Many suggestions have been offered relative to the derivation of the word _Paddington_; but that suggested by Mr. Kemble—one of the greatest living authorities on antiquarian topography—seems to me to be the most deserving consideration. Mr. Kemble observes, in his preface to the third volume of the Codex Diplomaticus, that the Anglo-Saxon, like most German names of places, are nearly always composite words; that is, they consist of two or more parts; the second generally of wide and common signification; the first a kind of definition limiting this general name to one particular application. The former portion of these compound names, he says, may be classed under various heads, as the names of animals, birds, trees, fishes, &c.; others refer to mythological or divine personages; and others contain the names of individuals and families. To this latter division he refers Paddington in the first volume of his “Saxons in England;” where he has inferred a mark—“Pædingas”—for the name of this place—Tun, the enclosure or town, Pædingas of the Pædings. It is true, this is one of three names, of which Mr. Kemble appears to entertain some doubt; but all other explanations I have met with appear to me open to more serious objections. Dr. R. G. Latham, the father of the modern school of English philology, tells us that “in the Greek language the notion of lineal descent, in other words, the relation of the son to the father, is expressed by a particular termination;” and that this Greek mode of expression is very different from the English termination, _son_, and the Gaelic prefix, _mac_; which in fact make the words to which they are joined only compound words. But he asks is there anything in English corresponding to the Greek patronymics, and answers, “In Anglo-Saxon the termination _ing_ is as truly patronymic as IDES is in Greek. * * * In the Bible-translation the son of Elisha is called Elising. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle occur such genealogies as the following:—Ida was Eopping, Eoppa Esing, &c.—Ida was the son of Eoppa, Eoppa of Esing, &c.” The learned Doctor further informs us that “In the plural number these forms denote the _race of_—as Scyldingas—to the Scyldings, or the race of Scyld,” {111} or Pœdingas—to the Pædings, or the race of Pæd. With other names in Paddington there is not much difficulty.