- List of Ohio county name etymologies
This list of Ohio county name etymologies lists the 88 counties of the U.S. state ofOhio , with the date of their creation. There is significant disagreement among the etymologists who have addressed the origins of many of these names. Where such disagreement exists each proposedetymology is listed. Note that many names are believed to be derived from American Indian names and words, and that some of the etymologists in this area have been unable to determine the particular Indian language which provided the names.AlphanumericTOC
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:Adams County ( :Ashtabula County (1807):::#For theJuly 10 ,1797 ): ::#ForJohn Adams , cite book
year = 1996
title = The Ohio Almanac: an encyclopedia of indispensable information about the Buckeye universe
edition= 2nd edition
editor = O'Bryant, Michael (ed.)
publisher = Orange Frazer Press
location =Wilmington, Ohio
id = ISBN 1882203100]President of the United States at the time the county was named::#For PresidentJohn Quincy Adams cite book
year = 1994
title = The Encyclopedia of Ohio
edition= 2nd edition
publisher = Somerset Publishers
location = New York, NY
id = ISBN 0403099633] :Allen County (1820):::#ForEthan Allen of theGreen Mountain Boys during theAmerican Revolutionary War ::#For ColonelJohn Allen , a soldier in theWar of 1812 cite book
first= Henry
last= Howe
year = 1904
title = Historical Collections of Ohio
publisher = C.J. Krehbiel for the State of Ohio
location =Cincinnati, Ohio ] :Ashland County (1846):::#For the home of SenatorHenry Clay ofKentucky near LexingtonAshtabula River , Ashtabula being an Indian word for "fish river"::#For theAlgonquian word for either "river of many fish" or "there are always enough moving"::#For the Indian word meaning "fish"::#For the Indian word meaning "halfway place"cite book
first= Henry
last= Garnett
year = 1947
title = American Names
publisher = Public Affairs Press
location =Washington, D.C. ] ::#For the Indian word meaning "river of many fish"cite book
first= David
last= Lindsay
year = 1955
title = Ohio Western Reserve: The Story of its Place Names
publisher =Western Reserve University
location =Cleveland, Ohio ] ::#For the Indian word meaning "there-are-always-enough moving"cite book
authorlink = George R. Stewart
first= George R.
last= Stewart
year = 1970
id = OCLC|95369
title = American place-names; a concise and selective dictionary for the continental United States of America
publisher =Oxford University Press
location = New York] :Athens County (1805):::#ForAthens ,Greece , as the state university was there :Auglaize County (1848):::# For theAuglaize River , "auglaize" being a corruption of the French "eau glaise" or muddy water.::#For theAuglaize River , "auglaize" being an Indian word for "fallen timbers". At the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee rivers was fought theBattle of Fallen Timbers . ::#For the Indian word for "overgrown with brush"::#For the Indian word for "at the lick"cite book
first= William D.
last= Overman
year = 1951
title = Ohio Place Names
publisher = Atlantic Press
location =Akron, Ohio ]B
:Belmont County (
September 7 ,1801 ):::#For the French for "beautiful mountain" for the scenery there.::#For the French for "a fine mountain":Brown County (1818):::#For Major GeneralJacob Brown , an officer in theWar of 1812 who was wounded at theBattle of Lundy's Lane .:Butler County (1803):::#For General Richard Butler, an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War who was killed by the Indians in 1790.C
:Carroll County (1833):::#For
Charles Carroll of Carrollton , the last surviving signer of theDeclaration of Independence :Champaign County (1805): ::#For the French for "plain" as the land there was very flat.:Clark County (1818):::#For GeneralGeorge Rogers Clark , who served in theNorthwest Indian War , but is mainly famous for the conquest of theIllinois Territory in 1778 and 1779. :Clermont County (December 6 ,1800 ):::#For the province ofClermont inFrance ::#For the French for "clear mountain" despite the absence of mountains there::#For Clermont, or Clear Mountain, France:Clinton County (1810):::#ForVice President of the United States George Clinton :Columbiana County (1803): ::#ForChristopher Columbus ::#Also for Queen Anne. [http://www.columbianacounty.org/history.htm Historical Sketch of Columbiana County] ] ::#Howe states "Kilbourn, in his 'Gazeteer,' says: 'Columbiana is a fancy name, taken from the names Columbus and Anna'":Coshocton County (1810): ::#For the Delaware Indian word meaning "union of waters"::#For the Delaware Indian word meaning "black bear town" (cush-og-wenk) or "union of waters" ("coshoc-gung")::#For the Delaware Indian word meaning "black bear town"::#For the Indian word for either "habitation of owls," "union of waters," or "finished small harbor"::#For the Indian word for "where there is a river crossing"::#For the Indian word for "river crossing" or "ferry"::#For the Indian village "Goshachgunk":Crawford County (1820):::#For
United States Secretary of the Treasury William Crawford ::#For Colonel William Crawford, an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War burned at the stake by Indians--this seems more likely :Cuyahoga County (1807):::#For theCuyahoga River , it being an Indian word meaning "crooked"::#For the Indian word for either "crooked", "lake river", or "news carrier"::#For the Indian word for "the important river"D
:Darke County (1809):::#For General
William Darke , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War :Defiance County (1845):::#For Fort Defiance, so named by General "Mad"Anthony Wayne because it was near the site ofSt. Clair's Defeat , the worst defeat ever suffered by the U.S. Army against the Indians, was fought and Wayne wanted to show resolve and dared or "defied" them to attack again.):Delaware County (1808): ::#For the Delaware Indians, who took their name from the proprietors of the state ofDelaware , the Lords De La Warr.::#For the Delaware Indians, who took their name fromDelaware Bay cite book
authorlink = George R. Stewart
first= George R.
last= Stewart
year = 1945
id = OCLC|419734
title = Names on the Land
publisher =Random House
location = New York]E
:Erie County (1838):::#For the Erie Indians, whose name was their word for "cat", there being many wildcats in the area.::#For the Erie Indians, whose name was their word for "cat", but who lived in
New York State ::#For the Indian word for "lake of the cat"::#For the Indian word for "wildcat"::#For the Indian word for "cat"cite book
first= John
last= Rydjord
year = 1968
title = Indian Place Names
publisher =University of Oklahoma Press
location =Norman, Oklahoma ] ::#For the Indian word for "the Cat nation"F
:Fairfield County (
December 9 ,1800 ): ::#For the country there. :Fayette County (1810): ::#For theMarquis de Lafayette , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War :Franklin County (1803):::#ForBenjamin Franklin :Fulton County (1850):::#For steamboat pioneerRobert Fulton G
:Gallia County (1803):::#For the
Latin word forFrance , as French settlers lived there :Geauga County (1806): ::#For the Indian word meaning "raccoon "::#For the Indian word meaning "raccoon river" or "dogs around the fire":Greene County (1803):::#For GeneralNathaniel Greene , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War :Guernsey County (1810): ::#For the island ofGuernsey in theChannel Islands H
:Hamilton County (
January 2 ,1790 ): ::#ForUnited States Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton :Hancock County (1820):::#ForJohn Hancock , first signer of theDeclaration of Independence :Hardin County (1820): ::#For GeneralJohn Hardin , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War , killed in Ohio in 1792 during theNorthwest Indian War :Harrison County (1813):::#For GeneralWilliam Henry Harrison , an officer in theWar of 1812 and laterPresident of the United States :Henry County (1820): ::#ForVirginia legislatorPatrick Henry :Highland County (1805):::#For the hilly country there::#For the ridge there that divided theLittle Miami River andScioto River 's watersheds :Hocking County (1818):::#For theHocking River ::#For the Delaware Indian word for "gourd" or "bottle"::#For the Indian word for "high up there is land"cite book
first= William D.
last= Overman
year = 1951
title = Ohio Town Names
publisher = Atlantic Press
location =Akron, Ohio ] ::#For the Indian word for "above-there-is-arable-land" ::#For the Delaware Indian word "Hock-hock-ing," meaning "bottle" of the Shawnee Indian word "wea-tha-kagh-qua-sepe" meaning "bottle river":Holmes County (1824):::#For MajorAndrew Holmes , an officer in theWar of 1812 killed atMackinac Island ,Michigan :Huron County (1809):::#For theHuron Indians::#For the Huron Indians, whose name is French for a kind ofpeasant ::#For the Indian word for "wildboar "::#For the Indian word for "a rough person"::#For the Indian word for "because of the straight locks, like bristles of a wild boar"::#For the name the French explorers gave to theWyandot IndiansJ
:Jackson County (1816):::#For General
Andrew Jackson , an officer in theWar of 1812 and laterPresident of the United States :Jefferson County (July 29 ,1797 ):::#ForVice President of the United States (and later President)Thomas Jefferson K
:Knox County (1808):::#For General
Henry Knox , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War and later firstSecretary of War L
:Lake County (1840):::#For its position on
Lake Erie :Lawrence County (1815):::#For CaptainJames Lawrence , a Naval officer in theWar of 1812 famous for his remark "Don't give up the ship!":Licking County (1808):::#Forsalt lick s in the area:Logan County (1818):::#For GeneralBenjamin Logan , who fought Indians there :Lorain County (1822):::#For the province of Lorraine inFrance :Lucas County (1835): ::#For GovernorRobert Lucas , who called out the militia to defend the area fromMichigan , which claimed it as its own.M
:Madison County (1810):::#For
James Madison , who wasPresident of the United States at the time. :Mahoning County (1846):::#For an Indian word for "at the salt licks"::#For an Indian word for "salt licks"::#Howe states: "It derived its name from Mahoning river. The name Mahoning is, according to Heckwelder, derived from either the Indian word "Mahoni", signifying "a lick," or "Mahonink", "at the lick".:Marion County (1820):::#For the "Swamp Fox", GeneralFrancis Marion , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War :Medina County (1812):::#ForMedina, Saudi Arabia :Meigs County (1819):::#For GovernorReturn J. Meigs, Jr. , who was Postmaster General when the county was erected:Mercer County (1820):::#For GeneralHugh Mercer , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War who died at theBattle of Princeton :Miami County (1807):::#For the Ottawa Indian word meaning "mother"::#For the Indian word meaning "very large"::#For the Indian word meaning "people on the peninsula"::#For the Indian word meaning "very large" or "downstream":Monroe County (1813): ::#ForUnited States Secretary of State James Monroe , who was laterPresident of the United States :Montgomery County (May 1 ,1803 ):::#For GeneralRichard Montgomery , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War who led the army that capturedMontreal :Morgan County (1817):::#For GeneralDaniel Morgan , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War :Morrow County (1848):::#GovernorJeremiah Morrow :Muskingum County (1803):::#For the Indian word meaning "by the river side"::#For the Indian word meaning "moose-eye river" ::#Howe writes: "The word Muskingum, said Kilbourne's "Gazetteer", 'is said to signify in the old Indian language an "elk's eye", or "the glare of an elk's eye".' Col. John Johnston stated that 'Muskingum is a Delaware word and means a town on the river side. The Shawanese call it "Wa-ka-tamo sepe", which has the same signification."N
:Noble County (1851):::#For James Noble, an early settler there.::#For James Noble and Warren P. Noble, early settlers there::#For Warren P. Noble, chairman of the
Ohio General Assembly 's committee on new counties::#For James Noble, the first settler nearSarahsville, Ohio O
:Ottawa County (1840):::#For an Indian word meaning "trader" (Rydjord)::#For the Ottawa Indians, who lived there::#For an Indian word meaning "trader", citing H. H. Bancroft
P
:Paulding County (1820):::#For
John Paulding , a captor ofspy John André in theAmerican Revolutionary War :Perry County (1818): ::#ForOliver Hazard Perry , hero of theWar of 1812 Battle of Put-in-Bay . says "Commodore Perry", which is Oliver's brother.):Pickaway County (1810):::#For variation on the same Indian word thatPiqua, Ohio is named for. ::#For thePiqua Indians who lived there::#For a variant spelling of Piqua, the Indian's capital::#For the Indian word for "ashes":Pike County (1815):::#For GeneralZebulon Pike , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War and an explorer of the American West. (could not have been an officer in Revolution--was 4 yrs. old when it ended):Portage County (1807):::#For theportage between the Cuyahoga and theTuscarawas River Rivers ::#For theportage between the Cuyahoga and Mahoning Rivers:Preble County (1808):::#For CaptainEdward Preble , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War and in the war against theBarbary Pirates . :Putnam County (1820):::#For GeneralIsrael Putnam , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War . ::#ForRufus Putnam , a soldier in theFrench and Indian War and theAmerican Revolutionary War R
:Richland County (1808): ::#For the fertile soil there:Ross County (
August 20 ,1798 ): ::#For Senator James Ross ofPennsylvania , a Federalist.:Sandusky County (1820):::#For the Indian word meaning "cold water"::#For the
Iroquois word "Sandoos-tie", meaning "cold water" ::#For the Indian word meaning "at the cold water"::#For the Indian word meaning "there is pure water here":Scioto County (1803):::#For theScioto River ::#For the Indian word meaning "deer"::#For the Indian word meaning "great legs"::#For the Indian word meaning "good hunting"::#For the Wyandot Indian word meaning "deer" ::#For the Wyandot Indian word "Sci-on-to", whose meaning is unknown:Seneca County (1820):::#For the Seneca Indians, who had a reservation here ::#ForSeneca County, New York ::#For the Seneca Indians, whose name is from the Dutch "sinnekaas"::#For the Indian word, transliterated into English in the form of the name of the Roman writer Seneca:Shelby County (1819):::#For GeneralIsaac Shelby , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War and later Governor ofKentucky . ::#ForShelby County, Kentucky :Stark County (1808):::#For GeneralJohn Stark , an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War . :Summit County (1840): ::#For the highest point on theOhio and Erie Canal which was located there.T
:Trumbull County (
July 10 ,1800 ):::#For GovernorJonathan Trumbull ofConnecticut . (This was in theWestern Reserve , which was once part of Connecticut.) :Tuscarawas County (1808):::#For theTuscarawas River , supposedly an Indian word meaning "open mouth". ::#For the Indian word meaning "old town" or "open mouth"U
:Union County (1820): ::#For its formation from the union of parts of four counties, Delaware, Franklin, Madison, and Logan
V
:Van Wert County (1820): ::#For
Isaac Van Wart , one of the captors ofspy John André in theAmerican Revolutionary War --the spelling was changed for the county name:Vinton County (1850):::#For CongressmanSamuel Finley Vinton , who also ran forGovernor of Ohio as a Whig.W
:Warren County (
May 1 ,1803 ):::#For GeneralJoseph Warren , a hero of theAmerican Revolutionary War who was killed at theBattle of Bunker Hill .::#ForWarren County, Pennsylvania .:Washington County (July 27 ,1788 ):::#For GeneralGeorge Washington :Wayne County (August 15 ,1796 ): ::#For General "Mad"Anthony Wayne :Williams County (1820): ::#For David Williams, one of the captors ofspy John André in theAmerican Revolutionary War :Wood County (1820):::#For CaptainEleazer D. Wood , the engineer for GeneralWilliam Henry Harrison 's army who builtFort Meigs :Wyandot County (1845):::#For theWyandot Indians, who lived in the area. "Wyandot" supposedly means "around the plains" in their language.::#For the Indian word meaning "calf of the leg" or "tobacco tribe"::#For the Indian word meaning "dwellers on a peninsula"Analysis of names
Below are categorized the names of counties by their sources. Each county is counted only one in the main entries. Those listed under "plus" appeared in previous categories, e.g. "Washington" is counted under Presidents of the United States, but also listed under Revolutionary War figures for completeness.
Of Ohio's 88 counties:
References
;General
*cite book
authorlink = Ohio Secretary of State
author = Ohio. Secretary of State
title = Official roster of federal, state and county officers
origyear = 1911
publisher = The Secretary (biennial)
location =Columbus, Ohio
id = ISSN|0741-9988
*cite book
first= L.W.
last= Heck
year = 1955
title = Delaware Place Names
publisher =United States Geological Survey
location =Washington, D.C. ;Specific
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