May Williamson: The Non-Celtic Place-Names of the Scottish Border ...

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OE holm, “a piece of dry land in a fen, a piece of land surrounded by streams” (DEPN, 235).
Dialect holm, “a piece of low-lying ground by a river or stream” (IPN ii, s.v.). This is usually
the sense in Dmf and Rxb: cf “the dowie houms o’ Yarrow”.
ROXBURGHSHIRE
BAHOLM TOWER (Cst):
Bourhooms, Blaeu. If Blaeu’s spelling is authentic, MSc bour, perhaps in the sense of “place
overgrown with foliage”, is the first element.
DEMAINHOLM (Cst): (89, 11 B):
Demayne Holme, 1583 CBP; Damain Hoo, Blaeu. “Holm with an estate in it”: ME demeyne
from OFr demeine.
DUMFRIESSHIRE
BEARHOLMS (KJ):
Beirholme, 1630 Reg Sas Dmf. Perhaps “barley holm”, from OE bere; but perhaps beirrepresents
MSc bair, bare, “bare”.
BIGHOLM (Lang): (89, 7 B)
Bygams, 1583 CBP; Biggiemms, Blaeu. Perhaps ON bygg-holmr, “barley holm”.
BILLHOLM (Wstk):
Billum, Blaeu. /305/ ON Bili, personal name, may be the first element, as Bila-holmr.
BROOMHOLM (Lang):
Brumholme, 1532 RMS; Brume-, 1569 RPC. “Broom valley”.
CALVERTS HOLM (KF): (89, 6 F):
Caversholme, 1509 RMS; Cavarthoom, Blaeu; Cavetholm, 1662 RMS. The first spelling may
be merely an attempt to equate the first element with a known name. Cavart- is seen again in
Glencartholm and is probably Gaelic. In this case the name has finally been associated with
the surname Calvert.
ENZIE HOLM (Wstk): (85, 6 H):
Eynze, 1532 RMS; Aynze, 1532 ib; Ainziehoom, Blaeu. Watson claims Enzie- as Gaelic, from
eang, “nook, triangular piece of land” (CPNS, 180). This fits the topography of the site.
ERKINHOLME (Lang): (89, 8 A):
Arkinholme, 1532 RMS; Erkinhoom, Blaeu. Perhaps from ON Arnkell > ME Arkel > Arken
by dissimulation. MSc Erkin- is an inverted spelling.
GLENCARTHOLM (Can):
Glencawartisholme, 1590 RPC. /306/ Glencawart must have been the original place-name to
which -holm was added.
KINGHOLM QUAY (Dmf): (88, 10 E):
Kyngesholm, 1335-6 CDS; Kingisholme, 1528 RSS. “King’s holm” or perhaps “holm
belonging to a person with the surname King”.