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List of place names of Native American origin in the United States

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This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Many places throughout the United States take their names from the languages of the indigenous Native American/American Indian tribes. The following list includes settlements, geographic features, and political subdivisions whose names are derived from these languages.

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State names

Main article: List of U.S. state name etymologies


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Alabama

Main article: List of Alabama placenames of Native American origin

Alaska

Main article: List of Alaska placenames of Native American origin

Arizona

Main article: List of Arizona placenames of Native American origin

Arkansas

Main article: List of Arkansas placenames of Native American origin

California

Main article: List of California placenames of Native American origin

Colorado

Main article: List of Colorado placenames of Native American origin

Connecticut

Main article: List of Connecticut placenames of Native American origin

Delaware

Settlements

District of Columbia

Settlements

Bodies of water

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Florida

Counties

Settlements

Bodies of water

Other

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Georgia

Counties

Settlements

  • Cataula – a small community on US 27 in Harris County where 20th century guitar virtuoso Chet Adkins was born
  • Dahlonega
  • Nankipooh – once a whistle stop on the Central of Georgia railroads "R" branch, it is now a suburb of Columbus
  • Ochillie – a creek that flows northwest through Chattahoochee county, within the boundaries of the Fort Benning military reservation, and into Upatoi creek
  • Schatulga – a small community in western Columbus/Muscogee County
  • Toccoa
  • Upatoi – a creek that runs between Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in west-central Georgia
  • Weracoba – a creek and city park in Columbus

Hawaii

Counties

Idaho

Counties

Settlements

Bodies of water

Other

Illinois

Main article: List of Illinois placenames of Native American origin

Indiana

Main article: List of Indiana placenames of Native American origin

Iowa

Main article: List of Iowa placenames of Native American origin

Kansas

Counties

Settlements

  • Osawatomie – a compound of two primary Native American Indian tribes from the area, the Osage and Pottawatomie
  • Tonganoxie – derives its name from a member of the Delaware tribe that once occupied land in what is now Leavenworth County and western Wyandotte County
  • Topeka – from Kansa dóppikʔe, "a good place to dig wild potatoes"

Kentucky

Settlements

Other

Louisiana

Parishes

Settlements

Bodies of water

Maine

Main article: List of Maine placenames of Native American origin

Maryland

Main article: List of Maryland placenames of Native American origin

Massachusetts

Main article: List of Massachusetts placenames of Native American origin

Michigan

Main article: List of Michigan placenames of Native American origin

Minnesota

Main article: List of Minnesota placenames of Native American origin

Mississippi

Main article: List of Mississippi placenames of Native American origin

Missouri

Counties

Settlements

Others

Montana

Counties

Settlements

Bodies of water

Other

Nebraska

Main article: List of place names in Nebraska of Native American origin

Counties

Settlements

Nevada

Counties

Settlements

Bodies of water

Other

New Hampshire

Main article: List of place names in New England of aboriginal origin

New Jersey

Main article: List of New Jersey placenames of Native American origin

New Mexico

  • Jemez Springs – named for the nearby Pueblo of Jemez
  • Nambe – Tewa: Nambe Owingeh [nɑ̃̀ŋbèʔ ʔówîŋgè]; Nambé is the Spanish version of a similar-sounding Tewa word, which can be interpreted loosely as meaning "rounded earth."
  • Pojoaque – Tewa: P'osuwaege Owingeh [p’òhsũ̀wæ̃̀gè ʔówîŋgè]
  • Taos – The English name Taos derives from the native Taos language meaning "place of red willows"
  • Tesuque – Tewa: Tetsuge Owingeh [tèʔts’úgé ʔówîŋgè])
  • Tucumcari – from Tucumcari Mountain, which is situated nearby. Where the mountain got its name is uncertain. It may have come from the Comanche word tʉkamʉkarʉ, which means 'ambush'. A 1777 burial record mentions a Comanche woman and her child captured in a battle at Cuchuncari, which is believed to be an early version of the name Tucumcari.

New York

Main article: List of New York placenames of Native American origin

North Carolina

Main article: List of North Carolina placenames of Native American origin

North Dakota

Counties

Settlements

Ohio

Main article: List of place names of Native American origin in Ohio

Counties

Settlements

  • Chillicothe – from Shawnee Chala·ka·tha, referring to members of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee people: Chalaka (name of the Shawnee group, of unknown meaning) + -tha 'person';[67] the present Chillicothe is the most recent of seven places in Ohio that have held that name, because it was applied to the main town wherever the Chalakatha settled as they moved to different places.
  • Conneaut – probably derived from Seneca ga-nen-yot, 'standing stone'.
  • Mingo and Mingo Junction – named after the Mingo people, Iroquoians who moved west to Ohio in the 18th century, largely of the Seneca nation.[68]
  • Ohio River – from Seneca Ohiyo 'the best river' or 'the big river'.[69][70]
  • Olentangy – an Algonquian name, probably from Lenape ulam tanchi or Shawnee holom tenshi, both meaning 'red face paint from there'. The Vermilion River likewise was named with a translation of the original Ottawa name Ulam Thipi, 'red face paint river'.
  • Piqua – Shawnee Pekowi, name of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee.
  • Wapakoneta – from Shawnee Wa·po’kanite 'Place of White Bones' (wa·pa 'white'+(h)o’kani 'bone'+-ite locative suffix).[71][72]

Oklahoma

Main article: List of Oklahoma placenames of Native American origin

Oregon

Counties

Communities

Pennsylvania

Main article: List of place names of Native American origin in Pennsylvania

Counties

Settlements

  • Aliquippa – Lenape alukwepi 'hat';[79] after Queen Aliquippa, who was named that because she wore a large hat.[80]
  • Analomink – From "tumbling water."[81]
  • Catasauqua (pronounced "Cat-uh-SAW-kwuh"), from the Lenape language, meaning "dry ground" or "thirsty ground."
  • Catawissa – Lenape, 'growing fat;' a reference to a Delaware Chief in the area, Lapachpeton.[78]
  • Chillisquaque Chillisquaque' comes from the native American term meaning 'song of the wild goose'
  • Conemaugh – Lenape kwənəmuxkw 'otter'.[82][83]
  • Connoquenessing – Lenape, 'A long way straight' [84]
  • Conshohocken – Lenape kanshihakink 'in elegant land': kanshi 'elegant' + haki 'land' + -nk locative suffix.
  • Coplay - This name came from "Kolapechka". The son of the Indian chief, Paxanosa, who lived at the head of the creek
  • Hokendauqua (Lehigh County) Both the village and creek are named for a combination of the Lenape words Hackiun and dochwe, which together mean "stream searching for land."
  • Keewaydin Keewaydin is not definite, but may have derived from an Indian word meaning "the north wind" or "home wind," (for when the wind blew from that direction the trail led home).
  • Kingsessing – The name Kingsessing or Chinsessing comes from the Delaware word for "a place where there is a meadow".
  • Kiskiminetas – derived from Lenape kishku manitu 'make daylight' (kishku 'day'[85] + manitu 'make'[86] ), a command to warriors to break camp and go on maneuvers while it is still night (as though it were daylight), according to John Heckewelder.[87]
  • Kittanning – Lenape kithanink 'on the main river': kit 'great, large, big' + hane 'swift river from the mountains' + -ink locative suffix,[88] "the big river" or "the main river" being an epithet for the Allegheny-cum-Ohio, according to John Heckewelder.[89]
  • Lackawaxen Lenape name Lackawaxen, meaning "swift waters,"
  • Loyalhanna – after the name of a Lenape town, Layalhanning, meaning 'at the middle of the river': layel or lawel 'middle' + hane 'river' + -ink locative suffix.[90]
  • Loyalsock – Lenape, 'middle creek.' (It is located halfway between lycoming and muncy creeks.)[78]
  • Macungie is derived from a Native American word meaning bear swamp, or place where bears feed.
  • Manayunk – Lenape məneyunk 'place of drinking': məne 'drink' + yu 'here' + -nk locative suffix.[91]
  • Mauch Chunk – Lenape maxkw-chunk 'bear mountain'.[92]
  • Mehoopany – Lenape, 'where there are wild potatoes."[78]
  • Meshoppen Lenape, 'corals,' or 'beads.'[78]
  • Monongahela – Lenape Mənaonkihəla 'the high riverbanks are washed down; the banks cave in or erode',[93] inanimate plural of mənaonkihəle 'the dirt caves off (such as the bank of a river or creek; or in a landslide)'[94] < mənaonke 'it has a loose bank (where one might fall in)'[95] + -həle (verb of motion).
  • Moshnanon The community takes its name from Moshannon Creek, a Native American name purported to mean "moose stream"
  • Muckinipattis – Lenape for 'deep running water', from mexitkwek 'a deep place full of water'[96] or mexakwixen 'high water, freshet'.[97]
  • Muncy–after the Munsee people < Munsee language mənsiw, 'person from Minisink' (minisink meaning 'at the island': mənəs 'island' + -ink locative suffix) + -iw attributive suffix.[98]
  • Nanticoke – From the Nanticoke language, 'Tide water people.' (In reference to themselves)[78]
  • Nemacolin – after the 18th-century Lenape chief Nemacolin.
  • Nescopeck – Shawnee, 'deep and still water.' [78]
  • Nesquehoning — meaning “narrow valley;” others say name comes from stream that runs through the area, which was called Neska-honi, or black lick, or Neskeu-honi, or dirty lick
  • Nittany – 'single mountain', from Lenape nekwti 'single'[99] + ahtəne 'mountain'.[100]
  • Ohiopyle – from the Lenape phrase ahi opihəle, 'it turns very white',[101][102] referring to the frothy waterfalls.[103]
  • Passyunk – from Lenape pahsayunk 'in the valley',[104] from pahsaek 'valley' (also the name of Passaic, New Jersey).
  • Pennypack–Lenape pənəpekw 'where the water flows downward'.[105]
  • Perkiomen – Lenape, 'where there are cranberries.'[78]
  • Poconos – Lenape pokawaxne 'a creek between two hills'.[106]
  • Punxsutawney – Lenape Punkwsutenay 'town of sandflies or mosquitoes': punkwəs 'sandfly' (<punkw 'dust' + -əs diminutive suffix) + utenay 'town'.[107]
  • Pymatuning – Lenape Pimhatunink 'where there are facilities for sweating'[56] < pim- 'to sweat in a sweat lodge'[108] + hatu 'it is placed'[109] + -n(e) inanimate object marker + -ink locative suffix.
  • Queonemysing – Lenape kwənamesink 'place of long fish': kwəni 'long' + names 'fish' + -ink locative suffix.[110]
  • Quittapahilla Creek – Lenape kuwe ktəpehəle 'it flows out through the pines':[111] kuwe 'pine tree'[112] + ktəpehəle 'it flows out'.[113]
  • Shackamaxon – Lenape sakimaksink 'place of the chiefs':[114] sakima 'chief'[115] + -k plural suffix + -s- (for euphony) -ink locative suffix
  • Shamokin – Lenape Shahəmokink[116] 'place of eels', from shoxamekw 'eel'[117] + -ink locative suffix.
  • Shickshinny – Lenape, 'a fine stream.' [78]
  • Sinnemahoning – Lenape ahsəni mahonink 'stony lick', from ahsən 'stone'[118] and mahonink 'at the salt lick'.[119]
  • Susquehanna – Lenape siskuwihane 'muddy river': sisku 'mud' + -wi- (for euphony) + hane 'swift river from the mountains'.[120]
  • Tamaqua – Lenape, 'running water;' named for a nearby river.[121]
  • Tiadaghton – Seneca, 'pine creek.'[78]
  • Tinicum – Lenape mahtanikunk 'Where they catch up with each other'.[122]
  • Tulpehocken – Lenape tulpehakink 'in the land of turtles': tulpe 'turtle' + haki 'land' + -nk locative suffix.[123]
  • Tionesta – Munsee, 'There it has fine banks.'[78]
  • Tobyhanna is derived from an American Indian word meaning "a stream whose banks are fringed with alder."
  • Towamensing – Lenape, 'pasture land,' (literally 'the place of feeding cattle.') [78]
  • Towanda – Nanticoke, 'where we bury the dead.'[78]
  • Tunkhannock – Lenape tank hane 'narrow stream',[124] from tank 'small' + hane 'stream'.
  • Wapwallopen – Lenape òphalahpink, 'where the white wild hemp grows,'[78] from òp- 'white'[125] + halahpis 'Indian hemp'[126] + -nk locative.
  • Wiconisco – Lenape wikin niskew 'A muddy place to live',[127] from wikin 'to live in a place'[128] + niskew 'to be dirty, muddy'.[129]
  • Wissahickon – contraction of Lenape wisamekwhikan 'catfish creek': wisamekw 'catfish'[130] (literally 'fat fish':[131] <wisam 'fat' + -èkw, bound form of namès 'fish'[132] ) + hikan 'ebb tide, mouth of a creek'.[133][134]
  • Wyalusing – Lenape, 'the place where the aged man dwells,' a reference to the Moravian missionaries who set up a village in the area.[78]
  • Wyoming Valley – Munsee, xwēwamənk 'at the big river flat': xw- 'big' + ēwam 'river flat' + ənk locative suffix.[135]
  • Wysox – Lenape, 'the place of grapes.'[78]
  • Youghiogheny – Lenape yuxwiakhane 'stream running a contrary or crooked course', according to John Heckewelder.[136]

Rhode Island

Main article: List of place names in New England of aboriginal origin
  • Apponaug: (Narragansett) "where oysters/shellfish are roasted" or "waiting place"
  • Aquidneck Island: (Narragansett) "at the island"
  • Canonchet: a 17th-century Narragansett chief
  • Chepachet: (Narragansett) "boundary/separation place"
  • Conanicut Island: (Narragansett) named for a 17th-century chief Canonicus
  • Conimicut: (Narragansett) thought to be named for granddaughter of Canonicus (see above)
  • Mount Hope: (from Narragansett Montop or Montaup) "look-out place" or "well-fortified island"
  • Narragansett Bay (and town): tribe: "at the narrow point"
  • Natick: tribe; "the place I seek" or "home"
  • Pascoag (and river): (Nipmuck) "the dividing place" (of river)
  • Pawtucket: (Narragansett) "at the falls in the river (tidal stream)"
  • Pettaquamscutt Rock (and river): Narragansett) "at the round rock"
  • Pontiac: famous mid-18th century Ottawa chief
  • Quonochontaug: (Narragansett) "home of the blackfish"
  • Sakonnet River (and point): (Narragansett) "home of the black goose"
  • Scituate Reservoir: (Wampanoag) "at the cold spring/brook"
  • Shawomet: (Narragansett) "at the peninsula/neck" (canoe-landing place)
  • Usquepaugh: (Narragansett) "at the end of the pond"
  • Weekapaug: (Narragansett) "at the end of the pond"
  • Woonsocket: (Nipmuck) "place of steep descent"
  • Wyoming: (Delaware) "large prairie"

South Carolina

Counties

Settlements

Bodies of water

Islands

South Dakota

Counties

* Brule County - from the Sičangu or Brule from French meaning “burnt” due to the name ‘Sičangu’ meaning burnt thighs in Lakota.

Settlements

  • Canistota – from the New York Native American word canistoe, meaning "board on the water".[138]
  • Capa – from the Sioux for "beaver".
  • Kadoka – Lakota for "hole in the wall".
  • Kampeska – Sioux for "bright and shining", "like a shell or glass".[138]
  • Lower Brule - from the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, which the tribe is headquartered.
  • Oacoma
  • Oglala – Lakota for "to scatter one's own".[137]
  • Ottumwa – Algonquian word possibly meaning "rippling waters", "place of perseverance or self-will", or "town".
  • Owanka – Lakota for "good camping ground". It was originally named Wicota, a Lakota word meaning "a crowd".[138]
  • Pukwana – the name given to the smoke emitted from a Native American peace pipe.
  • Ree Heights – named after the Arikara people, sometimes known as the Ree. Arikara may have been a neighboring tribe's word for "horns" or "male deer".[138]
  • ]]SansArc, South Dakota|Sans Arc] - from the Sans Arc, a Lakota tribe whose name comes from French, meaning “without bows” a translate from their Lakota name “Itazipčo” meaning “no bows”.
  • Seneca – from Algonquian sinnekaas, which referred to the Seneca people.[138]
  • Sisseton - from Dakota “Sisíthuŋwaŋ”, the original name for the Sisseton, a sub-tribe who lived in the area, of which currently is encompassed by the Lake Traverse Reservation, their current tribal lands as the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate .
  • Teton – from Lakota tiunwan, meaning "prairie dwellers".[138]
  • Wanblee – from Lakota Waŋblí Hoȟpi, meaning "golden eagle nest".
  • Wasta – from Dakota wašté, meaning "good".[138]
  • Wakonda – from Sioux wakan, meaning "wonder, marvel, mystery, sacred".[138]
  • Wakpala - from Lakota”wakpala”, meaning “creek”.
  • Wecota – from Lakota wicota, meaning "a crowd".[138]
  • Wetonka from Dakota wi-tȟáŋka, meaning "big sun".
  • Yankton – corruption of Sioux Ihanktonwan, meaning "the end village".[138]

Tennessee

Counties

Settlements

Bodies of water

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Main article: List of place names of Native American origin in New England § Vermont

Settlements

Bodies of Water

Islands

  • Popasquash Island
  • Queneska Island: (Abnaki) "elbow" or "long joint"

Other

  • Hoosac Mountains: (Mahican) "stone place"
  • Monadnock Mountain: (Abnaki) "at the mountain which sticks up like an island" (see New Hampshire)
  • Moosalamoo Mountain: (Abnaki) "moose trail"
  • Netop Mountain: (Natick) "my friend"
  • Nickwaket Mountain: (Abnaki) "at the fork" or "home of squirrels"
  • Pico Peak: (possibly Abnaki) "the pass/opening"

Virginia

Main article: List of Virginia placenames of Native American origin

Washington

West Virginia

Main article: List of West Virginia placenames of Native American origin

Wisconsin

Main article: List of Wisconsin placenames of Native American origin

Wyoming

  • Cheyenne – From Lakota Šahíyela, the diminutive of Šahíya, "Cree", meaning roughly “different speakers”.[148]
  • The name "Wyoming" comes from a Delaware Tribe word Mechaweami-ing or "maughwauwa-ma", meaning large plains or extensive meadows, which was the tribe's name for a valley in northern Pennsylvania. The name Wyoming was first proposed for use in the American West by Senator Ashley of Ohio in 1865 in a bill to create a temporary government for Wyoming Territory.[149]
  • Pahaska Tepee- From Lakota “White Mountain Tepee”. Situated 2 miles east of Yellowstone National Park.
  • Popo Agie River – From the Absalooke or Crow Language Poppootcháashe, which means "Plopping River" for the sound the water makes when it comes out of the sinkhole in Sinks Canyon, near present Lander, Wyoming.[150]

See also

References

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