US Place Names ~ Wilmington Massachusetts to Wythe County, Virginia

Wilmington; towns in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, New Hanover County, North Carolina, and Windham County, Vermont, named for Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington.

Wilmington; city in Clinton County, Ohio, named from the town in North Carolina, whence many of the early settlers came.

Wilmot; town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, named for Doctor Wilmot, an Englishman.

Wilna; town in Jefferson County, New York, named from the town in Russia.

Wilpiquin; stream in Maryland. An Indian word meaning "place of interring; skulls," so called because the Nanticokes carried the skulls and bones of the dead and buried them in the caverns.

Wilson; mountains in Colorado and Utah, named for A. D. Wilson, topographer.

Wilson; county, and town in Ellsworth County, in Kansas, named for Hiero T. Wilson, merchant of Fort Scott.

Wilson; village in Niagara County, New York, named for Reuben Wilson, an early settler.

Wilson; county, and town in same county, in North Carolina, named for Louis D Wilson, State senator and officer of Mexican war.

Wilson; county in Tennessee, named for Maj. David Wilson.

Wilson; county in Texas, named for James C. Wilson.

Wilson; point in Washington, named for Capt. George Wilson of the British navy.

Wilton; town in Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, named from the town in England.

Winamac; town in Pulaski County, Indiana. An Indian word meaning "catfish."

Winchendon; town in Worchester county, Massachusetts, named from the estate in England to which Governor Francis Bernard was heir.

Winchester; town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named for William P. Winchester, who donated money to the town.

Winchester; town in Franklin County, Tennessee, named for Gen. James Winchester, who served in the battle of Raisin River, 1813.

Winchester; city in Frederick County, Virginia, named from the town in England.

Wind Gap; borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, which takes its name from the gap in the Blue Mountains, the first below the Delaware watergap.

Windham; county, and town in same county, in Connecticut, named from the town in England.

Windham; village in Portage County, Ohio, and county in Vermont, named from the county in Connecticut.

Windham Center; town in Cumberland County, Maine, named for the earls of Egremont.

Windom; town in McPherson County, Kansas, and village in Cottonwood County, Minnesota, named for the Hon. William Windom, member of the cabinet during President Harrison's administration.

Windsor; towns in Kennebec County, Maine, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and Broome County, New York, and county in Vermont; also many other cities, towns, and villages in the United States. Named, directly or indirectly, from the town in England.

Winfield; town in Cowley County, Kansas, named for the Rev. Winfield Scott, of Leavenworth.

Winfield; town in Herkimer County, New York, named for Gen. Winfield Scott.

Wingohocking; south branch of Frankford Creek, Pennsylvania. An Indian word meaning "favorite spot for planting."

Winhall; town in Bennington County, Vermont, named for its two proprietors, Winn and Hall.

Winkler; county in Texas, named for C. M. Winkler, judge of the State court of appeals.

Winn; parish in Louisiana, named for Gen. Richard Winn, a noted lawyer of the State.

Winnebago; counties in Illinois and Iowa, village in Faribault County, Minnesota, and county in Wisconsin, named for a tribe of Indians, the name meaning "people of the stinking waters."

Winnibigoshish; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "turbid water."

Winneconne; village in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. From an Indian word winikaning, "dirty place."

Winnegance; village in Sagadahoc County, Maine, named from a near-by river.

An Indian word meaning "beautiful water."

Winnemucca; town in Humboldt County, and mountain peak and lake in Nevada, named for a chief of the Piute Indians.

Winnepe; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "place of dirty water."

Winnepesaukee; lake in New Hampshire. An Indian word given various meanings, "beautiful lake of the highlands," "good water outlet."

Winneshiek; county in Iowa, named for an Indian chief.

Winnetka; village in Cook County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning "beautiful place."

Winnsboro; city in Fairfield County, South Carolina, named for Gen. Richard Winn, its founder.

Winona; county, and city in same county, in Minnesota, and town in Montgomery County, Mississippi. A Sioux Indian word meaning "first-born daughter."

Winooski; village in Chittenden County, Vermont. An Indian word meaning "beautiful river."

Winslow; town in Kennebec County, Maine, named for Gen. John Winslow.

Winsted: borough in Litchfield County, Connecticut. A coined name from Winchester and Barkhamsted, of which towns it was originally a part.

Winston; county in Alabama, named for John A. Winston, former governor of the State.

Winston; county in Mississippi, named for Col. Louis Winston.

Winston; city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, named for Joseph Winston, soldier of the Revolution.

Winthrop; towns in Kennebec County, Maine, and Suffolk County, Massachusetts, named for the Winthrop family, whose founder in America was John Winthrop, governor of the Massachusetts colony in 1629.

Winton; town in Hertford County, North Carolina, named for a member of Congress.

Winyah; bay in Georgetown County, South Carolina. A corrupted name of the tribe of Winyaw Indians.

Wirt; county in West Virginia, named for William Wirt, Attorney-General of the United States during President Monroe's administration.

Wisacky; town in Sumter County, South Carolina. A corruption of the name of the Waxhaw Indians.

Wiscasset; town in Lincoln County, Maine. An Indian word meaning "place of the yellow pine."

Wisconk; river in New Jersey. An Indian word meaning "the elbow."

Wisconsin; State of the Union, and river tributary to the Mississippi. A Sauk Indian word having reference to holes in the banks of a stream, in which birds nest.

Wiscoy; village in Allegany County, and stream in Wyoming County, New York. An Indian word meaning "under the banks," or, according to another authority, "many fall creek."

Wise; counties in Texas and Virginia, named for Henry A. Wise, a prominent politician of Virginia.

Wissahickon; creek in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word meaning "catfish stream."

Wissinoming; north branch of Frankford Creek, Pennsylvania. A Delaware Indian word meaning "where we were frightened."

Witakantu; lake in Minnesota. An Indian word meaning "high islands."

Witlxlacoochee; river, and town in Hernando County, Florida. A Seminole Indian word meaning "little river," or, according to another authority, "long, narrow river."

Wiwoka; tributary of the Coosa River, Alabama. A Creek Indian word meaning "roaring water."

Woburn; city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England.

"Wolcott; town in New Haven County, Connecticut, named for Frederick Wolcott.

Wolcott; town in Wayne County, New York.

Wolcottville; village in Litchfield County, Connecticut. Named for Oliver Wolcott, secretary of the treasury during the administrations of Presidents Washington and Adams.

Wolf; river in Kansas. A translation of the French name, rivière de loup.

Wolf; rapids in the Yellowstone River, Montana, so named by Clark because, a wolf was seen there.

Wolf; stream in Pennsylvania. From the Indian word tummeink, "where there is a wolf."

Wolfe; county in Kentucky, named for Nathaniel Wolfe, member of the State legislature.

Wolfeboro; town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, named for General Wolfe, the hero of Quebec.

Wolhurst; station in Arapahoe County, Colorado, named for Senator Wolcott, real estate owner.

Wolverton; creek in California, named for a settler.

Womelsdorf; borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, named for John Wommelsdorf, its founder.

Wonakaketuk; stream in Vermont. An Indian word meaning "river of otters."

Wonewoc; village in Juneau County, Wisconsin. A corruption of the Indian word wonowag, "they howl," referring to the wolves.

Wononsco; lake in Litchfield County, Connecticut. A colloquial abbreviation of wononscopomuc, an Indian word meaning "bend of the pond land."

Wood; county in Ohio, named for Col. Eleazer D. Wood, distinguished at the battle of Niagara.

Wood; county in Texas, named for George T. Wood, former governor.

Wood; county in West Virginia, named for James Wood, an early governor of Virginia.

Wood; county in Wisconsin, named for Joseph Wood, a member of the legislature creating the county.

Woodbridge; village in Hillsdale County, Michigan, named for William Woodbridge, secretary of Michigan Territory.

Woodbridge; town in Bergen County, New Jersey, so named because of the wooded ridge rising from the Hackensack meadows. Others say the name was transferred from the town in Suffolk, England.

Woodbury; county in Iowa, named for Levi Woodbury, of New Hampshire.

Woodbury; city in Gloucester County, New Jersey, named from the English town.

Woodbury; town in Washington County, Vermont, named for Col. Ebenezer Wood, the first grantee.

Woodford; county in Illinois, named from the county in Kentucky, the birthplace of many of the first settlers.

Woodford; county in Kentucky, named for Gen. William Woodford, of the French and Indian and Revolutionary wars.

Woodhull; village in Henry County, Illinois, named for its founder. Maxwell Woodhull.

Woodhull; town in Steuben County, New York, named for Gen. Nathaniel Woodhull, a Revolutionary officer.

Woodland; township and city in Yolo County, California, so named because of the abundance of timber in the locality.

Wood River; village in Hall County, Nebraska, so named because situated on the banks of the river of that name.

Woodruff; county in Arkansas, named for William E. Woodruff, sr., a pioneer.

Woodruff"; valley in Nevada, named for Capt. I. C. Woodruff.

Woodruff; town in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, named for a prominent family.

Woods; county in Oklahoma, named for Samuel Wood, of Kansas, the "s" being added through a mistake of the printer.

Woodsfield; village in Monroe County, Ohio, named for Archibald Woods, of Wheeling, West Virginia.

Woodson; county in Kansas, named for Daniel Woodson, former secretary of the Territory of Kansas.

Woodsonville; village in Hart County, Kentucky, named for Senator Thomas Woodson.

Woodstock; towns in Windham County, Connecticut, originally in Massachusetts, and in Windsor County, Vermont, named from the town in England.

Woodstock; city in McHenry County, Illinois, named from the town in Vermont.

Woodstown; borough in Salem County, New Jersey, named for an early resident.

Woodville; village in Jefferson County, New York, named for Ebenezer, Ephraim, and Jacob Wood, the first settlers.

Woodward; county in Oklahoma, named for an army officer.

Woolwich; town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, named from the military depot in England.

Woonsocket; cities in Providence County, Rhode Island, and Sanborn County, South Dakota. From the Indian word meaning "at the place of mist."

Wooster; city in Wayne County, Ohio, named for Gen. David Wooster, an officer of the Revolution.

Woosung; township and village in Ogle County, Illinois, named from Woosung in China.

Worcester; county in Maryland, named for the Earl of Worcester, who married a Calvert.

Worcester; county, and city in same county, in Massachusetts, named from the county in England.

Worth; counties in Georgia, Iowa, and Missouri, and town in Jefferson County, New York, named for Gen. W. J. Worth, an officer in the Mexican war.

Worthington; town in Greene County, Indiana, named from the village in Minnesota.

Worthington; town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, named for its proprietor, Col. John Worthington.

Worthington; village in Nobles County, Minnesota, named for the Worthington family of Ohio.

Worthville; town in Jefferson County, New York, named for Gen. William J. Worth, an officer of the Mexican war.

Worthville; town in Randolph County, North Carolina, named for Governor Jonathan Worth and State Treasurer J. M. Worth.

Wray; town in Yuma County, Colorado, named for John Wray, foreman for I. P, Olive.

Wrentham; town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, named from the town in England.

Wright; county in Iowa, named for Hon. Joseph A. Wright, at that time governor of Indiana.

Wright; counties in Minnesota and Missouri, and town in Schoharie County, New York, named for Hon. Silas Wright, United States Senator from New York, and later governor of the State.

Wright City; village in Warren County, Missouri, named for Dr. H. C. Wright, an early settler.

Wrightsboro; town in McDuffie County, Georgia, named for Judge Augustus R. Wright.

Wrightson; mountain in Arizona, named for the manager of the Salero Company.

Wrightstown; village in Brown County, Wisconsin, named for H. S. Wright, who early established a ferry.

Wrightsville; borough in York County, Pennsylvania, named for Samuel Wright, an early settler.

Wrightsville; Beach; town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, named for a family of Wilmington.

Wrightville; town in Dunklin County, Missouri, named for the Wright brothers, its founders.

Wurtsboro; village in Sullivan County, New York, named for Maurice Wurtz.

Wyalusing; borough and stream in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. From the Delaware Indian, meaning "place of the hoary veteran."

Wyandot; county in Ohio.

Wyandotte; nation in Indian Territory, county in Kansas, and city in Wayne County, Michigan. Named for the Wyandot Indian tribe.

Wyanet; village in Bureau County, Illinois. An Indian word meaning "beautiful."

Wymore; city in Gage County, Nebraska, named for G. S. Wymore, an early settler.

Wyncoops; town in Chemung County, New York, named for William Wyncoop, an early settler.

Wynoochee; river in Washington, so named because of its varying course. An Indian word meaning "shifting."

Wyoming; State of the Union, and valley in Pennsylvania. A corruption of the Delaware Indian word meaning "large plains," "extensive meadows."

Wyoming; city in Stark County, Illinois, and counties in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, named from the valley in Pennsylvania.

Wysox; tributary of the Susquehanna. An Indian word meaning "place of grapes."

Wythe; county in Virginia; Wytheville; town in Wythe County, Virginia. Named for George Wythe, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

US Place Names

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