Here,
http://www.etymologie.info/~e/d_/de-orte__.html
--ham
deutet auf große fränkische
Siedlungen hin (6.Jh. und später),
auch später wurden viele Orte in
Anlehnung daran benannt
the authors say that this ending is a sign for the
Frankish expansion (colonization) starting in the
6th c.
[1] Is this correct?
[2] Is the South-German <-ham> relic because of
some Bavarian or Franconian sub-dialect? Or is
it a relic... "per se" (an old form)?
In Germany, there are -ham toponyms seemingly
only in South-Bavaria & Austria (the rest of
the 'Reich' only has <-heim>).
Noteworthy that -ham names coexist with -heim,
-haus, -hausen ones; the multitude of -ham localities
around <Rosenheim>, a major locality between
Munich and Salzburg (on the railroad Vienna-
Paris): no *Rosenham, but Rosenheim. And: I don't
know whether there is a single case of <-ingham>,
although in the same area <-ing> has been extremely
productive. (<-ingen> is farther in the West, it
already signalizes the Suebian area; not typical of
the Bavarian dialect zone.) I know of one
<-ham>+<-ing> in: <Allhaming> in Austria.
As for <-ing>+<-heim>, the afore mentioned web page
says: "-ingheim / Siedlungen, die nach einer berühmten
Person oder einer geographischen Einheit benannt
wurden." (Along with <ing>+<-hofen>.)
A few examples: all these German localities are in
Southern Bavaria (Oberbayern), some of the counties
even bordering Austria (such as Traunstein, Berch-
tesgaden, Rosenheim).
[G = Gemeinde (commune); Krs = Landkreis (county)]
Aham (G Eiselfing, Krs Rosenheim)
Aham (G Taufkirchen, Krs Erding)
Aiglsham (G Pittenhart, Krs Traunstein)
Almertsham (G Höglswang, Krs Rosenheim)
Altenham (G Tacherting, Krs Traunstein)
Altersham (G Pittenhart, Krs Traunstein)
Altham (G Erding, Krs Erding)
Aufham (cf Bachham)
Babensham & Altbabensham (Krs Rosenheim)
2 Bachham (Krs Rosenheim)
3 Bachham (Krs Erding, Mühldorf, Traunstein)
Baldham (G Vaterstetten, S-E of Munich)
Balkham (Krs Ebersberg)
Bamham (Krs Rosenheim)
Bandsham (G Trostberg, Krs Traunstein)
Bärnham (G Babensham, Krs Rosenheim)
Baumham (G Palling, Krs Traunstein)
Beham (G Polling, Krs Mühldorf)
Benetsham (G Trostberg, Krs Traunstein)
Bergham (G Babensham ...)
and further 25 Bergham (6 in Krs Rosenheim, 3 Altötting, 4 Erding,
5 Mühldorf, 3 Miesbach, Freising, 3 Traunstein)
Daxham (G Bad Feilnbach, Krs Rosenheim)
Durham (G Fischbachau, Krs Miesbach)
Haidham (G Prutting, Krs Rosenheim)
Hausham (Krs Miesbach)
Hofham (G Bad Endorf, Krs Rosenheim)
Hofham (G Freilassing, Krs Berchtesgaden)
Holzham (G Burghausen, Krs Altötting)
Holzham (G Halfing, Krs Rosenheim)
[NB: toponym > anthroponym <Holzhamer>; people tend
to spell this names by (erroneously) doubling the
<m>: <Holzhammer>. This causes (as in this word)
ambiguities: <Holzhammer> "wooden hammer"]
Maisham (Krs Traunstein)
Moosham (Krs 2 Rosenheim, Tölz, Berchtesgaden, Freising, Traunstein)
Muckham (Krs Berchtesgaden)
Pertlsham & Puttenham (cf Babensham)
Ranham (near Trostberg, Krs Traunstein)
Rankham (G Bad Endorf, Krs Rosenheim)
Ranetsham & Reichertsham (G Buchbach, Krs Traunstein)
Rauschwaldtlham, Reichertsham & Riepertsham (G. Babensham, Krs
Rosenheim)
Rautenham (G Fridolfing, Krs Trostberg)
Reitham (G Bernau am Chiemsee, Krs Rosenheim)
Reitham (G Warngau, Krs Miesbach)
Riedlham (Krs Mühldorf)
Ringham (G Petting, Krs Traunstein)
Rohrigham (G Trostberg, Krs Traunstein)
Roidham (Krs Altötting)
Roidham (Berchtesgaden)
Rumersham (Krs Traunstein)
3 Roitham (all of them Krs Traunstein)
(BTW one Roit*walchen* ;-) in the same county & in Austria)
Rupertsham (Krs Traunstein)
Tankham (G Bockhorn, Krs Erding)
Tettelham (G Waging, Krs Traunstein)
Waltenham (G Tyrlaching, Krs Altötting)
===========================================
AUSTRIA:
Feldham
Kallham (Upper Austria)
Litzlham
several Moosham, incl castles "Schloss Moosham"
(e.g.
http://www.salzburg.gv.at/heimatmuseen/moosham.htm)
Hofham (near Uttendorf, Pinzgau)
Roidham
Roitham
Tumeltsham (Upper Austria)
Wiesenham
(www.)Wippenham(.at)
"Die Gruppe der Ortsnamen auf -ham oder
-heim ist zeitlich nicht weit von den
-ing-Namen entfernt. Die erste urkundliche
Erwähnung des Ortes Wippenham stammt aus dem
Jahre 1147."
George
PS: I've recently read that prof. Udolph has
a (weekly?) radio talk-show (hosted by some FM
station in Berlin or in some neighboring province),
where people call them up to put questions on
the etymology of person and place names.