List of place names in New England of aboriginal origin
Encyclopedia
This is a List of place names in New England
of aboriginal origin. New England is in the northeastern part of the United States
, and comprises six states: Connecticut
, Maine
, Massachusetts
, New Hampshire
, Rhode Island
, and Vermont
. Listed are well-known names of towns, significant bodies of water, and mountains. This list is a work-in-progress, and is not meant to be comprehensive, as several thousand names exist.
and only rarely knew any other. From the few sources who were bilingual, we are fortunate to have some concept of how some of the names were segmented in the languages from which they came. Those names often tend to predominate in lists such as these, just because they are more easily understood.
Most names were received by English settlers who had little idea what they meant. Being naturally curious, they asked the natives what the names meant or conjectured among themselves or both. The natives were faced with having to explain the name in a language they knew but rudimentarily. They interpreted freely, often giving the use or features of interest about the place rather than trying to explain the elements of their language to the English. They never had a linguist's understanding of the structure of their language. Their descendants, speaking primarily English, no longer knew how to produce meaningful utterances in the language of their native forefathers.
Consequently the names can be divided into roughly two categories: those for which the original morphology
is known to some degree and those for which it is not. The meanings of the latter category are traditional only, but the tradition may not necessarily descend from a native speaker. It may have been a settler's conjecture, passed on through the social mechanism of the sacred words of the forefathers or simply because no other interpretation was available.
The mechanism can be seen most clearly in names for which both categories of meaning exist. You might read that a name is supposed to mean "the place of portage" or "the pines" when in fact those meanings are not even implied by the morphology of the name. It is entirely possible, however, that those places were used for those purposes. On the other hand some settler may have guessed that they were used for those purposes. In cases where there is no morphology there is little point in argument over the "correct meaning" of the name, an activity enjoyed by New Englanders since settlement times, and which also you will undoubtedly see much of in Wikipedia.
New England in the early 17th century when English colonists first landed was tenanted by variously named tribes for the most part speaking languages of the Algonquian family
. Our aboriginals spoke an eastern branch of the group. It often happened that whole regions were named after the tribe inhabiting it, such as Massachusetts, nor does this appear to have been an English naming convention only. In this the aboriginals were non-different from the tribes of classical Europe, whose names still dot the map of Europe.
Like the tribal names of Europe, the native names descended from an antiquity long lost. The natives themselves may not have known what they meant. For these names we have mainly tradition, but even that should be regarded as more speculative than not.
family, for the most part, if in warped or anglicized form:
Connecticut
Common dialects of the Algonquian languages: Hammonasset, Mahican
, Montauk, Niantic
, Paugussett
, Pequot-Mohegan, Podunk
, Poquonock, Quinnipiac
, Tunxi, Wangunk
Maine
Common languages:
Massachusetts
Common languages:
New Hampshire
Common Languages: Abnaki, Nipmuc, Pennacook
Rhode Island
Common languages:
Vermont
Common languages: Abnaki, Mahican
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
of aboriginal origin. New England is in the northeastern part of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and comprises six states: Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. Listed are well-known names of towns, significant bodies of water, and mountains. This list is a work-in-progress, and is not meant to be comprehensive, as several thousand names exist.
Formation and transmission of names
All the names in this section come to us only through persons whose first language was EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and only rarely knew any other. From the few sources who were bilingual, we are fortunate to have some concept of how some of the names were segmented in the languages from which they came. Those names often tend to predominate in lists such as these, just because they are more easily understood.
Most names were received by English settlers who had little idea what they meant. Being naturally curious, they asked the natives what the names meant or conjectured among themselves or both. The natives were faced with having to explain the name in a language they knew but rudimentarily. They interpreted freely, often giving the use or features of interest about the place rather than trying to explain the elements of their language to the English. They never had a linguist's understanding of the structure of their language. Their descendants, speaking primarily English, no longer knew how to produce meaningful utterances in the language of their native forefathers.
Consequently the names can be divided into roughly two categories: those for which the original morphology
Morphology (linguistics)
In linguistics, morphology is the identification, analysis and description, in a language, of the structure of morphemes and other linguistic units, such as words, affixes, parts of speech, intonation/stress, or implied context...
is known to some degree and those for which it is not. The meanings of the latter category are traditional only, but the tradition may not necessarily descend from a native speaker. It may have been a settler's conjecture, passed on through the social mechanism of the sacred words of the forefathers or simply because no other interpretation was available.
The mechanism can be seen most clearly in names for which both categories of meaning exist. You might read that a name is supposed to mean "the place of portage" or "the pines" when in fact those meanings are not even implied by the morphology of the name. It is entirely possible, however, that those places were used for those purposes. On the other hand some settler may have guessed that they were used for those purposes. In cases where there is no morphology there is little point in argument over the "correct meaning" of the name, an activity enjoyed by New Englanders since settlement times, and which also you will undoubtedly see much of in Wikipedia.
New England in the early 17th century when English colonists first landed was tenanted by variously named tribes for the most part speaking languages of the Algonquian family
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
. Our aboriginals spoke an eastern branch of the group. It often happened that whole regions were named after the tribe inhabiting it, such as Massachusetts, nor does this appear to have been an English naming convention only. In this the aboriginals were non-different from the tribes of classical Europe, whose names still dot the map of Europe.
Like the tribal names of Europe, the native names descended from an antiquity long lost. The natives themselves may not have known what they meant. For these names we have mainly tradition, but even that should be regarded as more speculative than not.
Places named after tribes
Place names on this list represent a number of tribes speaking aboriginal languages within the AlgonquianAlgonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
family, for the most part, if in warped or anglicized form:
- Abnaki
- Hammonassett
- MahicanMahicanThe Mahican are an Eastern Algonquian Native American tribe, originally settling in the Hudson River Valley . After 1680, many moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts. During the early 1820s and 1830s, most of the Mahican descendants migrated westward to northeastern Wisconsin...
- Mill
- Mi'kmaq
- Mohegan
- MontaukMontauk, New YorkMontauk [ˈmɒntɒk] is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet with the same name located in the town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, United States on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 3,851 as of 2000...
- NatickNatick, MassachusettsNatick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
- Narragansett
- NianticNiantic (tribe)The Niantic, or in their own language, the Nehântick or Nehantucket were a tribe of New England Native Americans, who were living in Connecticut and Rhode Island during the early colonial period. Due to intrusions of the Pequot, the Niantic were divided into an eastern and western division...
- Nipmuc
- NorridgewockNorridgewockThe Norridgewock were a band of the Abenaki Native Americans/First Nations, an Eastern Algonquian tribe of the United States and Canada. The tribe occupied an area in Maine to the west and northwest of the Penawapskewi tribe, which was located on the western bank of the Penobscot River...
- Passamaquoddy
- PaugussettGolden Hill Paugussett Indian NationThe Golden Hill Paugussetts are the Connecticut state-recognized tribal descendents of the Paugussett Nation of Native Americans that occupied much of western Connecticut prior to the arrival of Europeans...
- PennacookPennacookThe Pennacook, also known by the names Merrimack and Pawtucket, were a North American people that primarily inhabited the Merrimack River valley of present-day New Hampshire and Massachusetts, as well as portions of southern Maine...
- Penobscot
- PequotPequotPequot people are a tribe of Native Americans who, in the 17th century, inhabited much of what is now Connecticut. They were of the Algonquian language family. The Pequot War and Mystic massacre reduced the Pequot's sociopolitical influence in southern New England...
- PodunkPodunkIn American English, Podunk, podunk, or Podunk Hollow denotes or describes a place of small size or "in the middle of nowhere", and is often used in the upper case as a placeholder name in a context of dismissing significance or importance....
- Poquonock
- QuinnipiacQuinnipiacThis article is about the Native American nation. For the university, see Quinnipiac University.The Quinnipiac — rarely spelled Quinnipiack — is the English name for the Eansketambawg a Native American nation of the Algonquian family who inhabited the Wampanoki This article is about the Native...
- Tunxi
- Wampanoag
- Wangunk
ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
Common dialects of the Algonquian languages: Hammonasset, MahicanMahican
The Mahican are an Eastern Algonquian Native American tribe, originally settling in the Hudson River Valley . After 1680, many moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts. During the early 1820s and 1830s, most of the Mahican descendants migrated westward to northeastern Wisconsin...
, Montauk, Niantic
Niantic (tribe)
The Niantic, or in their own language, the Nehântick or Nehantucket were a tribe of New England Native Americans, who were living in Connecticut and Rhode Island during the early colonial period. Due to intrusions of the Pequot, the Niantic were divided into an eastern and western division...
, Paugussett
Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation
The Golden Hill Paugussetts are the Connecticut state-recognized tribal descendents of the Paugussett Nation of Native Americans that occupied much of western Connecticut prior to the arrival of Europeans...
, Pequot-Mohegan, Podunk
Podunk
In American English, Podunk, podunk, or Podunk Hollow denotes or describes a place of small size or "in the middle of nowhere", and is often used in the upper case as a placeholder name in a context of dismissing significance or importance....
, Poquonock, Quinnipiac
Quinnipiac
This article is about the Native American nation. For the university, see Quinnipiac University.The Quinnipiac — rarely spelled Quinnipiack — is the English name for the Eansketambawg a Native American nation of the Algonquian family who inhabited the Wampanoki This article is about the Native...
, Tunxi, Wangunk
- ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, the state, and river: (in several dialects) "place of the long river" or "by the long tidal stream"
-
- Aspetuck RiverAspetuck RiverThe Aspetuck River is a river in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The river rises in the hills located in Huntington State Park in Bethel, with a watershed of approximately . The river flows generally southerly through Redding, Connecticut to the Aspetuck Reservoir, the Hemlock Reservoir in Easton...
(and town): (Paugussett) "at the high place" - Cockenoe Island: (Montauk) from the name of a 17th-century native interpreter
- Coginchaug RiverCoginchaug RiverThe Coginchaug River in Connecticut, with a watershed of including forests, pastures, farmland, industrial, and commercial areas, is the predominant tributary of the Mattabesset River...
: (Wangunk) "place where fish are dried/cured" - Congamuck Ponds (on MA border Congamond Lake): (Nipmuck) "long fishing place"
- Cos Cob: (Mohegan from Cassacubque) "high rocks"
- Hammonassett Point: (Hammonassett) "place of sand bars"
- Hockanum RiverHockanum RiverThe Hockanum River is a river in Connecticut. The Hockanum neighborhood in East Hartford is named after it.It rises at the outlet of Shenipsit Lake in Rockville, then flows through Vernon, Manchester, and East Hartford...
(and community): (Podunk) "hook" - Housatonic RiverHousatonic RiverThe Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
: (Mahican) "beyond the mountain" - Mashapaug Pond: (Nipmuck) "large pond"
- Massapeag: (Mohegan) "place at the large cove"
- Mianus RiverMianus RiverThe Mianus River is a river in Westchester County, New York and Fairfield County, Connecticut, in the United States. It begins in the town of North Castle, New York in a series of ponds at about altitude...
(and town): (Paugussett) a 17th-century chief's name – "Mianu/Mayanno's" - Mohawk MountainMohawk nationMohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
: eastern IroquoisIroquoisThe Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
tribe; Algonquian term for their western enemies – "wolves," "hungry animals," or "cannibals" - MoheganMoheganThe Mohegan tribe is an Algonquian-speaking tribe that lives in the eastern upper Thames River valley of Connecticut. Mohegan translates to "People of the Wolf". At the time of European contact, the Mohegan and Pequot were one people, historically living in the lower Connecticut region...
: tribe; "hungry animal" or "wolf" - Moodus River (also reservoir, and villageMoodus (village)Moodus is a census-designated place in East Haddam, a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,263 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
): (Wangunk) from "mache moodus" or "bad noises" (the Moodus noises) - Moosup: (Narragansett) a chief named "Mausup"
- Mystic RiverMystic River (Connecticut)The Mystic River is a estuary in the southeast corner of the U. S. state of Connecticut. Its main tributary is Whitford Brook. It empties into Fishers Island Sound, dividing the village of Mystic between the towns of Groton and Stonington. Much of the river is tidal...
(and townMystic, ConnecticutMystic is a village and census-designated place in New London County, Connecticut, in the United States. The population was 4,001 at the 2000 census. A historic locality, Mystic has no independent government because it is not a legally recognized municipality in the state of Connecticut...
): (Pequot-Mohegan) "great tidal river" - Naugatuck RiverNaugatuck RiverThe Naugatuck River is a river in the US state of Connecticut. It carves out the Naugatuck River Valley. The river flows from northwest Connecticut southward into the Housatonic River in Derby, Connecticut. One of the river's main uses is hydropower, which is used to power industrial plants...
(and townNaugatuck, ConnecticutNaugatuck is a consolidated borough and town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town spans both sides of the Naugatuck River just south of Waterbury, and includes the communities of Union City on the east side of the river, which has its own post office, Straitsville on the...
): (Quinnipiac) "single tree" - Natchaug RiverNatchaug RiverThe Natchaug River is a river in Windham and Tolland Counties in Connecticut.The Natchaug River is formed in Eastford, Connecticut at the confluence of Bigelow Brook and the Still River. It then flows to the south, paralleling Connecticut Route 198. The river also runs along the western border...
: (Nipmuck) "between rivers" - Nepaug Reservoir: (Wangunk) "fresh pond"
- Niantic RiverNiantic RiverThe Niantic River is a mainly tidal river in eastern Connecticut. It is crossed by the Niantic River Bridge carrying Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, as well as highway bridges carrying Connecticut Route 156 and US-1. It separates the towns of East Lyme and Waterford. The river is long....
(and townNiantic, ConnecticutNiantic is a census-designated place and village in the Town of East Lyme, Connecticut in the United States. The population was 3,085 at the 2000 census....
): tribe; "point of land on tidal river" - Norwalk RiverNorwalk RiverThe Norwalk River is a river in southwestern Connecticut, approximately long. The word "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian word "noyank" meaning "point of land".-Description:...
(and cityNorwalk, ConnecticutNorwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
): (Algonquian) noyank or "point of land" or from the name Naramauke http://www.sots.ct.gov/RegisterManual/SectionVII/townorder.htm - Oronoque: (Quinnipiac) "curved place" or "land at the bend"
- Pachaug RiverPachaug RiverThe Pachaug River is a river arising from the Pachaug State Forest at the Connecticut - Rhode Island border and draining into the Quinebaug River....
(and pond): (Narragansett} "at the turning place" - Pataguanset Lake: (Niantic) "at the round, shallow place"
- Pawcatuck RiverPawcatuck RiverThe Pawcatuck River is a river in the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Connecticut flowing approximately . There are eight dams along the river's length. The former USS Pawcatuck was named after the river.-History:...
(RI border): (Niantic/Pequot) "the clear divided (tidal) stream" - PequabuckPlymouth, ConnecticutPlymouth is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England. The population was 11,634 at the 2000 census. The Town of Plymouth includes the villages of Terryville and Pequabuck.-Geography:...
: (Wangunk) "clear, open pond" - Pistapaug Pond: (Quinnipiac) "muddy pond"
- Pocotopaug Lake: (Wangunk) "divided pond" or "two ponds"
- PoquetanuckPoquetanuckPoquetanuck is a village in the town of Preston, Connecticut, located near the banks of a bay known as Poquetanuck Cove that opens to the Thames River...
: (Mohegan) "land broken up" (like dried mud cracking) - Poquonock BridgePoquonock Bridge, ConnecticutPoquonock Bridge is a village and census-designated place in the town of Groton in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,592 at the 2000 census....
and river: (Algonquian – several) "cleared land" - Quaddick Reservoir: (Nipmuck) "bend in river" or (Narragansett) "boggy place"
- Lake Quassapaug: (Quinnipiac) "big pond" or "big rock"
- Quinebaug RiverQuinebaug RiverThe Quinebaug River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, with watershed extending into western Rhode Island. The name "Quinebaug" comes from the southern New England Native American term, spelled variously Qunnubbâgge, Quinibauge, etc., meaning "long pond", from...
(and townQuinebaug, ConnecticutQuinebaug is a census-designated place in Thompson, a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,122 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 11.8 km²...
): (Nipmuck) "long pond" - Quinnipiac RiverQuinnipiac RiverThe Quinnipiac River is a river in the New England region of the United States, located entirely in the state of Connecticut.It rises in west central Connecticut from Dead Wood Swamp west of the city of New Britain...
: (Quinnipiac) "where we change our route" - Lake Quonnipaug: (Quinnipiac) "long pond"
- Sachem Head: (Algonquian/general) "chief"
- Saugatuck RiverSaugatuck RiverThe Saugatuck River is a river in southwestern Connecticut in the United States. It drains part of suburban and rural Fairfield County west of Bridgeport, emptying into Long Island Sound.-Description:...
: (Paugussett) "outlet of the tidal river" - SciticoEnfield, ConnecticutEnfield is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 45,212 at the 2000 census. It sits on the border with Longmeadow, Massachusetts and East Longmeadow, Massachusetts to the north, Somers to the east, East Windsor and Ellington to the south, and the...
: (Nipmuck) "land at the river branch" - Shenipsit LakeShenipsit LakeShenipsit Lake , known locally as "The Snip", is a natural lake used as a water storage facility with a water size of located in Tolland County, Connecticut, bordering the towns of Ellington, Tolland and the Rockville section of Vernon, Connecticut, at...
: (Mohegan) "at the great pool" - Shepaug RiverShepaug RiverThe Shepaug River is a river in Connecticut, in the United States. The river originates in Warren and runs south through Washington, Roxbury, and Southbury, where it empties into the Housatonic River at Lake Lillinonah , thereafter flowing into the Long Island Sound...
: (Tunxis) "great pond" - Shetucket RiverShetucket RiverThe Shetucket River is a tributary of the Thames River, long, in eastern Connecticut in the United States.It is formed at Willimantic by the junction of the Willimantic and Natchaug rivers. It flows southeast and south...
: (Mohegan) "land between rivers" - Shunock River: ((Mohegan) "stony place" or possibly "place between streams"
- Skungamug River: (Nipmuck) "eel-fishing place"
- Taconic: (Mahican) "steep ascent"
- Uncasville: (Mohegan) 17th-century chief's name (wonkus – "fox")
- Wangum Lake: (Paugussett) "bend/crooked"
- Wangumbaug Lake: (Nipmuck) "crooked pond"
- Wangumgaug Lake: "crooked pond"
- Lake Waramaug: (Mahican) "good fishing-place"
- Willimantic RiverWillimantic RiverThe Willimantic River is a tributary of the Shetucket River, approximately 25 mi long in northeastern Connecticut in the New England region of the United States....
(and townWillimantic, ConnecticutWillimantic is a census-designated place and former city located in the town of Windham in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was estimated at 15,823 at the 2000 census. It is home to Eastern Connecticut State University, as well as the Windham Textile and History Museum....
): (Mohegan or Nipmuck) "good cedar swamp" - Winnepauk: (Mahican) "beautiful pond"
- Wononpacook Pond: (Mahican) "land at the bend in the pond"
- Wononskopomuc Lake: (Mahican) "rocks at the bend in the lake"
- Wopowaug River: ((Wangunk) "crossing-place"
- Wopowog: (Wangunk) "crossing-place"
- Wyassup Lake: (Mohegan) "flags" or "rushes"
- Yantic RiverYantic RiverThe Yantic River forms at the confluence of the Deep River, Sherman Brook, and Exeter Brook about east of Colchester, Connecticut. It runs for and flows into the Shetucket River in Norwich, forming the Thames River...
(and town): (Mohegan) "as far as the tide goes up this side of the river"
- Aspetuck River
- Former names:
- Mameeg or Nameeg: (Pequot-Mohegan) "fishing place" New LondonNew London, ConnecticutNew London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
- Miamogue: (Paugussett) "where we come together to fish" BridgeportBridgeport, ConnecticutBridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
(harbor) - Nawaas: general name for ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
- Mameeg or Nameeg: (Pequot-Mohegan) "fishing place" New London
MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
Common languages:
- Northern: Abnaki, Maliseet, Mi'kmaqMi'kmaq languageThe Mi'kmaq language is an Eastern Algonquian language spoken by nearly 9,100 Mi'kmaq in Canada and the United States out of a total ethnic Mi'kmaq population of roughly 20,000. The word Mi'kmaq is a plural word meaning 'my friends' ; the adjectival form is Míkmaw...
, Passamaquoddy - Southern: Abnaki, NorridgewockNorridgewockThe Norridgewock were a band of the Abenaki Native Americans/First Nations, an Eastern Algonquian tribe of the United States and Canada. The tribe occupied an area in Maine to the west and northwest of the Penawapskewi tribe, which was located on the western bank of the Penobscot River...
, PennacookPennacookThe Pennacook, also known by the names Merrimack and Pawtucket, were a North American people that primarily inhabited the Merrimack River valley of present-day New Hampshire and Massachusetts, as well as portions of southern Maine...
, Penobscot
-
- Allagash RiverAllagash RiverThe Allagash River is a tributary of the St. John River, approximately long, in northern Maine in the United States. It drains a remote and scenic area of wilderness in the Maine North Woods north of Mount Katahdin...
(and town): (Abnaki) "bark shelter" - Androscoggin RiverAndroscoggin RiverThe Androscoggin River is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is long and joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine before its water empties into the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean. Its drainage basin is in area...
: (Abnaki) "place where fish are dried/cured" - Aroostook RiverAroostook RiverThe Aroostook River is a tributary of the Saint John River in the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Its basin is the largest sub-drainage of the St. John River....
: (Mi'kmaq) "beautiful river" - Aziscohos Lake: (Abnaki) "small pine trees"
- CaribouCaribou, MaineCaribou is the second largest city in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. Its population was 8,189 at the 2010 census.-History:Between 1838 and 1839, the undeclared Aroostook War flared between the United States and Canada, and the Battle of Caribou occurred in December 1838...
: (Abnaki) kalibu "shoveler" (gets food by pawing or shoveling]] - Casco BayCasco BayCasco Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Maine on the southern coast of Maine, New England, United States. Its easternmost approach is Cape Small and its westernmost approach is Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth...
: (Mi'kmaq) muddy - Chebeague IslandChebeague Island, MaineChebeague Island is an island town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, located in Casco Bay, 10 miles from Portland. These islands are sometimes referred to as an older, now archaic term "The Calendar Islands" because there was once a belief that the approx. number of islands was about 365....
: (Abnaki) "separated place" - Chemquasabamticook Lake: (Abnaki) "where there is a large lake and a river"
- Chesuncook LakeChesuncook LakeChesuncook Lake is a reservoir in Piscataquis County, Maine, formed by the damming of the western branch of the Penobscot River in 1903 and 1916. It is approximately long and 1–4 miles wide, with a surface area of and a maximum depth of . It is the third-largest body of fresh water in Maine.In...
: (Abnaki) "at the principal outlet" - Chiputneticook LakesChiputneticook LakesThe Chipnuneticook Lakes are a group of several lakes along the International Boundary between Maine and New Brunswick.They are East Grand Lake, North Lake, Mud Lake, Spednic Lake, and Palfrey Lake.This lake system forms the head waters of the St...
: (Abnaki) "at the place of the big hill stream" - Cobscook BayCobscook BayCobscook Bay is located in Washington County in the state of Maine. It opens into the Bay of Fundy immediately south of the city of Eastport and adjacent to Passamaquoddy Bay...
: (Maliseet) "rocks under water" - Cobbosseecontee Lake: (Abnaki) "many sturgeon"
- DamariscottaDamariscotta, MaineDamariscotta is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,041 at the 2000 census. A popular tourist resort area, the towns of Damariscotta and Newcastle are linked by the Main Street bridge over the Damariscotta River, forming the "Twin Villages." The name Damariscotta is...
(and lake and riverDamariscotta RiverThe Damariscotta River is a tidal river in Lincoln County, Maine, that empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Damariscotta is an old Abenaki word for "river of many fishes"...
}: (Abnaki) "many alewives" - KatahdinMount KatahdinMount Katahdin is the highest mountain in Maine at . Named Katahdin by the Penobscot Indians, the term means "The Greatest Mountain". Katahdin is the centerpiece of Baxter State Park: a steep, tall mountain formed from underground magma. The flora and fauna on the mountain are typical of those...
: (Abnaki) "the principal mountain" - Kennebago Lake: (Abnaki) "long/large pond/lake"
- Kennebec RiverKennebec RiverThe Kennebec River is a river that is entirely within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward...
: (Abnaki) "long quiet water" - KennebunkKennebunk, MaineKennebunk is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,075 people at the 2000 census. Including Kennebunkport , the population totals 14,196 people...
(and riverKennebunk RiverThe Kennebunk River is a river in southern Maine in the United States. It drains a settled rural area southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean....
): (Abnaki) "long sand bar" - Madawaska River: (Mi'kmaq) "where one river joins another"
- Matagamon: (Abnaki) "far on the other side"
- Matinicus IslandMatinicus Isle, MaineMatinicus Isle is a plantation in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 51 at the 2000 census, although during the summer that number can triple or quadruple. Remote Matinicus Island is accessible by ferry from Rockland, located away, or by air taxi from Knox County Regional Airport...
: (Abnaki) "far-out island" - Mattamiscontis Lake: (Abnaki) "many ale-wives"
- Mattawamkeag RiverMattawamkeag RiverThe Mattawamkeag River is a river in Maine. From the confluence of its East Branch and West Branch in Haynesville, about west of the Canada – United States border, the river runs south and west to its mouth on the Penobscot River in Mattawamkeag....
(and townMattawamkeag, MaineMattawamkeag is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States located where the Mattawamkeag River joins the Penobscot River. The population was 825 at the 2000 census.-Railroad history:Mattawamkeag's history is inextricably linked to the railroad....
): (Abnaki) "fishing beyond gravel bar" or (Mi'kmaq) "on a sand bar" - Metinic IslandMetinic IslandMetinic Island is a island in Knox County, Maine, southeast of Port Clyde on the mainland and west of Matinicus Island.Metinic Island is approximately long and is less than half a mile wide at its widest point...
: (Abnaki) "far-out island" - MillinocketMillinocket, MaineMillinocket is a former mill town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,203 at the 2000 census. Millinocket is both a forest products and recreational area.-History:...
(and lake): (Abnaki) "this place is admirable" - Molunkus Pond (and streamMolunkus StreamMolunkus Stream is a tributary of the Mattawamkeag River in Maine. From the confluence of the stream's East Branch and West Branch in Sherman, the river runs southeast to its mouth on the Mattawamkeag in Kingman.-References:**...
): (Abnaki) "ravine" - Monhegan IslandMonhegan, MaineMonhegan is a plantation on an island of the same name in Lincoln County, Maine, United States, about off the coast. The population was 75 at the 2000 census. As a plantation, Monhegan's governmental status falls between township and town...
: (Mi'kmaq or Maliseet) "out-to-sea island" - Mooselookmeguntic LakeMooselookmeguntic LakeMooselookmeguntic Lake is located in Franklin County and Oxford County, Maine, in the United States. It is part of the Androscoggin River watershed....
: (Abnaki) "moose feeding place" (portage to or big trees at) - Muscongus Bay: (Abnaki) "many/large rock ledges"
- Musquash Lake: (Abnaki) "muskrat"
- Musquacook River (and lake): (Abnaki) "muskrat place"
- Nahmakanta Lake: (Abnaki) "many fish"
- Nollesemic (and lake): (Abnaki) "resting place at the falls"
- OgunquitOgunquit, MaineOgunquit is a town in York County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census its population was 1,226. The popularity of the town as a summer resort is epitomized by its motto, "Beautiful Place by the Sea."...
: (Mi'kmaq) "lagoons within dunes" - OronoOrono, MaineOrono is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It was first settled in 1774 and named in honor of Chief Joseph Orono of the Penobscot Nation. It is home to The University of Maine. The population was 10,362 at the 2010 census.- Geography :...
: (Abnaki) purportedly from a Chief Joseph Orono, no translation - Ossipee RiverOssipee RiverThe Ossipee River is an river in eastern New Hampshire and western Maine in the United States. It is a tributary of the Saco River, which flows southeast to the Atlantic Ocean at Saco, Maine....
: (Abnaki) "beyond the water" - Oquossoc: (Abnaki) "place of trout" (a certain trout-type)
- PassadumkeagPassadumkeag, MainePassadumkeag is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 441 at the 2000 census. "Passadumkeag" is a Penobscot Indian word meaning "quick water".-Geography:...
: (Abnaki) "rapids over gravel beds" - Passamaquoddy BayPassamaquoddy BayPassamaquoddy Bay is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy, between the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick, at the mouth of the St. Croix River. Most of the bay lies within Canada, with its western shore bounded by Washington County, Maine. The southernmost point is formed by...
: tribal name; "place of abundance of pollack" - Pemadumcook Lake: (Maliseet) "extended sand bar place"
- PemaquidPemaquid Point LightThe Pemaquid Point Light Station is a historic U.S. lighthouse located in Bristol, Maine, at the tip of the Pemaquid Peninsula.-History:...
: (Mi'kmaq) "extended land" (peninsula) - Penobscot RiverPenobscot RiverThe Penobscot River is a river in the U.S. state of Maine. Including the river's West Branch and South Branch increases the Penobscot's length to , making it the second longest river system in Maine and the longest entirely in the state. Its drainage basin contains .It arises from four branches...
: (Abnaki?) tribal name; "place of descending rocks/ledges" - Piscataqua RiverPiscataqua RiverThe Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers...
(NH border): (Pennacook) "the place where the river divides" - Piscataquis RiverPiscataquis RiverThe Piscataquis River is a major tributary of the Penobscot River, found in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States. It starts from the confluence of its East Branch and West Branch in Blanchard. The river flows in a mostly eastern direction until it meets the Penobscot at Howland...
(Abnaki) "at the river branch" - Quoddy Head (Passamaquoddy) abbreviation to "pollack"
- SacoSaco, MaineSaco is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems , a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics...
(and riverSaco RiverThe Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000...
): (Abnaki) "flowing out" or "outlet" - Sebago LakeSebago LakeSebago Lake is the deepest and second largest lake in the U.S. state of Maine. The lake is deep at its deepest point, with a mean depth of , covers about in surface area, has a length of and a shoreline length of . The surface is around above sea level, so the deep bottom is below the present...
(and townSebago, MaineSebago is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,433 at the 2000 census, although it swells during summer months to approximately 5,000...
): (Abnaki) "big lake" - Sebasticook Lake: (Penobscot-Abnaki) "almost-through place"
- Seboomook Lake (and townSeboomook Lake, MaineSeboomook Lake is an unorganized territory in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 45 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the unorganized territory has a total area of 3,715.8 km²...
): (Abnaki) "at the large stream" - Squapan Lake (and town): (Abnaki) "bear's den"
- Umcolcus Lake: (Abnaki) "whistling duck"
- Usuntabunt Lake: (Abnaki) "wet head" or possibly "three heads"
- Wassutaquook River: sp.
- Webhannet RiverWebhannet RiverThe Webhannet River is an river whose watershed is contained entirely within the town of Wells, Maine.The river has five tributaries, including three with official names: Pope’s Creek, Depot Brook, and Blacksmith Brook...
: (Abnaki) "at the clear stream"
- Allagash River
- Former names:
- Ahbaysauk: (Abnaki) "place where clams are baked/dried" Bar HarborBar Harbor, MaineBar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 5,235. Bar Harbor is a famous summer colony in the Down East region of Maine. It is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory and Mount Desert Island...
- Amitgon pontook: (Abnaki) "place at the falls where fish are dried/cured" Lewiston FallsLewiston, MaineLewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
- Machegony: (mi'kmaq) "shaped like a large knee" PortlandPortland, MainePortland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
- Ahbaysauk: (Abnaki) "place where clams are baked/dried" Bar Harbor
MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Common languages:
- Eastern: MassachusettMassachusettThe Massachusett are a tribe of Native Americans who lived in areas surrounding Massachusetts Bay in what is now the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in particular present-day Greater Boston; they spoke the Massachusett language...
, Nipmuc, Wampanoag (southeast) - Western: Natick, Nipmuck, NarragansettNarragansett, Rhode IslandNarragansett is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 15,868 at the 2010 census, but there is a greater population in the summer. The nickname for the town is "Gansett". The town of Narragansett occupies a narrow strip of land running along the eastern bank...
(southwest), Pocumtuck
- MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
(the state): (Natick) "by the great hills" (the hills of Milton, Blue Hill, south of Boston)
-
- Achastapac: (Pocumtuck) "Land of rivers and mountains"
- Acoaxet: (Narragansett) "at the fishing promontory" or "place of small pines"
- Acushnet RiverAcushnet RiverThe Acushnet River is the largest river, long, flowing into Buzzards Bay in southeastern Massachusetts, in the United States. The name "Acushnet" comes from the Wampanoag or Algonquian word, "Cushnea", meaning "as far as the waters", a word that was used by the original owners of the land in...
(and townAcushnet, MassachusettsAcushnet is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,303 at the 2010 census.- History :Acushnet was first settled in 1659. It has been included as a part of three separate towns throughout its history. It was formerly the northeastern section of the town of...
): (Naragansett) "at the cove" - AgawamAgawam, MassachusettsThe Town of Agawam is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,438 at the 2010 census. Agawam sits on the western side of the Connecticut River, directly across from the City of Springfield, Massachusetts...
: (Nipmuck or Pennacook) "low land" (with water) or "place to unload canoes" (possible portage spot) - AnnisquamAnnisquam, MassachusettsAnnisquam is a small waterfront neighborhood located in the City of Gloucester located on the North Shore of Massachusetts.-History:The name "Annisquam" comes from an Algonquian term meaning "top of the rock, containing , "on top of", and , "rock". The first European settlement in Annisquam was...
(and riverAnnisquam RiverThe Annisquam River is a tidal, salt-water estuary in Annisquam and Gloucester, Massachusetts, connecting Annisquam Harbor on the north to Gloucester Harbor on the south. The segment between Gloucester Harbor and the Boston and Maine railroad bridge is also known as the Blynman Canal.The estuary is...
) - Assabet RiverAssabet RiverThe Assabet River is a small river about west of Boston, Massachusetts. The river is long. The , headquartered in West Concord, Massachusetts, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, protection, and enhancement of the natural and recreational features of the Assabet River and...
: (Nipmuck) "at the boggy place" - Assawompset PondAssawompset PondAssawompset Pond is a reservoir/pond within the towns of Lakeville and Middleboro, in southeastern Massachusetts. It shares its waters with Long Pond and openly-connected with Pocksha Pond. These lakes provides a source of drinking water to the city of New Bedford, the largest city in southeastern...
: Narragansett "trading place"; (Wampanoag) "place of large upright rock" - Assinippi: (Wampanoag) "rocks in water"
- Assonet RiverAssonet RiverThe Assonet River is located in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It flows in a westerly direction through Freetown and joins the Taunton River near Assonet Neck in Berkley, Massachusetts. -Description:...
(also Cedar Swamp and villageAssonet, MassachusettsAssonet is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Massachusetts in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. An original part of the town, Assonet was settled in 1659 along with the city of Fall River, then a part of Freetown. It rests on the banks of the Assonet River...
): (Narragansett) "at the rock" – the rock in question being Dighton RockDighton RockThe Dighton Rock is a 40-ton boulder, originally located in the riverbed of the Taunton River at Berkley, Massachusetts . The rock is noted for its petroglyphs, carved designs of ancient and uncertain origin, and the controversy about their creators... - Cataumet: (Wampanoag) "at the ocean" or "landing place"
- Lake ChaubunagungamaugLake ChaubunagungamaugLake Chaubunagungamaug, also known as Webster Lake, is a lake in the town of Webster, Massachusetts, United States. It is located near the Connecticut border and has a surface area of .-Name:...
: (Nipmuck-Mohegan) "boundary fishing place" - Chappaquiddick IslandChappaquiddick IslandChappaquiddick Island is a small island off the eastern end of the larger island of Martha's Vineyard and is part of the town of Edgartown, Massachusetts. The island's name became internationally recognized following the July 18, 1969 incident, for which U.S. Senator Edward M...
: (Wampanoag) "separated island" - ChicopeeChicopee, MassachusettsChicopee is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States of America. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 55,298, making it the second largest city in...
(also falls, and riverChicopee RiverThe Chicopee River is an tributary of the Connecticut River in Metropolitan Springfield, Massachusetts, known for fast-moving water and its extraordinarily large basin: the Connecticut River's largest tributary basin...
): (Nipmuck) "violent water" - CochituateCochituate, MassachusettsCochituate is a census-designated place in the town of Wayland in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,768 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cochituate is located at ....
: (Natick) "place of swift water" - CohassetCohasset, MassachusettsCohasset is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, though it is not contiguous with the main body of the county. The population was 7,542 at the 2010 census.- History :...
: (Natick) "long rocky place" - Congamond Lake (on CT border – Congamuck Ponds): (Nipmuck) "long fishing place"
- CotuitCotuit, MassachusettsCotuit is a village on Cape Cod in the City of Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States. Located on a peninsula on the south side of Barnstable about midway between Falmouth, Massachusetts and Hyannis, Massachusetts...
: (Wampanoag) "long planting field" - Cummaquid: (Wampanoag) "harbor"
- CuttyhunkCuttyhunkCuttyhunk Island is the outermost of the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. It was the first site of English settlement in New England. It is located between Buzzards Bay to the north and Vineyard Sound to the south...
: (Wampanoag) "thing that lies out in the sea" - Gansett Harbor
- Mount GreylockMount GreylockMount Greylock is the highest natural point in Massachusetts at . Its peak is located in the northwest corner of the state in the western part of the town of Adams in Berkshire County. Although geologically part of the Taconic Mountains, Mount Greylock is commonly associated with the abutting...
: named for a Missisquoi chief - Hockanum: (Podunk) "hook"
- Hockomock SwampHockomock SwampThe Hockomock Swamp is a vast wetland encompassing much of the northern part of southeastern Massachusetts. This land is considered the second largest wetland in the state...
: (Natick-Abnaki) "evil spirit" or "hellish place"; (Narragansett) "hook-shaped place" - Hoosac TunnelHoosac TunnelThe Hoosac Tunnel is a 4.75-mile-long railroad tunnel in western Massachusetts which passes through the Hoosac Range, an extension of Vermont's Green Mountains. Work began in 1848 and was finally completed in 1875...
: (Mahican) "rock place" - HumarockHumarockHumarock is part of Scituate, Massachusetts, United States . Humarock is a pictureque seaside village surrounded by water and situated on Cape Cod Bay midway between Boston and Plymouth. It was separated from the rest of the town in the Portland Gale of 1898 in which the mouth of the North River...
: (Wampanoag) "shell place" or "rock carving" - HyannisHyannis, MassachusettsHyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...
: (Wampanoag) name of a 17th-century chief, "Iyanogh's" - Jamaica Plain and (pondJamaica PondJamaica Pond is a kettle pond, part of the Emerald Necklace of parks in Boston designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The pond and park are in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, close to the border of Brookline...
): (Natick) "beaver" - Manhan RiverManhan RiverThe Manhan River is a river in western Massachusetts. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River.The river begins near the boundary between the towns of Huntington and Westhampton, Massachusetts, and flows southeast to White Reservoir and then Tighe Carmody Reservoir in Southampton...
: (Nipmuck) "island" - ManometManomet, MassachusettsManomet is a seaside village of Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. It is named for the Manomet Native American sub-group of the Wampanoag whose settlement was located atop the dominant hill in the region when European settlers arrived in Plymouth in 1620. Manomet has a Post Office in the...
and (point): (Wampanoag) "portage place" - MashpeeMashpee, MassachusettsMashpee is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,006 as of 2010.For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Mashpee, please see the articles on Mashpee Neck, Monomoscoy Island, New Seabury, Popponesset, Popponesset Island,...
: (Wampamoag) "place near great cove" - Mattapan: (Natick) "resting place" or "end of portage"
- MattapoisettMattapoisett, MassachusettsMattapoisett is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,463 at the 2008 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Mattapoisett Center, please see the article Mattapoisett Center, Massachusetts....
: (Wampanoag) "resting place" or "edge of cove" - Megansett Harbor
- MerrimacMerrimac, MassachusettsMerrimac is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, and on the southeastern border of New Hampshire, approximately northeast of Boston and west of the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated along the north bank of the Merrimack River in the Merrimack Valley. The population was 6,504 in 2008...
: (Pennacook) "deep place" - Merrimack RiverMerrimack RiverThe Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
: (Abnaki) "at the deep place" - Mishaum PointMishaum PointMishaum Point is the southernmost point of Bristol County in southeastern Massachusetts. It extends into Buzzards Bay.-References:*Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary, Third Edition. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 1997. ISBN -0-87779-5460-0....
: (Narragansett) "great neck" or "canoe-landing place" - Lake MonomonacLake MonomonacLake Monomonac is an artificial lake that straddles the border between Rindge, New Hampshire and Winchendon, Massachusetts. It was created from a small pond in New Hampshire by the construction of dams on the North Branch of the Millers River, a part of the Connecticut River watershed.Lake...
(NH border): (Abnaki) "at the very deep place" - Monomoy IslandMonomoy IslandMonomoy Island is an 8 mile long spit of sand extending southwest from Chatham, Cape Cod off the Massachusetts mainland.- History :It was taken over by the US government just before World War II...
(and point): (Wampanoag) "look-out place" or "deep water" - Muskeget Island (and channel): (Wampanoag) "grassy place"
- Mystic RiverMystic RiverThe Mystic River is a river in Massachusetts, in the United States. Its name derives from the Wampanoag word "muhs-uhtuq", which translates to "big river." In an Algonquian language, "Missi-Tuk" means "a great river whose waters are driven by waves", alluding to the natural tidal nature of the...
: (Natick) "great tidal stream" - NabnassetNabnasset, MassachusettsNabnasset is a village located in the northeastern portion of Westford, Massachusetts, between North Chelmsford, Dunstable, Graniteville and Westford Center....
: (Nipmuck) - Nagog Pond: ConcordConcord, MassachusettsConcord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
water supply located in ActonActon, MassachusettsActon is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States about twenty-one miles west-northwest of Boston along Route 2 west of Concord and about ten miles southwest of Lowell. The population was 21,924 at the 2010 census... - NahantNahant, MassachusettsNahant is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,632 at the 2000 census. With just of land area, it is the smallest municipality by area in the state...
: (Natick) "the point" or "almost an island" - Nantasket BeachNantasket BeachNantasket Beach is a beach in Hull, Massachusetts. The shore has fine, light gray sand and is one of the busiest beaches in Greater Boston. At low tide, there are acres of tide pools.-Name:...
: (Natick/Wampanoag) "at the strait" or "low-tide place" - Nantucket IslandNantucket, MassachusettsNantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
: (Wampanoag) "in the midst of waters"; (Naragansett) far off, among the waves - Nashawena IslandNashawena IslandNashawena Island is the second largest of the Elizabeth Islands of Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. It lies between Cuttyhunk Island to the west and Pasque Island to the east. The island has a land area of 7.076 km² and an official permanent population of 2 persons as of the 2000 census. ...
: (Wampanoag) "between" - Nashoba Brook
- NatickNatick, MassachusettsNatick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
: tribe; "the place I seek" or "home," "place," "clearing" - Naushon IslandNaushon IslandNaushon Island, part of the Elizabeth Islands, is seven miles long, just off Cape Cod, and four statute miles NW of Martha's Vineyard. The island is owned by the Forbes family and is included in the town of Gosnold, Massachusetts...
: (Wampanoag) "middle" (no clear translation) - Nemasket RiverNemasket RiverThe Nemasket or Namasket River is a small river in southeastern Massachusetts. It flows north from Assawompset Pond in Lakeville and through Middleborough where it empties into the Taunton River....
: (Wampanoag) "place where the fish are" - Neponset RiverNeponset RiverThe Neponset River is a river in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. The headwaters of the Neponset are at the Neponset Reservoir in Foxborough, near the Gillette Stadium...
: (Natick) possibly "a good fall" (easy for canoe travel) - Nonamesset IslandNonamesset IslandNonamesset Island is the most easterly of the Elizabeth Islands of Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. The island has a land area of 1.398 km² and was uninhabited as of the 2000 census. The island is part of the town of Gosnold, Massachusetts....
: (Wampanoag) - Nonquitt: (Narragansett) "dry or landing place"
- Onota Lake: (Mahican) "blue/deep"
- Pasque IslandPasque IslandPasque Island is one of the Elizabeth Islands of Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. It lies between Nashawena Island to the west and Naushon Island to the east. The island has a land area of 3.45 km² and had a population of 2 persons as of the 2000 census. The island is part of the town of...
- Penikese IslandPenikese IslandPenikese Island is a island off the coast of Massachusetts, United States, in Buzzards Bay. It is one of the Elizabeth Islands, which make up the town of Gosnold, Massachusetts...
- PocassetPocasset, MassachusettsPocasset is a census-designated place in the town of Bourne in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, located on Buzzards Bay. The population was 2,671 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
: (Natick) "where the stream widens" - Pontoosuc: (Mahican or Nipmuck) "falls on the brook"
- Punkatasset HillPunkatasset HillPunkatasset Hill is a hill located in Concord, Massachusetts. It is one of the highest points in the town at 289 feet.The Hill was originally known as Broad-topped Hill by the Native Indians and was cultivated and farmed from the 17th Century on....
(Algonquian) - Quabbin ReservoirQuabbin ReservoirThe Quabbin Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and was built between 1930 and 1939. Today along with the Wachusett Reservoir, it is the primary water supply for Boston, some to the east, as well as 40 other communities in Greater Boston...
: (Nipmuck) "crooked streams" - Quaboag RiverQuaboag RiverThe Quaboag River is a river in Massachusetts that heads at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield at an elevation of above sea level. It flows west to the village of Three Rivers, Massachusetts, at an elevation of .-History:...
: (Nipmuck) "before the pond" or abbreviation of "red pond" (m'squ'boag) - Quinebaug RiverQuinebaug RiverThe Quinebaug River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, with watershed extending into western Rhode Island. The name "Quinebaug" comes from the southern New England Native American term, spelled variously Qunnubbâgge, Quinibauge, etc., meaning "long pond", from...
: (Nipmuck) "long pond" - Lake QuinsigamondLake QuinsigamondLake Quinsigamond is a body of water situated between the city of Worcester and the town of Shrewsbury in Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA. It is 4 miles long, between 50 and 85 feet deep, and has a surface area of approximately 772 acres . Lake Quinsigamond hosts 8 islands with the...
: (Nipmuck) "pickerel-fishing place - Quissett: (Nipmuck) "at the place of small pines"
- SagamoreSagamore, MassachusettsSagamore is a census-designated place in the town of Bourne in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sagamore is located at ....
: (Wampanoag) "chief" - Santuit: (Wampanoag) "cool water place"
- SaugusSaugus, MassachusettsSaugus is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. The population was 26,628 at the 2010 census.-History:Saugus was first settled in 1629. Saugus is an Indian name believed to mean "great" or "extended"...
: (Natick) "outlet" - ScituateScituate, MassachusettsScituate is a seacoast town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on the South Shore, midway between Boston and Plymouth. The population was 18,133 at the 2010 census....
: (Wampanoag) "at the cold spring or brook" - SeekonkSeekonk, MassachusettsSeekonk is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Massachusetts border. It was incorporated in 1812 from the western half of Rehoboth. The population was 13,722 at the 2010 census. Until 1862, the town of Seekonk also included what is now the City of East Providence, Rhode...
: (Narragansett) "wild black goose" or (Wampanoag) "mouth of stream" or "wild goose" - Segreganset RiverSegreganset RiverThe Segreganset River is a small river in Bristol County, Massachusetts that flows in a southeasterly direction through Taunton and Dighton into the Taunton River. Named tributaries include the Maple Swamp, Poppasquash Swamp, Sunken Brook and Cedar Swamp....
: (Narragansett) "place of hard rocks" - Shawmut PeninsulaShawmut PeninsulaShawmut Peninsula is the promontory of land on which Boston, Massachusetts was built. The peninsula, originally a mere in area, more than doubled in size due to land reclamation efforts, a feature of the history of Boston throughout the 19th century....
: (Algonquian) "ferry" or "place to draw up canoes" - SiasconsetSiasconset, MassachusettsSiasconset is a village at the eastern end of Nantucket island, Massachusetts, United States with an elevation of 52 feet . Although unincorporated, the village has a post office, with the ZIP code 02564....
: (Narragansett) "at the place of many/great bones" (whales?) - Sippewissett
- Snipatuit PondSnipatuit PondSnipatuit Pond is a shallow warm water pond in Rochester, Massachusetts. The average depth is five feet and the maximum depth is six feet, except for one very small nine foot hole near the pump station on the west shore. The pond is the headwaters of the Mattapoisett River...
: (Wampanoag) "at the rocky river" - Squannacook RiverSquannacook RiverThe Squannacook River is a river in northern Massachusetts. It is a tributary of the Nashua River and part of the Merrimack River watershed flowing to the Atlantic Ocean....
- Squibnocket Point (and pond): (Wampanoag) "at the place of dark rocks" (or clay cliff)
- SwampscottSwampscott, MassachusettsSwampscott is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States located 15 miles up the coast from Boston in an area known as the North Shore. The population is 13,787...
: (Natick) "place of red rocks" - Succanessett
- Taconic MountainsTaconic MountainsThe Taconic Mountains or Taconic Range are a physiographic section of the larger New England province and part of the Appalachian Mountains, running along the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England from northwest Connecticut to western Massachusetts, north to central western...
: (Natick) "steep ascent" - TantiusquesTantiusquesTantiusques is a open space reservation and historic site registered with the National Register of Historic Places. The reservation is located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts and is owned and managed by The Trustees of Reservations; it is notable for its historic, defunct graphite mines...
: (Nipmuck) "black stuff between the hills" - Tuckernuck IslandTuckernuck IslandTuckernuck is an island in the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, west of Nantucket Island and east of Muskeget. Its name allegedly means "a loaf of bread". The island has an area of about 900 acres ....
: (Wampanoag) "round loaf of bread" - Uncatena IslandUncatena IslandUncatena Island is one of the Elizabeth Islands of Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. It is the most northerly of the Elizabeth Islands and lies just northeast of the largest island, Naushon Island. Uncatena has a land area of 0.492 km² , and was uninhabited as of the 2000 census....
- Mount WachusettMount WachusettMount Wachusett is located in the towns of Princeton and Westminster in Worcester County, Massachusetts. It is the highest point in Massachusetts east of the Connecticut River. The mountain is named after a Native American term meaning "near the mountain" or "mountain place". The mountain is a...
(and reservoirWachusett ReservoirThe Wachusett Reservoir is the second largest body of water in the state of Massachusetts. It is located in central Massachusetts, northeast of Worcester. It is part of the water supply system for metropolitan Boston maintained by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority . It has an aggregate...
): (Natick) "near the mountain" - Waquoit: (Wampanoag) "at the end"
- Mount WataticMount WataticMount Watatic is a monadnock located on the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border, at the southern end of the Wapack Range of mountains. It lies within Ashburnham, Massachusetts, Ashby, Massachusetts, and New Ipswich, New Hampshire; the Wapack Trail and the Midstate Trail both cross the mountain...
: (Nipmuck) - Watuppa PondsWatuppa PondsThe Watuppa Ponds are two large, naturally occurring, spring-fed, glacially formed ponds located in Fall River and Westport, Massachusetts. The two ponds were originally one, connected by a narrow channel near what is now the boundary between Fall River and Westport.North Watuppa Pond is the...
: (Wampanoag) "roots" - Weepecket IslandsWeepecket IslandsThe Weepecket Islands are a group of three islands which are part of the Elizabeth Islands of Dukes County, Massachusetts, USA. They are located off the north shore of Naushon Island, the largest of the Elizabeth Islands. Together the three Weepeckets have a land area of 0.051 km²...
- Weweantic RiverWeweantic RiverThe Weweantic River is a river in southeastern Massachusetts. Its name means "crooked" or "wandering stream" in the Wampanoag language.The river arises in wetlands in Carver, meanders generally south through swampy birch and maple forests in Middleborough and Rochester, and drains into a Buzzards...
: (Wampanoag) "crooked" or "wandering stream" - Wianno
- Minnechaug Regional High SchoolMinnechaug Regional High SchoolMinnechaug Regional High School is a public high school located in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, and has a student population of approximately 1,400. It is the flagship school of the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District. The current principal is Mr. Stephen Hale...
(Algonquian) "Land of Berries" - Woronoco (Nipmuck) "winding about"
- Former names:
- Capawack or Capoag: (Wampanoag) "enclosed harbor" Martha's VineyardMartha's VineyardMartha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
- CohannetTaunton, MassachusettsTaunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
: (Wampanoag or Narragansett) "at the long or pine place" TauntonTaunton, MassachusettsTaunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River... - Poughkeeste: (Wampanoag) "bay with coves" Buzzards BayBuzzards BayBuzzards Bay is a bay along the southern edge of Massachusetts in the United States. The name may also refer to:*Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, a village in Bourne, Massachusetts*Buzzards Bay , the name of the horse that won the 2005 Santa Anita Derby...
- Capawack or Capoag: (Wampanoag) "enclosed harbor" Martha's Vineyard
New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
Common Languages: Abnaki, Nipmuc, PennacookPennacook
The Pennacook, also known by the names Merrimack and Pawtucket, were a North American people that primarily inhabited the Merrimack River valley of present-day New Hampshire and Massachusetts, as well as portions of southern Maine...
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- Ammonoosuc RiverAmmonoosuc RiverThe Ammonoosuc River is a river, 55 mi long, in northwestern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound. "Ammonoosuc" is Abnaki for "small, narrow fishing place"....
(UpperUpper Ammonoosuc RiverThe Upper Ammonoosuc River is a tributary of the Connecticut River that flows through Coös County in northern part of the northeastern U.S. state of New Hampshire...
and Lower): (Abnaki) "small, narrow fishing place" - AmoskeagAmoskeag FallsThe Amoskeag Falls are a set of waterfalls located in Manchester, New Hampshire on the Merrimack River.- History :"Amoskeag" derives from the Pennacook word "Namoskeag," which roughly translates as "good fishing place.” Here, the Merrimack River drops 50 feet...
: (Pennacook) "fishing place" ManchesterManchester, New HampshireManchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which... - Ashuelot RiverAshuelot RiverThe Ashuelot River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, approximately long, in southwestern New Hampshire in the United States. It drains a mountainous area of , including much of the area known as the Monadnock Region...
(and pondAshuelot PondAshuelot Pond is a water body located in Sullivan County in western New Hampshire, United States, in the town of Washington. It is situated along the upper reaches of the Ashuelot River, a tributary of the Connecticut River....
): (Pennacook or Natick) "place between" - Canobie LakeCanobie LakeCanobie Lake is a body of water located in Rockingham County in southern New Hampshire, United States, in the towns of Salem and Windham. It is approximately long, and on average wide, though two arms of the lake combine to produce a width of at the lake's center. Canobie Lake Park, an...
: (Abnaki) "abundant water" - ContoocookContoocook, New HampshireContoocook is a village and census-designated place within the town of Hopkinton in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,444 at the 2010 census.-History:...
(and riverContoocook RiverThe Contoocook River is a river in New Hampshire. It flows from Pool Pond and Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/Rindge border to Penacook , where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire that flow in a predominantly northward direction...
and lakeContoocook LakeContoocook Lake is a water body located in Cheshire County in southwestern New Hampshire, United States, in the towns of Jaffrey and Rindge. The lake, along with Pool Pond, forms the headwaters of the Contoocook River, which flows north to the Merrimack River in Penacook, New Hampshire.Contoocook...
): (Pennacook) "place of the river near pines" or (Abnaki) "nut trees river" or (Natick) "small plantation at the river" - CoösCoos County, New Hampshire-National protected areas:*Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge *Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge *White Mountain National Forest -Demographics:...
: (Pennacook) "pine tree" - HooksettHooksett, New HampshireHooksett is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 13,451 at the 2010 census. The town is located between Manchester, the state's largest city, and Concord, the state capital...
: (Pennacook) possible abbreviation of Annahooksett "place of beautiful trees" - Mascoma RiverMascoma RiverThe Mascoma River is a 31.6 mile long river located in western New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound. The Mascoma comprises two sections which are split by Mascoma Lake in the communities of Enfield and Lebanon...
(and lakeMascoma LakeMascoma Lake is a lake in western New Hampshire, United States. Most of the lake is located within the town of Enfield, while a small portion is within the city of Lebanon, where it drains into the Mascoma River, a tributary of the Connecticut River....
): (Abnaki) "much grass" or "salmon fishing" or "red rocks" - Massabesic LakeMassabesic LakeMassabesic Lake is a lake in southern New Hampshire, United States, covering about within the city of Manchester and the town of Auburn. Because it provides drinking water for Manchester, swimming and water skiing are not allowed there. Popular sports on the lake are sailing, fishing, kayaking...
: (Abnaki) "near the great brook" - Merrimack RiverMerrimack RiverThe Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
(and townMerrimack, New HampshireMerrimack is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 25,494 at the 2010 census, making it the eighth-largest municipality in New Hampshire....
) - Mount MonadnockMount MonadnockMount Monadnock, or Grand Monadnock, is the most prominent New England mountain peak south of the White Mountains and east of the Massachusetts Berkshires, and is the highest point in Cheshire County, New Hampshire...
: (Natick) "at the most prominent island" (-like mountain) - Mount Moosilauke: (Abnaki) "good moose place" or "at the smooth place"
- Nashua RiverNashua RiverThe Nashua River, long, is a tributary of the Merrimack River in Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the United States. It is formed in eastern Worcester County, Massachusetts, by junction of its north and south branches near Lancaster, and flows generally north-northeast past Groton to join the...
(and cityNashua, New Hampshire-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
): (Pennacook/Nipmuck) "between streams" - Ossipee RiverOssipee RiverThe Ossipee River is an river in eastern New Hampshire and western Maine in the United States. It is a tributary of the Saco River, which flows southeast to the Atlantic Ocean at Saco, Maine....
(and townOssipee, New HampshireOssipee is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,345 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County...
and lakeOssipee LakeOssipee Lake is located in Carroll County in eastern New Hampshire, in the communities of Ossipee and Freedom. At 3,245 acres, it is the sixth-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. The lake is fed by the West Branch , the Bearcamp and Lovell rivers , and the Pine River...
): (Abnaki) "beyond the water" - Paugus BayPaugus BayPaugus Bay is a water body located in Belknap County in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire, in the city of Laconia. It is connected by a short channel at the village of Weirs Beach to Lake Winnipesaukee...
: (Abnaki) "small pond" - Pawtuckaway Lake (and mountains): (Abnaki) "falls in the river" or "clear, shallow river"
- Pemigewasset RiverPemigewasset RiverThe Pemigewasset River , known locally as "The Pemi", is a river in the state of New Hampshire, the United States. It is in length and drains approximately...
: (Abnaki) "extensive rapids" - PennacookPennacookThe Pennacook, also known by the names Merrimack and Pawtucket, were a North American people that primarily inhabited the Merrimack River valley of present-day New Hampshire and Massachusetts, as well as portions of southern Maine...
(villagePenacook, New HampshirePenacook, originally called "Fisherville", is a village within the city of Concord in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, USA. It lies along Concord's northern border with Boscawen. The name comes from the Pennacook tribe that lived in the area...
): tribal name; "at the foothills" - Piscataqua RiverPiscataqua RiverThe Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers...
(ME border): (Pennacook) "place where the river divides" - Piscataquog RiverPiscataquog RiverThe Piscataquog River is a river located in southern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Merrimack River, which flows to the Gulf of Maine....
: (Abnaki) "place where the river divides" - Souhegan RiverSouhegan RiverThe Souhegan River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in the northeastern United States. long with a drainage area of , it flows north and east through southern New Hampshire to the Merrimack River....
: (Pennacook or Nipmuck) "watching place" - Squam LakeSquam LakeSquam Lake is a lake located in central New Hampshire, USA, south of the White Mountains, straddling the borders of Grafton, Carroll, and Belknap counties. The largest town center on the lake is Holderness...
(and riverSquam RiverThe Squam River is a river located in central New Hampshire in the United States. It is the outlet of Squam Lake, the second-largest lake in New Hampshire, and it is a tributary of the Pemigewasset River, which itself is a tributary of the Merrimack River....
): (Abnaki) "salmon" - Lake SunapeeLake SunapeeLake Sunapee is located within Sullivan County and Merrimack County in western New Hampshire, the United States. It is the fifth-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire....
(and townSunapee, New HampshireSunapee is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,365 at the 2010 census. Sunapee is home to part of Lake Sunapee...
): (Pennacook) "rocks in the water", "rocky pond" - Suncook RiverSuncook RiverThe Suncook River is a river located in central New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Merrimack River, which flows to the Gulf of Maine....
(also lakesSuncook LakesThe Suncook Lakes are a pair of lakes located in Belknap County in central New Hampshire, in the town of Barnstead. Upper Suncook Lake encompasses , while Lower Suncook Lake covers . The lakes are connected by a 1,000-foot-long channel, spanned by a road bridge. A dam at the outlet of Lower...
and villageSuncook, New HampshireSuncook is a census-designated place in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,379 at the 2010 census. Approximately 2/3 of Suncook village is located in the town of Pembroke, with the remainder in Allenstown....
): (Pennacook) "rocky place" - Umbagog Lake: (Abnaki) "clear lake"
- Lake WinnipesaukeeLake WinnipesaukeeLake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It is approximately long and from wide , covering — when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of ....
(and riverWinnipesaukee RiverThe Winnipesaukee River is a river that connects Lake Winnipesaukee with the Pemigewasset and Merrimack rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire. The river is located in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire. The total drainage area of the river is approximately .There are two distinct sections of...
): (Pennacook) "land around the lakes" or "good land around lake at mountains" - Winnisquam LakeWinnisquam LakeWinnisquam Lake is located in Belknap County in central New Hampshire, in the communities of Meredith, Laconia, Sanbornton, Belmont, and Tilton. At , it is the fourth-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. The lake is primarily fed by the outlet from Lake Winnipesaukee, and Winnisquam's...
: (Abnaki) "salmon-fishing place"
- Ammonoosuc River
- Former names:
- Kodaak wadso: (Abnaki) "summit of the highest mountain" Mount WashingtonMount Washington (New Hampshire)Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at , famous for dangerously erratic weather. For 76 years, a weather observatory on the summit held the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, , on the afternoon of April 12, 1934...
- Kodaak wadso: (Abnaki) "summit of the highest mountain" Mount Washington
Rhode IslandRhode IslandThe state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
Common languages:
- Northern: Natick, Nipmuc
- Southern: NarragansettNarragansett, Rhode IslandNarragansett is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 15,868 at the 2010 census, but there is a greater population in the summer. The nickname for the town is "Gansett". The town of Narragansett occupies a narrow strip of land running along the eastern bank...
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- ApponaugApponaug, Rhode IslandApponaug is a neighborhood in central Warwick, Rhode Island, situated on Apponaug Cove, a tributary to Greenwich Bay and nearby Narragansett Bay. The name Apponaug is a derivation of the Narragansett Indian word for "place of oysters"...
: (Narragansett) "where oysters/shellfish are roasted" or "waiting place" - Aquidneck IslandAquidneck IslandAquidneck Island, located in the state of Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. The island's official name is Rhode Island, and the common use of name "Aquidneck Island" helps distinguish the island from the state. The total land area is 97.9 km²...
: (Narragansett) "at the island" - Canonchet: a 17th-century Narragansett chief
- ChepachetChepachet, Rhode IslandChepachet is a village and census-designated place in the town of Glocester in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It is centered at the intersection of U.S. Route 44 and RI Route 102...
: (Narragansett) "boundary/separation place" - Conanicut IslandConanicut IslandConanicut Island is the second largest island in Narragansett Bay, in the state of Rhode Island. It is connected on the east to Newport, Rhode Island, on Aquidneck Island by the Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly known as the Newport Bridge, and on the west to North Kingstown, Rhode Island, on the...
: (Narragansett) named for a 17th-century chief CanonicusCanonicusCanonicus was a Native American chief of the Narragansett. He was a firm friend of English settlers.-Biography:... - ConimicutConimicut, Rhode Island-Geography:It is at latitude 41.724 and longitude -71.383 with an average elevation of 46 feet. Conimicut appears on the East Greenwich U.S. Geological Survey Map ....
: (Narragansett) thought to be named for granddaughter of CanonicusCanonicusCanonicus was a Native American chief of the Narragansett. He was a firm friend of English settlers.-Biography:...
(see above) - Mount HopeMount Hope (Rhode Island)Mount Hope is a small hill in Bristol, Rhode Island overlooking the part of Narragansett Bay known as Mount Hope Bay. The elevation of the summit is 209 feet, and drops sharply to the bay on its eastern side. Mount Hope was the site of a Wampanoag village...
: (from Narragansett Montop or Montaup) "look-out place" or "well-fortified island" - Narragansett BayNarragansett BayNarragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
(and townNarragansett, Rhode IslandNarragansett is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 15,868 at the 2010 census, but there is a greater population in the summer. The nickname for the town is "Gansett". The town of Narragansett occupies a narrow strip of land running along the eastern bank...
): tribe: "at the narrow point" - Natick: tribe; "the place I seek" or "home"
- PascoagPascoag, Rhode IslandPascoag is a census-designated place and village in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 4,742 at the 2000 census.Pascoag is one of at least eight villages that make up Burrillville...
(and riverPascoag RiverThe Pascoag River is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 4.5 miles . There are five dams along the river's length.-Course:The river rises from the various streams that feed the Pascoag Reservoir in Glocester...
): (Nipmuck) "the dividing place" (of river) - PawtucketPawtucket, Rhode IslandPawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
: (Narragansett) "at the falls in the river (tidal stream)" - Pettaquamscutt Rock (and riverPettaquamscutt RiverThe Pettaquamscutt River is a tidal extension of the Mattatuxet River in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately . There are no dams along the river's length.-Course:...
): Narragansett) "at the round rock" - PontiacPontiac, Rhode IslandPontiac is a historic village in Warwick, Rhode Island and Cranston, Rhode Island.-History:Native Americans referred to the area as "Papepieset" or "Toskiounke." After arriving in 1642, the early English settlers called the area "Great Weir" because fishing weirs were used to catch fish near the...
: famous mid-18th century Ottawa chief - Quonochontaug: (Narragansett) "home of the blackfish"
- Sakonnet Point: (Narragansett) "home of the black goose"
- Scituate ReservoirScituate ReservoirThe Scituate Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the state of Rhode Island. It has an aggregate capacity of and a surface area of 5.3 square miles...
: (Wampanoag) "at the cold spring/brook" - Shawomet: (Narragansett) "at the peninsula/neck" (canoe-landing place)
- Usquepaugh: (Narragansett) "at the end of the pond"
- WeekapaugWeekapaug, Rhode IslandWeekapaug is a small fire district in southern Washington County, Rhode Island. It is part of the town of Westerly, Rhode Island, and is a small beachfront community that is also a census-designated place. Weekapaug lies in the Eastern Time Zone and observes daylight saving time...
: (Narragansett) "at the end of the pond" - WoonsocketWoonsocket, Rhode IslandWoonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border....
: (Nipmuck) "place of steep descent" - Wyoming: (Delaware) "large prairie"
- Apponaug
- Former names:
- Aquidnic: (Narragansett) "the island" Rhode IslandRhode IslandThe state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
- Niwosaket: (Narragansett) "place of two brooks" WoonsocketWoonsocket, Rhode IslandWoonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border....
- Manisses: (Narragansett) "little god"; (Niantic) "little island" Block IslandBlock IslandBlock Island is part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island and is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately south of the coast of Rhode Island, east of Montauk Point on Long Island, and is separated from the Rhode Island mainland by Block Island Sound. The United States Census Bureau defines Block...
- Mattoonuc Neck: (Niantic) "place at look-out hill" Point Judith
- Maushapogue: (Narragansett) "land at the great cove" CranstonCranston, Rhode IslandCranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
- Aquidnic: (Narragansett) "the island" Rhode Island
VermontVermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
Common languages: Abnaki, MahicanMahican
The Mahican are an Eastern Algonquian Native American tribe, originally settling in the Hudson River Valley . After 1680, many moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts. During the early 1820s and 1830s, most of the Mahican descendants migrated westward to northeastern Wisconsin...
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- Mount AscutneyMount AscutneyMount Ascutney, is a 3144 foot monadnock located in southern Vermont. It is not the highest peak in Windsor County, Vermont, however, that honor falling to Gillespie Peak to the west. Particularly noteworthy about Ascutney are its granite outcrops, one of which, near its peak, serves as a...
(and villageAscutney, VermontAscutney is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the town of Weathersfield, Windsor County, Vermont, United States. It is located in the northeastern section of Weathersfield, in the portion of that town adjacent to Mount Ascutney, after which the village is...
): (Abnaki) "at the end of the river fork" - Lake Bomoseen (and town): (Abnaki) "keeper of ceremonial fire"
- Hoosac Mountains: (Mahican) "stone place"
- Hoosic RiverHoosic RiverThe Hoosic River, also known as the Hoosac, the Hoosick and the Hoosuck , is a tributary of the Hudson River in the northeastern United States. The different spellings are the result of varying transliterations of the river's original Algonquian name...
- Lake IroquoisLake Iroquois (Vermont)Lake Iroquois is a reservoir in northwestern Vermont, bordered by three towns: Hinesburg, Williston, and Richmond.Lake Iroquois was created in 1867 to supply mills in Hinesburg with a better water supply. Building a dam on Pond Brook caused the existing spring-fed pond to rise above its banks and...
: (Abnaki-French) "real adders" (describing western enemies of Abnaki) - JamaicaJamaica, VermontJamaica is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 946 at the 2000 census. Jamaica includes the villages of East Jamaica and Rawsonville....
: (Natick) "beaver" - Maquam Bay
- Lake MemphremagogLake MemphremagogLake Memphremagog is a fresh water glacial lake located between Newport, Vermont, United States and Magog, Quebec, Canada. The lake is long with 73 percent of the lake's surface area in Quebec, where it drains into the Magog River. However, three-quarters of its watershed, , is in Vermont. The...
: (Abnaki) "where there is great expanse of water" - Mettawee RiverMettawee RiverMettawee River is a river in western Vermont and eastern New York in the United States, passing the town of Granville, New York. The river is particularly good for rapids and kayaking. It ends in Lake Champlain....
- Missisquoi RiverMissisquoi RiverThe Missisquoi River is a tributary of Lake Champlain, approximately 80 mi long, in northern Vermont in the United States and southern Quebec in Canada. It drains a rural area of the northern Green Mountains along the US-Canada border northeast of Lake Champlain, and an area of Quebec's Eastern...
: tribal name - Monadnock MountainMonadnock Mountain (Vermont)Monadnock Mountain, also called Mount Monadnock, is an inselberg located in Lemington in the Northeast Kingdom region of Vermont in the United States. The mountain overlooks the Connecticut River and the town of Colebrook, New Hampshire....
: (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"
- Nulhegan River: (Abnaki) "log trap" or "deadfall"
- Ompompanoosuc RiverOmpompanoosuc RiverThe Ompompanoosuc River is a river, about 25 mi long, in eastern Vermont in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound...
: (Abnaki) "mushy/quaky land" - Ottauquechee RiverOttauquechee RiverThe Ottauquechee River is a river in eastern Vermont in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound....
: (uncertain – Natick?) "swift mountain stream" - Passumpsic RiverPassumpsic RiverThe Passumpsic River is a tributary of the Connecticut River, in Vermont. Though primarily a Caledonia County river, it is the only river to flow through all three counties of the Northeast Kingdom.- Course :...
(and village): (Abnaki) "flowing over clear, sandy bottom" - Pico PeakPico PeakPico Peak is a mountain located in Rutland County, Vermont. It is the northernmost summit of the Coolidge Range in the Green Mountains, and the second highest after Killington Peak....
: (possibly Abnaki) "the pass/opening" - Pompanoosuc: abbreviation of Ompompanoosuc
- Popasquash Island
- QuecheeQuechee, VermontQuechee is one of five unincorporated villages in the town of Hartford, Windsor County, Vermont. Quechee is also a census-designated place. It is the site of the Quechee Gorge on the Ottauquechee River and is also the home to the Quechee Lakes planned community initiated in the late 1960s, which...
: abbreviation of Ottauquechee - Queneska Island: (Abnaki) "elbow" or "long joint"
- Walloomsac RiverWalloomsac RiverThe Walloomsac River from the Native American name, Wal-loom-sac is a tributary of the Hoosic River in the northeastern United States. It rises in southwestern Vermont, in the Green Mountains east of the town of Bennington in Woodford Hollow at the confluence of Bolles Brook and City Stream where...
- Winooski RiverWinooski RiverThe Winooski River is a tributary of Lake Champlain, approximately long, in northern Vermont in the United States. Although not Vermont's longest river, it is one of the state's most significant, forming a major valley way from Lake Champlain through the Green Mountains towards the Connecticut...
(and cityWinooski, VermontWinooski is a city in Chittenden County, Vermont, in the United States. Located at the mouth of the Winooski River, as of the 2010 census the city population was 7,267...
): (Abnaki) "wild onions"
- Mount Ascutney
- Former names:
- Mozodepo wadso: (Abnaki) "moose-head mountain" Mount MansfieldMount MansfieldMount Mansfield is the highest mountain in Vermont with a summit that peaks at above sea level. The summit is in Underhill; the ridgeline, including some secondary peaks, extends into the town of Stowe, and the mountain's flanks also reach into the town of Cambridge.When viewed from the east or...
- Tawakbodee-esso wadso: (Abnaki) "resting place/sit-down mountain" Camel's HumpCamel's HumpCamel's Hump is Vermont's third-highest mountain and highest undeveloped peak; moreover, because of its distinctive profile, it is perhaps the state's most recognized mountain. Part of the Green Mountain range, it is one of the oldest mountains on Earth...
- Mozodepo wadso: (Abnaki) "moose-head mountain" Mount Mansfield
See also
- Indian reservationIndian reservationAn American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
- List of U.S. communities with Native American majority populations
- List of place names in Canada of Aboriginal origin
- List of placenames of indigenous origin in the Americas
- AlgonquianAlgonquian languagesThe Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
External links
- Map of New England Languages
- Massachusetts place names
- Rhode Island place names
- Algonquian language family
- http://www.canadiana.org/ECO/mtq?doc=35622The composition of Indian geographical names, illustrated from the Algonkin languages, Trumbull, J. HammondJames Hammond TrumbullJames Hammond Trumbull was an American scholar and philologist.He was born in Stonington, Connecticut. He studied at Tracy's Academy in Norwich and at Yale University from 1838, but ill-health prevented his graduation, he was enrolled in 1850 and received an honorary LLD in 1871...
(James Hammond), 1821–1897. [Hartford, Conn.? : s.n., 187-?]