Isham as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Isham

What is the meaning of the name Isham ?

The baby name Isham is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈɪʃəm/ (ISH-əm).

Isham is English in Origin.

Isham is an English toponymic surname turned given name, taken from the village of Isham in Northamptonshire. Its elements are the River Ise (a local hydronym) + Old English hām “homestead, settlement,” yielding the meaning “homestead on the Ise” or “settlement by the River Ise.” The surname appears in medieval records and is closely associated with the Isham family of Lamport Hall, whose baronetcy dates from the 17th century.

As a first name, Isham gained currency in Britain’s colonial era and became modestly popular in the American South during the 18th and 19th centuries; bearers include Tennessee governor Isham G. Harris and bandleader Isham Jones. Usage today is rare but fits the contemporary taste for sleek, surname-style choices. Variants and related spellings include Isom (common in the U.S.), Ishom, Ishum, and occasionally Esham; nickname Ish. Not to be confused with the Arabic names Hisham or Isam.