birmingham”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | Beormingahām | — |
| 2 | Old English | ham | home, house; property, estate, farm; village;... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | haim | home |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | haimaz | home; house; village |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱóymos | of the home, belonging to the family; village,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱey- | to be lying down; to settle |