US Place Names ~ Cabarrus County, North Carolina to Carrollton, Arkansas

Cabarrus; county in North Carolina, named for Stephen Cabarrus, speaker of the House of Commons in that State.

Cabazon; station on the Southern Pacific Railroad in Riverside County, California. A Spanish word, translated as "shirt collar" or "tax gatherer."

Cabell; county in West Virginia, named for William Cabell, governor of Virginia in 1805-1808.

Cable; village in Mercer County, Illinois, named for Ransom R. Cable, railway manager.

Cabot; town in Washington County, Vermont, named for Miss Cabot, a descendant of Sebastian Cabot.

Cache; county, village in same county, and streams and valley in northeastern Utah.

A French word meaning "hiding place," probably applied because of certain things having been hidden there by early explorers and travelers.

Cache la Poudre; creek in Colorado, named from the French, meaning "powder hiding place."

Cacheville; village in Yolo County, California. So named by early settlers who were in the habit of hiding their supplies at this point.

Cactus; village in San Diego County, California, so named from the abundance of cacti in the vicinity.

Caddo; town in Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, parish and lake in Louisiana, county in Oklahoma, village in Stephens County, Texas, and several small places; named from a former important tribe of eastern Texas and western Louisiana.

Cadillac; city in Wexford County, Michigan, named for La Motte (or La Mothe) Cadillac, who established a fort on the Detroit River in 1701.

Cadiz; township and village in Harrison County, Ohio, named from the city in Spain. Six other small places in the country are so called.

Cadott; village in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, named for an half-breed Indian, Baptiste Cadotte, who lived near the falls which first bore his name.

Caernarvon; townships in Pennsylvania, named from the town in Wales.

Cahto; creek and village in Mendocino County, California, an Indian word, mean-ing "fish."

Cahuilla; valley and village in Riverside County, California, named from an Indian tribe. The word is said to mean "roaster."

Caillou; lake and bayou in Louisiana. A French word meaning "pebble" or "flint stone."

Ca Ira; town in Cumberland County, Virginia. A French expression used in a famous revolutionary song, meaning " it shall go on."

Cairo; fourteen places in the country bear the name of the capital of Egypt.

Cajon; town in San Bernardino County, California, and pass in the Sierra Madre range. A Spanish word meaning "box."

Calabasas; township in Los Angeles County, California. A Spanish word meaning "pumpkins."

Calais; city in Washington County, Maine, and town in Washington County, Vermont, named from Calais in France.

Calamine; town in Sharp County, Arkansas, named from the zinc mines, calamina, meaning, the native siliceous oxide of zinc.

Calapooya; mountains in Oregon, named from an Indian tribe.

Calaveras; river and county in California, so called from the numbers of skulls found in the vicinity, supposed to be the remains of a bloody battle among the Indians. The word is Spanish, meaning "skull."

Calcutta; villages in Columbiana County, Ohio, and Pleasants County, West Virginia, named from the city in India.

Caldwell; city in Sumner County, Kansas, named for Alexander Caldwell, of Leavenworth, United States Senator.

Caldwell; counties in Kentucky and Missouri, named for Gen. John Caldwell, formerly lieutenant-governor of Kentucky.

Caldwell; parish in Louisiana, named for Matthew Caldwell, of North Carolina, a noted frontiersman.

Caldwell; borough in Essex County, New Jersey, named for Rev. James Caldwell, a patriotic clergyman of the Revolution.

Caldwell; town in Warren County, New York, named for Gen. James Caldwell, patentee.

Caldwell; county in North Carolina, named for Dr. Joseph Caldwell, first president of the State University.

Caldwell; village in Noble County, Ohio, named for Joseph and Samuel Caldwell, to whom the land belongs.

Caldwell; county, and town in Burleson County, Texas, named for Matthew Caldwell, an old settler and colonel of a Texas regiment in 1841.

Caledonia; village in Livingston County, New York, county in Vermont, and sixteen other places in the country, name from the ancient name of Scotland.

Calexico; town in San Diego County, California, so named from its location on the boundary between California and Mexico.

Calfee; creek in Yellowstone Park, named for H. B. Calfee, a photographer of note.

Calhoun; counties in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Texas, and West Virginia, also many small places, named for John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina, vice-president in 1825-1833.

Calhoun; town in McLean County, Kentucky, named for Judge John Calhoun.

Calhoun; village in Washington County, Nebraska, so named because situated on the site of Fort Calhoun.

Calhoun Falls; town in Abbeville County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family.

Calico; mountain range in California, so named from the variegated colors of the rocks.

Caliente; towns in Kern and Sonoma counties, California. The Spanish form for "hot," "vehement."

Califa; village in Madeira County, California. The Spanish form of "caliph" or "successor."

California; State of the Union. This name was applied by Cortez to the bay and country, which he supposed to be an island. The name is that of an island in an old Spanish romance, where a great abundance of precious stones were found. Eight post-offices bear this name.

Callahan; county in Texas; named for James M. Callahan, a survivor of the massacre of 1836.

Callaway; county, and village in same county, in Missouri, and several other places; name for Capt. James Callaway, grandson of Daniel Boone.

Callensburg; borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, named for Hugh Callen, its founder.

Callicoon; town in Sullivan County, New York. The word is said to signify "turkey" in both Dutch and Indian languages. The Dutch word for "turkey," however, is spelled kalkoen.

Calloway; county in Kentucky; named for Col. Richard Calloway.

Caloosa; river, and village in Lee County, Florida; named for an Indian tribe.

Calumet; river in Illinois and Indiana, county, and village in Fond du Lac County, in Wisconsin, and seven other places in the country. A Canadian corruption of the French, chalemel, which literally means "little reed," but which, in its corrupted form, refers to the "pipe of peace," used by the Indians to ratify treaties. Haines derives the word from calamo, "honey wood." Other authorities say that the name was originally "kennamick" or "kennomic."

Calvary; town in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, and seven other places in the country, named from the hill near Jerusalem.

Calvert; county, and post village in Cecil County, in Maryland, named for Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore. Eight other places are so named, doubtless, directly or indirectly for the same.

Calvert; town in Robertson County, Texas, named for Robert Calvert, an early settler.

Camano; island in Puget Sound, Washington, which takes its name from a canal named for Don Jacinto Camano.

Camarillo; town in Ventura County, California. A Spanish word meaning "small room."

Camas; villages in Fremont County, Idaho; Missoula County, Montana; and Clarke County, Washington;

Camas Valley; village in Douglas County, Oregon. The Indian name of a small onion which grows in those States.

Cambria; county in Pennsylvania named from the ancient name of Wales. The word means "land of mountains."

Cambria; village in Columbia County, Wisconsin, probably so named because of the Welsh settlers.

Cambridge; township and village in Henry County, Illinois, named from the city in Massachusetts, the home of several of the founders.

Cambridge; city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the English university town, after the general court decided to establish a college there.

Twenty-two other places bear the name of the English town, two having the suffix "port" and one "springs."

Cambridge; township and city in Guernsey County, Ohio, named from the town in Maryland, each being situated on a Wills Creek.

Camden; city in Ouachita County, Arkansas, named from the city in South Carolina.

Camden; county in Georgia, town in Knox County, Maine, county and city in same county in New Jersey, village in Oneida County, New York, county and village in same county in North Carolina, and town in Kershaw County, South Carolina; named for Chief Justice Pratt, Earl of Camden, a friend of the colonies during the Revolution.

Camden; county in Missouri, named from Camden County, North Carolina.

Camden; village in Preble County, Ohio, named from the city in New Jersey.

Camels Hump; peak in the Green Mountains, Vermont, so named from its resemblance to the hump of a camel.

Cameron; parish and town in same parish, in Louisiana, county, and village in same county, in Pennsylvania, and town in Marshall County, West Virginia, named for Simon Cameron.

Cameron; city in Clinton County, Missouri, named for Judge Elisha Cameron, of Clay County, Missouri.

Cameron; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Dugald Cameron, agent for the Pultney estate.

Cameron; town in Monroe County, North Carolina, named for a prominent family in the county.

Cameron; town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, named for J. Don Cameron, United States Senator from Pennsylvania.

Cameron; county, and city in Milam County, in Texas, named for Ervin or Erving Cameron, who fell in the expedition against Meir.

Camillus; village in Onondaga County, New York, built within the State Land Board limits, and named by members of the board for the Roman magistrate.

Camp; county in Texas, named for J. L. Camp, prominent lawyer.

Campbell; county in Georgia, named for Col. Duncan G. Campbell, of the State legislature.

Campbell; county in Kentucky, named for John Campbell, of the State senate.

Campbell; county in Steuben County, New York, named for the Campbell family, early settlers.

Campbell; county, and village in same county, in South Dakota, named for Gen. C. T. Campbell, pioneer.

Campbell; county in Tennessee, named for Col. Arthur Campbell.

Campbell; county in Virginia, named for Gen. William Campbell, an officer of the American Revolution.

Campbellsville; city in Taylor County, Kentucky, named for Adam Campbell, the first settler.

Campello; town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. An Indian word meaning "cedar tree."

Camp Grant; town and fort in Humboldt County, California, named for Gen. U. S. Grant.

Camp Grove; village in Marshall County, Illinois, named from its location on a favorite camping ground of emigrants on their journey westward.

Camp Hill; borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, so named because the seat of a soldiers' orphan school.

Camp Knox; village in Green County, Kentucky, named from a camp of Col. James Knox and 22 men, in 1770.

Campo; town in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning "field" or "plain."

Campo Seco; town in Calaveras County, California, so named from the general character of its surroundings. A Spanish name meaning "dry plain."

Camp Point; township and village in Adams County, Illinois, so named from its location on an Indian camping ground.

Campton; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, so called because the first surveyors of the site built a camp on the present town site.

Canaan; town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, and fourteen other towns and villages, given the name of the "Promised Land of the Israelites.

Canada; villages in Marion County, Kansas, Pike County, Kentucky, and Muskegon County, Michigan, named from the Dominion of Canada. Authorities differ as to the derivation of this name. Father Hennepin says the Spaniards were the original discoverers of the country, but upon landing they were disappointed in the general appearance and expressed their feelings by saying, Il capa di nada, "Cape nothing." Sir John Barlow says the Portuguese, who first ascended the St. Lawrence, believing it to be a passage to the Indian sea, expressed their disappointment when they discovered their mistake by saying Canada, "Nothing here." This the natives are said to have remembered and repeated to the Europeans who arrived later, who thought it must be the name of the country. Dr. Shea says the Spanish derivation is fictitious. Some think it was named for the first man to plant a colony of French in the country, Monsieur Cana. Charlevoix says the word originated with the Iroquois Indians, kanata, or kanada, "a collection of huts," "a village," "a town," which the early explorers mistook for the name of the country. Other etymologies propose the two Indian words, Kan, "a mouth," and ada, "a country," hence "the mouth of the country," originally applied to the mouth of the St. Lawrence. There is a respectable authority that the name was first applied to the river. Lescarbot tells us that the Gasperians and Indians who dwelt on the borders of the bay of Chaleur called themselves Canadaqaea; that the word meant "province" or "country." Sweetser says that the word came from the Indian caughnawaugh, "the village of the rapids." Brant, the Indian chieftain, who translated the gospel into his own language, used the word Canada for "village." Another authority gives it as derived from Canada del osos, meaning "bear's pass," and this was used, perhaps a century ago, by Spanish priests as an equivalent of "pass" or "gap."

Canadawa; creek in Chautauqua County, New York. An Indian word, meaning "running through the hemlocks.*'

Canadian; town in Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, county in Oklahoma, river traversing both Territories, and village in Hemphill County, Texas. A Spanish word, diminutive of canyon, meaning "steep-sided gorge."

Canajoharie; town in Montgomery County, New York. This name was originally given to a deep hole of foaming water at the foot of one of the falls in Canajoharie Creek. An Indian word meaning "kettle that washes itself," or "kettle-shaped hole in a rock." Morgan says the meaning is "washing the basin."

Canal; town in Venango County, Pennsylvania, so named because traversed by the Franklin Canal.

Canal de Hare; canal in Washington, named for the Spanish explorer, Lopez de Haro.

Canal Dover; village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, situated on the Ohio Canal and named from the city in New Jersey.

Canal Lewisville; town in Coshocton County, Ohio, named for T. B. Lewis, who founded it.

Canandaigua; village in Lenawee County, Michigan, and lake and town in Ontario County, New York. An Indian word, the derivation of which is in dispute. Morgan gives canandargua, "place selected for settlement," "chosen spot;" Haines, "town set off," while another theory is that it is corrupted from the Seneca Indian, genundewahguah, "great hill people," so called from a large hill near the lake.

Canaseraga; village in Allegany County, New York. From an Indian word, kanasawaga, "several strings of beads with a string lying across."

Canastota; villages in Madison County, New York, and McCook County, South Dakota. An Indian word, kniste, or kanetota, "pine tree standing alone." The New York village took its name from a cluster of pines that united their branches over the creek which passes through the town.

Canaveral; cape, and village in Brevard County, in Florida. A Spanish word mean-ing "cane plantation."

Canby; town in Modoc County, California, and city in Clackamas County, Oregon, named for General Canby, United States Army, who was treacherously murdered by Modoc Indians.

Candelaria; post-offices in Esmeralda County, Nevada, and Presidio County, Texas. The Mexican name for a species of branching cactus.

Candia; town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, named from the island in the Mediterranean where Governor Wentworth was once a prisoner.

Caneadea; town in Allegany County, New York. An Indian word meaning "where the heavens rest upon the earth."

Caney; city in Montgomery County, Kansas, villages in Morgan County, Kentucky, Vernon Parish, Louisiana, and Matagorda County, Texas, besides several other small places. This word is frequently used alone and with the suffixes "branch," "spring," and "ville," in the Southern States, and refers to the cane which covers vast tracts of country in the alluvial bottoms.

Canfield; village in Mahoning County, Ohio, named for one of the original proprietors, Jonathan Canfield.

Canisteo; river and town in Steuben County, New York. An Indian word meaning "board on the water."

Cankapoja; lake at the head of Vermilion River, South Dakota. An Indian word meaning "light wood."

Cannelburg; town in Daviess County, Indiana, named for the Buckeye Cannel Coal Company.

Cannelton; city in Perry County, Indiana, village in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, named from the beds of cannel coal in the vicinity.

Cannon; river in Minnesota. The name is a corruption of the name given by the early French, riviere aux canots, "river of the canoes."

Cannon; county in Tennessee, named for Newton Cannon, governor of the State in 1835-39. Cannonball; river in North Dakota, a translation of the French name, le boilet.

Cannon Falls; village in Goodhue County, Minnesota, named from the river.

Cannonsburg; town in Kent County, Michigan, named for Le Grand Cannon, of Troy, New York.

Cannonsville; village in Delaware County, New York, named for Benjamin Cannon, early owner.

Canoeridge; village in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, so named because it is situated on the highest point on the west branch of the Susquehanna River to which a canoe could be pushed.

Canoga; village in Seneca County, New York, named from a large spring which affords permanent motive power for two mills. An Indian word meaning ''oil floating on the water."

Cañon; a name given by the Spaniards to narrow mountain gorges or deep ravines. Various places, sometimes spelled cañon, others canyon, named from their proximity to gorges; such as Canyonville, Oregon, and Canyon, Colorado. A Spanish word meaning "tube," or "funnel."

Canon de Uvalde; pass in Texas named for a Mexican general.

Canonicut; island in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, named for Canonicus, an Indian chief of the Narragansett tribe, a friend of Roger Williams.

Canonsburg; town in Washington County, Pennsylvania, laid out by and named for Col. John Cannon.

Canoochee; river, and village in Emanuel County, in Georgia. An Indian word said to be derived from ikanodshi, "graves are there."

Cantara; town in Siskiyou County, California. A Spanish word meaning a "large-mouthed pitcher."

Canterbury; town in Windham County, Connecticut, and villages in Kent County, Delaware, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, and Mingo County, West Virginia, named from the English city.

Canton; numerous places in the country, which derive their name, either directly or indirectly, from the city in China.

Cantrall; village in Sangamon County, Illinois, named for its founder.

Capac; town in St. Clair County, Michigan, named for Manco Capac, the first emperor or chief of the Peruvian empire. The word, manco, is said to mean "chief."

Cape Elizabeth; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named from the cape, which was named for Queen Elizabeth of England.

Cape Girardeau; county, and city in same county, in Missouri, named for Sieur Girardot, of Kaskaskia.

Cape Horn; station on the Central Pacific Railroad in Placer County, California. A difficult curve and grade, and spoken of as "rounding Cape Horn," after the South American cape.

Capell; mountain and fort in California, named for an officer.

Cape May; county, and city in same county, in New Jersey, named from the cape named for Cornelis Jacobse May, a navigator in the employ of the Dutch West Indian Company.

Cape Vincent; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for Vincent, son of Le Ray de Chaumont.

Capitan; village in Santa Barbara County, California. The Spanish form for "captain" or "leader."

Capitol; peak in Colorado, so named from its form.

Carancahua; village in Jackson County, Texas, named for the Karankawa tribe of Indians.

Carbon; a name of frequent occurrence in the country, given to indicate the presence of coal deposits. Counties in Montana, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wyoming are so called. Various suffixes, such as "dale," "hill," etc, are also used.

Carbon Cliff; village in Rock Island County, Illinois, named from its location on a hillside and its proximity to coal mines.

Cardiff; villages in Jefferson County, Alabama, Garfield County, Colorado, and Onondaga County, New York, named from the city in Wales.

Cardington; township and village in Morrow County, Ohio, so named because the carding machine was the introduction of the first industry in the village.

Cardwell; village in Dunklin County, Missouri, named for Frank Card well, of Paragould, Arkansas.

Carencro; town in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, so named because large flocks of buzzards roosted in the cypress trees common in that neighborhood. A Creole word, meaning "buzzard."

Carey; village in Wyandot County, Ohio, named for Judge John Carey, a prominent resident.

Carillo; village in Sonoma County, California. A Spanish word, meaning "beloved."

Carlinville; city in Macoupin County, Illinois, named for Thomas Carlin, governor of the State in 1834-42.

Carlisle; county in Kentucky, named for John G. Carlisle, secretary of the treasury under President Cleveland.

Carlisle; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named, according to Whitmore, for Charles Howard, Earl of Carlisle. Other authorities say it was named from the town in Scotland.

Carlisle; borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, named from the town in England.

Carlisle; town in Union County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family.

Carlsbad; town and health resort in San Diego County, California, named from the town and springs in Bohemia.

Carlstadt; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, named by early German settlers from the town in Croatia.

Carlton; county, and town in same county, in Minnesota, named for Reuben B. Carlton, one of the first settlers and proprietors of Fond du Lac, at the head of navigation on the St. Louis River.

Carlton; town in Ravalli County, Montana, named for Robert Carlton, the owner of the land on which the town is located.

Carlyle; township and city in Clinton County, Illinois, named for Thomas Carlyle by English colonists.

Carmel; town in Penobscot County, Maine, and several other small places, named from the mountain in Palestine.

Carmi; township and city in White County, Illinois, named by the settlers for the fourth son of Reuben.

Carnadero; station on the Southern Pacific Railroad in Santa Clara County, California. A Spanish term, meaning "bait maker."

Carnegie; borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, named for Andrew Carnegie.

Carnesville; town in Franklin County, Georgia, named for Col. T. P. Carnes, sr.

Caro; village in Tuscola County, Michigan, a fanciful name given by its founder, W. E. Sherman.

Carolina; two States of the Union, North Carolina and South Carolina. Near the middle of the sixteenth century, Jean Ribault visited the region and named it Carolina, in honor of his king, Charles IX of France, but the name never came into general use and soon disappeared. About 1628 this name was applied definitely to that part of the country lying between Virginia and Florida, having been given in honor of Charles I of England. In an old manuscript, now in London, the following may be found: "1629-30, Feb. 10. The Attorney-General is prayed to grant by Patent 2 Degrees in Carolina,'* etc. In 1663 the name was definitely applied to the province granted to proprietors by Charles II of England. This province was named in honor of the reigning king, and thus the old name given in honor of Charles I was retained.

Caroline; county in Maryland, named in honor of Caroline Calvert, daughter of Charles, Fifth Lord Baltimore.

Caroline; county in Virginia, named for the wife of George II.

Carondelet; village in St. Louis County, Missouri, named for Baron Carondelet, Spanish commander-in-chief and governor of Louisiana in 1791.

Carp; river and railroad station in Marquette County, Michigan. A translation of the Indian name literally meaning "big carp river."

Carpenteria; village in Santa Barbara County, California. The Spanish form for "carpenter shop."

Carringrton; island in Great Salt Lake, Utah, named for a member of an exploring party.

Carrington; island in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone Park, named for Campbell Carrington.

Carrituck; plantation in Somerset County, Maine. An Indian word meaning "place where the water forms a semicircle around the land."

Carrizo; village and creek in San Diego County, California. A Spanish word meaning "common reed grass."

Carroll; counties in Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Virginia, and several small places, named for Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, Maryland.

Carroll; county in Tennessee, named for William Carroll, governor in 1821-27.

Carrollton; township in Carroll County, Arkansas; town in Carroll County, Georgia; cities in Carroll County, Iowa, and Carroll County, Kentucky; village in Carroll County, Maryland; town in Carroll County, Mississippi; city in Carroll County, Missouri; and village in Carroll County, Ohio; named from the estate of Charles Carroll.

US Place Names

Source: The Origin of Certain Place Names the United States, Second Edition, Henry Gannett, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1906.