US Place Names ~ Oahe, South Dakota to Ontario, New York

Oahe; village in Hughes County, South Dakota. An Indian word meaning "foundation."

Oak; a prefix much used in combination with lodge, mont, park, point, ridge, summit, ton, town, vale, and valley, and generally so given on account of the preponderance of this species of tree.

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

Oakland; county in Michigan, so named from the prevalence of oak openings.

Oakland; city in Burt County, Nebraska, named for the man who purchased the town site from the original settler.

Oakley; city in Logan County, Kansas, named for Mrs. Eliza Oakley Gardner.

Oakley; village in Saginaw County, Michigan, named for an early pioneer.

Oatmans Flat; place in Arizona, so named because it was the scene of the massacre of Royce Oatman and his family by the Apaches.

Oberlin; city in Decatur County, Kansas, named from the city in Ohio.

Oberlin; village in Lorain County, Ohio, named for Jean Frederick Oberlin, a philanthropist.

Obion; county and river in Tennessee, named for Captain Obion, who was stationed at a French garrison in the vicinity.

O'Brien; county in Iowa, named for the Irish patriot, William Smith O'Brien.

Ocala; city in Marion County, Florida, named from the Indian village, the word meaning "green," or "fertile land."

Ocean; county in New Jersey; Oceana; county in Michigan;

Ocean City; village in Cape May County, New Jersey;

Oceano; town in San Luis Obispo County, California. So named because of their location by or near the ocean or some large body of water.

Oceanside; city in San Diego County, California. The name is descriptive, suggested by the location.

Ocean Springs; town in Jackson County, Mississippi. So named because of the numerous mineral springs in the vicinity.

Ocheyedan; town in Osceola County, Iowa. An Indian word meaning "place of mourning."

Ochiltree; county in Texas, named for W. B. Ochiltree, a prominent politician of the State.

Ochlockonee; river in Georgia and Florida. A Creek Indian word meaning "yellow water."

Ocklawaha; branch of the St. Johns River, Florida. A Seminole Indian word meaning "muddy water."

Oconee; river, county, and town in Washington County, in Georgia, village in Shelby County, Illinois, and county in South Carolina. An Indian word, the name of an ancient Creek town.

O'Connor; town in Greeley County, Nebraska, named for Bishop O'Connor.

Oconomowoc; city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "home of the beaver."

Oconto; city in Custer County, Nebraska, and county, and city in same county, in Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "red ground," or, in the Menominee dialect, "place of the pickerel."

Ocopson; creek in Pennsylvania. An Indian name meaning "brawling stream.''

Ocou; river in Tennessee. An Indian word meaning "cow."

October; mountain in the town of Washington, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, whose forests are especially brilliantly colored in the autumn.

Odanah; town in Ashland County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "town'' or "village."

Odebolt; town in Sac County, Iowa. Corrupted from Odebeau, the name of a French trapper, who lived alone on the banks of the creek flowing through the town.

Odell; township and village in Livingston County, Illinois, named for W. C. Odell, a prominent land owner.

Odessa; town in Newcastle County, Delaware, named from Odessa in Russia.

Odin; village in Marion County, Illinois, and township in Watonwan County, Minnesota. The name is one given to the Supreme Being by the ancient northern nations.

O'Fallon; village in St. Clair County, Illinois, and town in St. Charles County, Missouri, named for Col. John O'Fallon, of St. Louis.

Offutt; village in Anderson County, Tennessee, named for the owner of the land upon which the post-office was built.

Ogalalla; village in Keith County, Nebraska, named for a subtribe of the Sioux Indians. The word has some reference to "scattering."

Ogden; township and village in Champaign County, Illinois, named for an influential resident family.

Ogden; city in Riley County, Kansas, named for Maj. E. A. Ogden, United States Army.

Ogden; town in Monroe County, New York, named for William Ogden, the son-in-law of the proprietor.

Ogden; city in Weber County, river, canyon, and valley in Utah, named for an old mountaineer of the Hudson Bay Company, Peter Skeen Ogden.

Ogdensburg; city in St. Lawrence County, New York, named for its original proprietor.

Ogema; town in Price County, Wisconsin;

Ogemaw; county in Michigan. Derived from an Ojibwa Indian word meaning "great chief."

Ogle; county in Illinois, named for Capt. Joseph Ogle, an Indian fighter of the Ohio valley.

Oglesby; town in Lasalle County, Illinois, named for Richard J. Oglesby, former governor of the State.

Oglethorpe; county, and town in Macon County, in Georgia, named for Gen. James E. Oglethorpe, the founder of the colony of Georgia.

Ogletown; village in Newcastle County, Delaware, named for Thomas Ogle, the the former owner of the land.

Ogontz; river in Michigan. Possibly a derivation of the Indian word ogsiasibi, meaning "little pickerel river."

Ogontz; towns in Delta County, Michigan, Erie County, Ohio, and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, named for the Indian chief, Ogontz, who was a missionary among his own people.

Ogreeta; village in Cherokee County, North Carolina. A manufactured word of no meaning.

Ohio; State of the Union, river, and counties in Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia. An Iroquois Indian word meaning "beautiful river."

Ohio; township and village in Bureau County, Illinois; so named by settlers from the State of Ohio.

Ohiopyle; falls on the Yonghiogheny River, and town in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning "white froth upon the water."

Oil Center; town in Kern County, California. Named from its location in the petroleum-producing district.

Ojai; town in Ventura County, and valley inclosed by mountains, in California. An Indian word meaning ''nest.''

Ojo Caliente; village in Taos County, New Mexico. Spanish words meaning "spring" and "hot," and given this place on account of its numerous hot springs.

Okabena; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "heron rookery."

Okahumka; town in Lake County, Florida. Derived from the Seminole Indian word, okihumkee, meaning "bad water."

Okanogan; county, river, and lake in Washington. An Indian word and tribal name, signifying "rendezvous," and so applied first to the river on account of the assembling of Indians to lay in supplies of fish and game.

Okauchee; town in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning "very long."

Okawvillee; township and village in Washington County, Illinois. From an Indian word, kaug, meaning "porcupine."

Okechobee; lake in southern Florida. A Seminole Indian word meaning "large water."

Okee; town in Columbia County, Wisconsin. An Indian word meaning ''evil spirit," or if from auke, "earth," or "place."

Oketo; city in Marshall County, Kansas, named for an Indian chief, Arkatetah, the same being shortened by the settlers.

Oklahoma; Territory of the Union, and county, and city in same county, in said

Territory, A Choctaw Indian word meaning "red people."

Oklokonee; river in Georgia. A Creek Indian word meaning "yellow water."

Okmulgee; river in Georgia. A Creek Indian word meaning "boiling water."

Okolona; town in Chickasaw County, Mississippi. An Indian word meaning "much bent."

Okomi; river in Georgia. An Indian word meaning "great water."

Oktibbeha; county in Mississippi. An Indian word meaning "ice there in creek," or, according to another authority, "bloody water," because of the battles fought there between Chickasaws and Choctaws.

Olathe; city in Johnson County, Kansas. An Indian word of the Shawnee dialect meaning "beautiful."

Oldham; county in Kentucky, named for Col. William Oldham, a Revolutionary officer who settled in Kentucky in 1779.

Oldham; county in Texas, named for Williamson S. Oldham, a prominent lawyer and politician after the annexation.

Old Orchard Beach; town and beach in York County, Maine, so named because of the extensive orchard set out by its first settler.

Old Point Comfort; town in Elizabeth City County, Virginia, so named by Capt. Christopher Newport, because he found it a safe haven after a severe storm; the "Old" added to distinguish it from New Point Comfort, a few miles away.

Oldtown; city in Penobscot County, Maine, so named because it has been a town site from aboriginal times.

Olean; city, town, and creek in Cattaraugus County, New York; the name is given with reference to the oil springs in the region.

Oleona; village in Potter County, Pennsylvania, colonized by the violinist Ole Bull and taking its name from the first part of his.

Olimpo; town in Glenn County, California. A Spanish term meaning "heaven" or "high up."

Oliver; county in North Dakota, named for Hon. H. S. Oliver.

Oliveras, town in San Luis Obispo County, California. A Spanish name meaning "olive trees," and applied descriptively.

Olmstead; township in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, named for Charles H. Olmstead.

Olmsted; county in Minnesota, named for Hon. David Olmstead, mayor of St. Paul in 1854.

Olney; township and city in Richland County, Illinois, named for Nathan Olney of Lawrenceville.

Olney; substation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, named from the town in England.

Olneyville; substation in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, named for Christopher Olney, a prominent citizen.

Olokikana; lake in Florida. An Indian word meaning "spotted lake," so named because dotted with green islands.

Olyphant; borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, named for George Talbot Olyphant.

Olympia; city in Thurston County, Washington, named from the ancient mountain of Greece.

Omaha; township and village in Gallatin County, Illinois,, named from Omaha, Nebraska.

Omaha; city in Douglas County, Nebraska. An Indian word meaning "upstream," also the name of a tribe designated as "upstream people."

Omar; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for a character in one of Johnson's allegories.

Onancock; town and bay in Accomac County, Virginia. An Indian name said to mean "foggy place."

Onarga; township and village in Iroquois County, Illinois. Probably an Indian word meaning "place of rocky hills."

Onawa; township and town in Monona County, Iowa. An Indian word meaning "wide awake."

O'Neals; village in Madera County, California, named for Charles O'Neal, an early settler.

Oneco; village in Windham County, Connecticut, named for the son of Uncas, the Mohegan sachem.

Oneida; county in Idaho, city in Knox County, Illinois, county and lake in New York, and county in Wisconsin;

Oneida Castle; village in Oneida County, New York. Named for one of the tribes of the Six Nations, the word meaning "granite people" or "people of the stone."

O'Neil; city in Holt County, Nebraska, named for Gen. John O'Neil, an early settler.

Onekama; village in Manistee County, Michigan. An Indian word meaning "portage."

Oneonta; town in Otsego County, New York. An Indian word meaning "place of rest."

Ong; village in Burlington County, New Jersey, named for an early settler.

Onida; town in Sully County, South Dakota. An Indian word meaning "hunted," or "looked for."

Onion; creek in North Dakota, so named on account of the quantities of wild onions growing on its banks.

Onondagra; county, and town in same county, and lake in New York, named from the Indian tribe, the word meaning "people of the hills."

Onslow; county in North Carolina, named for Arthur Onslow, speaker in the British House of Commons.

Ontario; one of the Great Lakes, county, and town in Wayne County, New York, village in Vernon County, Wisconsin, and ten other towns and villages. An Indian word, said to mean "beautiful lake," or "beautiful prospect of rocks, hills, and water." Another authority gives "village on the mountain."

US Place Names

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