US Place Names ~ Lenape, Kansas to Livingston, Montana

Lenape; villages in Leavenworth County, Kansas, and Chester County Pennsylvania. The name is the proper name of the Delaware Indians, and means "original people," or "first people."

Lenawee; county in Michigan. The Shawnee Indian word for "Indian."

Lenoir; county, and town in Caldwell County, in North Carolina, named for Gen. William Lenoir, a Revolutionary officer.

Lenora; city in Norton County, Kansas, named for Mrs. Leonora Hauser.

Lenox; town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, the family name of the Duke of Richmond, who was secretary of state at the time.

Leominster; town in Worcester County, Massachusetts named from the town in Hertfordshire, England.

Leon; county in Florida, and city in Butler County, Kansas, named for Ponce de Leon.

Leon; county in Texas, named for Alonzo de Leon, a Spanish captain and builder of missions in Texas.

Leonard; village in Oakland County, Michigan, named for Leonard Rowland.

Leonardville; city in Riley County, Kansas, named for Leonard T. Smith, an officer of the Kansas Central Railroad.

Leonard Wood; county in New Mexico, named for Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, United States Army.

Leopold; town in Perry County, Indiana, named for Leopold, King of the Belgians.

Leoti, city in Wichita County, Kansas, named for a white girl captured by the Indians, the name meaning "prairie flower."

Le Ray; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for Mr. Le Ray Chaumont.

Le Raysville; borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, named for Vincent Le Ray, the son of a large landowner.

Lerdo; town in Kern County, California. A Spanish word meaning "slow" or "dull."

Le Boy; town in Osceola County, Michigan, named for an Indian chief who lived near the town.

Leroy; town in Genesee County, New York, named for Herman Le Roy, a large proprietor.

Les Chêneaux; strait in Mackinaw County, Michigan. A French phrase meaning "the little oaks."

Leslie; county in Kentucky, named for Governor Preston H. Leslie.

Lesueur; county, and borough in same county, in Minnesota, named for Pierre Charles Le Sueur, an explorer, who was on the upper Mississippi River, 1683-1701.

Letcher; county in Kentucky, named for Robert P. Letcher, former governor of the State.

Letitz; borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, named by the Moravian founders from the barony in Bohemia.

Leverett; town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, named for Sir John Leverett, colonial governor.

Levy; county in Florida, named for a prominent politician.

Lewiedale; town in Lexington County, South Carolina, named for a member of a prominent resident family.

Lewis; creek in Colorado, named for a pioneer ranch owner.

Lewis; counties in Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Washington, named for Meriwether Lewis.

Lewis; county in New York, named for Morgan Lewis, former governor of the State.

Lewis; county in West Virginia, named for Col. Charles Lewis.

Lewis and Clark; county in Montana, and river in Clatsop County, Oregon, named for Capt. Meriwether Lewis and Capt. William Clark, of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Lewisberry; borough in York County, Pennsylvania, named for the Lewis family, of which Dr. Ellis Lewis was a member.

Lewisboro; town in Westchester County, New York, named for John Lewis, a prominent resident.

Lewisburg; town in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, named for Samuel Lewis.

Lewis Fork; southern branch of Columbia River, in Idaho, named for Meriwether Lewis.

Lewiston; township in Trinity County, California, named from the city in Maine.

Lewiston; city in Nez Perce County, Idaho, named for Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Lewiston; city in Androscoggin County, Maine, named for the founders, the Lewis families.

Lewiston; village in Niagara County, New York, named for Morgan Lewis, former governor of the State.

Lewiston; town in Bertie County, North Carolina, named for a prominent resident.

Lewistown; township and city in Fulton County, Illinois, named for Lewis Ross, son of the founder.

Lewistown; town in Logan County, Ohio, named for Capt. John Lewis, a noted Shawnee chief.

Lexington; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the parish of Lexington, England.

Lexington; county in South Carolina, and twenty-seven other places, most of them having been named in commemoration of the Revolutionary battle.

Leyden; towns in Franklin County, Massachusetts, and Lewis County, New York, named from the town in the Netherlands, the refuge of the Pilgrim Fathers prior to their emigration to America.

Liberal; cities in Seward County, Kansas, and Barton County, Missouri, so named to characterize the ideas of the people.

Liberty; counties in Florida and Georgia, city in Montgomery County, Kansas, and county in Texas, named from the sentiment of the American people.

Liberty Center; village in Wells County, Indiana, so named because it is located in the center of Liberty Township.

Licking; county in Ohio, so named because the deer and elk found the saline deposits of the Licking River a favorite feeding ground.

Ligonier; city in Noble County, Indiana, named from the borough in Pennsylvania.

Ligonier; borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, named for Sir John Ligonier, Lord Viscount of Enniskillen.

Lilesville; town in Anson County, North Carolina, named for a merchant of the place.

Lillington; town in Harnett County, and village in Pender County, North Carolina, named for Col. John A. Lillington, of the Revolution.

Lily; bay and township in Piscataquis County, Maine, so name on account of the luxuriant growth of lilies.

Lime; lake in Cattaraugus County, New York, a translation of the Indian name, tecarnowundo, meaning "lime lake."

Limerick; village in Bureau County, Illinois, named for George Limerick, an early settler.

Limerick; town in York County, Maine, and township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, named from Limerick in Ireland.

Limesprings; town in Howard County, Iowa, so name from the springs in the rocks.

Limestone; county in Alabama, village in Cattaraugus County, New York, and county in Texas, so named because of the nature of the rock found within their limits.

Lincklaen; town in Chenango County, New York, named for John Lincklaen, an early proprietor of the township.

Lincoln; county in Arkansas; county and mountain in Colorado; counties in Idaho and Kansas; parish in Louisiana; counties in Minnesota and Mississippi; county, and city in Lancaster County, Nebraska; county in Nevada; mountain in New Hampshire; counties in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Oregon; town in Providence County, Rhode Island; and counties in South Dakota, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin; named for President Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln; counties in Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, and Tennessee, named for Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, an officer of the Revolution.

Lincoln; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for the ninth Earl of Lincoln.

Lincoln; county in Maine, named from Lincolnshire, England.

Lincoln; town in Penobscot County, Maine, named for Governor Enoch Lincoln. Lincolnton; towns in Lincoln County, Georgia, and Lincoln County, North Carolina; Lincolnville; town in Waldo County, Maine. Named for Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, an officer of the Revolution.

Lincolnville; town in Berkeley County, South Carolina, named for President Abraham Lincoln.

Linda Rosa; towns in San Diego and Riverside counties, California, in the flower districts. A Spanish phrase, meaning "pretty rose."

Linda Vista; township in San Diego County, California. A Spanish phrase, meaning "beautiful view."

Lindley; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Col. Eleazar Lindley.

Lindsay; creek in Humboldt County, California, named for an early settler.

Lindsborg; city in McPherson County, Kansas, so named because the first syllable of the names of many of the early settlers was "linds," the "borg" being added, which in Swedish means "castle."

Line Port; town in Stewart County, Tennessee, so named because it is situated on the Cumberland River and on the line between the States of Kentucky and Tennessee. Linn; mountain in California; counties in Iowa and Kansas; county, and village in Osage County, Missouri, and county in Oregon; Linneus; city in Linn County, Missouri. Named for Hon. Lewis F. Linn, United States Senator from Missouri.

Linton; city in Greene County, Indiana, named for a resident of Terre Haute.

Linwood; city in Leavenworth County, Kansas, and village in Butler County, Nebraska, so named on account of the abundance of linden trees.

Lipscomb; county in Texas, named for Abner Lipscomb, a prominent early resident, and associate justice of the Supreme Court.

Lisbon; town in St. Lawrence County, New York, and 21 other towns and villages bear the name of the city in Portugal.

Lisbon; city in Ransom County, North Dakota, named from the town in New York.

Lisle; towns in Dupage County, Illinois, and Broome County, New York, named from the city in France.

Litchfield; county in Connecticut and town in Herkimer County, New York, name from the city in England.

Litchfield; city in Montgomery County, Illinois, named for E. B. Litchfield, one of its founders. Lititz; borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, named from the barony of Lititz in Bohemia. Little; village in Holt County, Nebraska, named for L. B. Little.

Little Beaver; stream on the boundary between Pennsylvania and Ohio; translation of the Delaware Indian name, tangamochke.

Little Ferry; borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, so named on account of the ferry at Overpeck Creek.

Little Mountain; town in Newberry County, South Carolina, so named because it is situated near Little Mountain.

Little River; county in Arkansas, named from the river which forms its northern boundary.

Little Bock; city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, so named because it is built upon a bed of rock.

Little Sioux; river in Iowa. A translation of the name originally given it by the French, petite riviere des Sioux.

Little Tabeau; river in Missouri; the name is a corruption of the original French name, terre beau, "beautiful land."

Littleton; town in Arapahoe County, Colorado, named for Richard S. Little.

Littleton; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for George Littleton, a member of the British Parliament.

Littleton; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named for Col. Moses Little.

Live Oak; county in Texas, named from the abundance of this species of oak.

Livermore; town in Alameda County, California, named for a pioneer settler who owned the greater part of the valley.

Livermore; town in Androscoggin County, Maine, named for Deacon Elijah Livermore, an early settler.

Livermore; town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, named for a prominent resident family.

Liverpool; village in Onondaga County, New York, and township in Medina County, Ohio, and seven other towns and villages, named from the city in England.

Livingston; counties in Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri, named for Edward Livingston, secretary of state under President Jackson.

Livingston; county in Kentucky, parish in Louisiana, and county in New York, named for Robert R. Livingston, a prominent politician.

Livingston; city in Park County, Montana, named for Crawford Livingston, one of the proprietors of the town site.

US Place Names

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