List of Canada city name etymologies

Last updated

This article lists the etymologies of the names of cities across Canada.

Contents

Alberta

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Airdrie Scottish Gaelic Named for Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, in Scotland. Possibly originally from Gaelic An Àrd Ruigh meaning a level height or high pasture.
Brooks English Named for Noel Edgell Brooks, a Canadian Pacific Railway Divisional Engineer from Calgary. Brooks' name was chosen through a contest in 1904. [1]
Calgary Scottish GaelicNamed for Calgary, Mull, which originated from the Scottish Gaelic "Cala ghearraidh", meaning "beach of the meadow (pasture)". The name was suggested by Colonel James Macleod, Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police, who had stayed at Calgary Castle. [2] [3]
Camrose EnglishThere is no factual evidence to explain why the city was named Camrose. It is suspected that it is named after the village of Camrose in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. [4]
Chestermere EnglishNamed after Chestermere Lake, a man-made reservoir built in 1880.
Cold Lake EnglishNamed after the nearby lake, which was named for its cold and deep water. [5]
Edmonton EnglishNamed for Edmonton, London.
Fort Saskatchewan EnglishNamed after a fort built by the North-West Mounted Police in 1875.
Grande Prairie French Named for its location, literally it means "great meadow" or "big prairie".
Lacombe FrenchNamed for Albert Lacombe, a French-Canadian Roman Catholic Oblate missionary who lived among and evangelized the Cree and Blackfoot First Nations of western Canada. [6]
Leduc FrenchWhile the city is named after Father Hippolyte Leduc, a French-Canadian priest who served in the area, there is a dispute over how the designation became official. One story is that the settlement was named after Leduc by the Minister of the Interior, Edgar Dewdney. The other story is that the settler who established the local telegraph office, which required a name to be associated with it, decided to name the settlement after the first person to walk through the door of the office, who turned out to be Leduc. [7]
Lethbridge EnglishNamed for William Lethbridge.
Lloydminster EnglishNamed for George Lloyd, who at the time was the bishop of the Diocese of Saskatchewan.
Medicine Hat English / Blackfoot Translation of Blackfoot Saamis, a type of headdress worn by medicine men.
Red Deer English / Cree Mistranslation into English of the Cree name for the Red Deer River, Waskasoo Seepee, which means "Wapiti River" or "Elk River". North American elk (aka Wapiti) are often confused with European Red Deer.
Spruce Grove EnglishNamed after the groves of spruce trees which were common in the area. [8]
St. Albert FrenchNamed by Bishop Alexandre-Antonin Taché after Father Albert Lacombe and his patron name saint Albert of Louvain.
Wetaskiwin Cree Translation of the Cree word 'wītaskiwinihk', meaning "the hills where peace was made". [9]

British Columbia

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Abbotsford EnglishThere is some controversy over the origin of the Abbotsford name. [10] The most commonly cited origin is that John Cunningham Maclure named the land "Abbotsford" after family friend Henry Braithwaite Abbott, the western superintendent of the Canadian Pacific Railway. [11] Maclure's sons later stated that the property had actually been named for Sir Walter Scott's home, Abbotsford, and pronounced it with the accent on ford, [12] while in his later years Maclure himself claimed that the naming had been "a combination of two ideas". [10]
Armstrong EnglishNamed for E.C. Heaton Armstrong, a London banker who helped finance the Shuswap and Okanagan Railway in 1892 and local development at the turn of the century. [13]
Burnaby English/DanishNamed for Robert Burnaby as the result of a public vote. [14]
Campbell River EnglishNamed after the nearby river, which in turn was named by Captain George Henry Richards for Samuel Campbell, the surgeon on board HMS Plumper. [15]
Castlegar Irish Named after Castlegar Estate, near Ahascragh in County Galway, Ireland. [16]
Chilliwack Halq'eméylem Anglicization of the Halq'eméylem word Tcil'Qe'uk, meaning "valley of many streams". [17]
Colwood EnglishNamed by Captain Edward Langford for his family farm in Sussex, England. [18]
Coquitlam Coast Salish Anglicization of the word Kwikwetlem, meaning "red fish up the river". [19]
Courtenay EnglishNamed after the Courtenay River, which was named after Captain George William Courtenay of HMS Constance, which was stationed in the area. [20]
Cranbrook EnglishNamed by Colonel James Baker after his home in Cranbrook, Kent, England. [21]
Dawson Creek EnglishNamed after the creek of the same name, which was named after George Mercer Dawson. who led a surveying team through the area in August 1879; a member of the team labelled the creek with Dawson's name. [22]
Delta EnglishNamed for its location on the Fraser River delta. [23]
Duncan EnglishNamed for William Chalmers Duncan, one of the original settlers of the community. [24]
Enderby EnglishNamed after a line in the poem "The High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire," by Jean Ingelow: The old mayor climbed the belfry tower, The ringers ran by two, by three; "Pull, if ye never pulled before; Good ringers, pull your best," quoth he. "Play uppe, play uppe, O Boston bells! Ply all your changes, all your swells, Play uppe 'The Brides of Enderby". [25]
Fernie EnglishNamed for William Fernie, a miner who founded the city. [26]
Fort St. John EnglishThere is no confirmed explanation for the city's name. Some suggest that it received its name as a result of the original fort being founded on the feast day of St John the Baptist. Another story is that the name originates as nothing more than a suggestion by an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company, which renamed the community after rebuilding it due to arson. [27]
Grand Forks EnglishNamed for its location at the fork between the Kettle and Granby Rivers. [28]
Greenwood EnglishNamed after Robert Wood, one of the original settlers in the area. Greenwood was chosen as an appropriate name given Wood's last name and the presence of green timber in the area. [29]
Kamloops Shuswap Anglicization of the word Tk'əmlúps, meaning "meeting of the waters". [30]
Kelowna Okanagan Named after the Okanagan term for a female grizzly bear. According to myth, the name was inspired by a husky French Canadian settler named Augustus Gillard, who lived in a half-underground dwelling known as a keekwillee. When some passing Indians saw him emerge from his home one morning, they called him "kemxtús" as he resembled a bear exiting its den. The name was brought up as a potential name for the new community, but it was changed to Kelowna as the original name was considered too uncouth. [31]
Kimberley EnglishNamed after Kimberley, South Africa, which in turn was named after John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley. The city was named after its counterpart in the hopes that the mining in the area would prove as bountiful as those found in South Africa. [32]
Langford EnglishNamed for Captain Edward Langford, who established one of the four Hudson's Bay Company farms in the Victoria area. [33]
Langley EnglishNamed after Fort Langley, a fort owned by the Hudson's Bay Company. The fort was named for Thomas Langley, a prominent HBC director [34] )
Maple Ridge EnglishNamed for the abundance of maple trees in the area. [35]
Merritt EnglishNamed for railway promoter William Hamilton Merritt III. The original name of the settlement was Forksdale. [36]
Nanaimo Halq'eméylemAnglicization of the word Sne-ny-mo, meaning "group of many people" and referring to the confederacy of five local bands. [37]
Nelson EnglishNamed for Hugh Nelson, fourth Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. [38]
New Westminster EnglishNamed by Queen Victoria after Westminster, England. The original proposed name of the city was Queensborough. [39]
North Vancouver (city) EnglishNamed for its geographical location north of Vancouver.
Parksville EnglishNamed for Nelson Parks, the postmaster at the time of incorporation. [40]
Penticton OkanaganAnglicization of the word pente-hik-ton, meaning "place where water passes beyond", in reference to the year-round flow of the Okanagan River. [41]
Pitt Meadows EnglishNamed after the Pitt River and Pitt Lake, which were possibly named after former British Prime Minister William Pitt. [42]
Port Alberni Spanish Named for Captain Don Pedro de Alberni, a Spanish officer who commanded Fort San Miguel at Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island's west coast from 1790 to 1792. [43]
Port Coquitlam Coast SalishAnglicization of the word Kwikwetlem, meaning "red fish up the river". [44]
Port Moody EnglishNamed by Captain George Henry Richards of HMS Plumper for Colonel Richard Clement Moody of the Royal Engineers. Moody was the commissioner of lands and works in the new Colony of British Columbia. [45]
Powell River EnglishNamed after the Powell River, which in turn was named after Doctor Israel Wood Powell, who was the Superintendent of Indian Affairs for British Columbia and the first graduate of medicine from McGill University to practice on the west coast. [46]
Prince George EnglishNamed after Fort George, a North West Company trading post, which in turn was named by Simon Fraser in honour of King George III. [47]
Prince Rupert EnglishNamed for Prince Rupert of the Rhine, the first Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, as the result of an open competition held by the Grand Trunk Railway. [48]
Quesnel English/FrenchNamed by Simon Fraser for Jules Maurice Quesnel, one of two North West Company clerks who accompanied him on the expedition where he discovered the Quesnel River. [49]
Revelstoke EnglishNamed by the Canadian Pacific Railway in appreciation of Lord Revelstoke, head of Baring Brothers & Co., the British investment bank that helped save the Canadian Pacific Railway from bankruptcy in the summer of 1885. [50]
Richmond EnglishNamed by Hugh McRoberts for Richmonds Farm in Australia.
Rossland EnglishNamed by Ross Thompson after himself in 1890, after purchasing the land the settlement was to be built on. He originally attempted to name the settlement Thompson, but there was already a town in BC by that name. [51]
Salmon Arm EnglishNamed for the southwest arm of Shuswap Lake, which bears the same name. The arm received its name due to its heavy population of salmon; settlers often pitchforked them out of the water and used them for fertilizer on their fields. [52]
Surrey EnglishThe city is named after the county of Surrey in England, however the reasoning why is disputed. One story suggests the name arose out of a meeting of settlers, one of which was reminded of Surrey by the countryside. Another story suggests it was named Surrey because it lies south of New Westminster, just as the county of Surrey lies south of Westminster in England. [53]
Terrace EnglishNamed by George Little after the terraces which surrounded the Skeena River. The settlement was originally to be named Littleton, however this name was rejected by the post office as there was already a Littleton in New Brunswick. [54]
Trail EnglishNamed after the Dewdney Trail, which passed through the area. [55]
Vancouver English, Dutch Named for Captain George Vancouver, an officer of the British Royal Navy.
Vernon EnglishNamed for Forbes George Vernon, a pioneer member part of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Yale. [56]
Victoria EnglishNamed for Queen Victoria.
West Kelowna Okanagan / EnglishNamed for its geographical location west of Kelowna.
White Rock EnglishNamed for a large white boulder found on the beach near the city, which was used by sailors as a navigational aid. The 486-ton granite boulder was kept white by shellfish-eating seabirds whose guano covered the rock. [57]
Williams Lake EnglishNamed for William, a Secwepemc chief whose counsel prevented the Shuswap from joining the Tsilhqot'in in their uprising against the settler population. [58]

Manitoba

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Brandon EnglishNamed by General Thomas Rosser after the Blue Hills of Brandon, which got their name from Brandon House. [59]
Dauphin FrenchNamed after nearby Dauphin Lake, which was named by French Canadian explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye in 1739 in honour of Louis, Dauphin of France. [60]
Flin Flon EnglishNamed after the character of Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin in the novel The Sunless City by J. E. Preston Muddock. [61]
Morden EnglishNamed after Alvey Morden, the original owner of the land that the community was established on. [62]
Portage la Prairie FrenchThe name is derived from the French word portage , which means to carry a canoe overland between waterways. In this case the "portage" was between the Assiniboine River and Lake Manitoba, over la prairie. [63]
Selkirk EnglishNamed after Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, who helped establish the Red River Colony.
Steinbach German Named after the village in Ukraine, where the city's founders emigrated from. The city's founders spoke Plautdietsch but wrote in High German. The name means "Stone Brook" in German.
Thompson EnglishNamed after John F. Thompson, the chairman of Inco Limited. The community was designed as a planned community by the company to house workers for its nearby mining operations. [64]
Winkler GermanNamed after Valentine Winkler, a local politician and business owner.
Winnipeg CreeWestern Cree word meaning "muddy waters". [65]

New Brunswick

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Bathurst EnglishNamed for the British Colonial Secretary, Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst. [66]
Campbellton EnglishNamed by Robert Ferguson in honour of Lieutenant Governor Sir Archibald Campbell.
Dieppe FrenchNamed in the memory of the 913 Canadians who were killed during the Dieppe Raid in the Second World War. [67]
Edmundston EnglishNamed for Lieutenant Governor Sir Edmund Walker Head. [68]
Fredericton EnglishNamed for the second son of King George III of Great Britain, Prince Frederick Augustus, Duke of York.
Miramichi Innu Named after the Miramichi River, which is likely derived from the Innu term "Maissimeu Assi", meaning "Mi'kmaq Land".
Moncton EnglishNamed for Lieutenant Colonel Robert Monckton, who captured nearby Fort Beauséjour.
Saint John EnglishNamed in commemoration of John the Baptist; the Saint John River supposedly was discovered on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24).

Newfoundland and Labrador

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Corner Brook EnglishNamed for a stream which flows through the area into the Humber Arm. [69]
Mount Pearl EnglishNamed for James Pearl, who in 1829 was granted the land the city was founded on in recognition of his time in the Royal Navy. He named the estate after himself in 1837, after having originally named it Mount Cochrane in honour of Sir Thomas John Cochrane, the first civil governor of Newfoundland. [70]
St. John's English, Basque or Spanish Named for the feast day of Saint John the Baptist, which was the date of landing by John Cabot. The name by Basque fishermen for the bay of St. John's was similar to the Bay of Pasaia in the Basque region, and one of the fishing towns called St. John (in Spanish, San Juan).

Northwest Territories

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Yellowknife Dene Suline / EnglishNamed for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation

Nova Scotia

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Dartmouth EnglishNamed for British Secretary of State for the Colonies William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth. [71]
Halifax EnglishNamed for George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, President of the Board of Trade
Sydney EnglishNamed for British Home Secretary Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney [72] [73]

Nunavut

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Iqaluit Inuktitut Inuktitut word meaning "many fish"

Ontario

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Barrie EnglishNamed for Sir Robert Barrie, who was in charge of the naval forces in Canada and frequently had to portage from Lake Simcoe to Georgian Bay.
Belleville EnglishNamed after Lady Arabella Gore, wife of Sir Francis Gore, following a visit by the two to the settlement in 1816. The community was previously known as Singleton's Creek, after an early settler named George Singleton, and Meyer's Creek, after John Walden Meyers. [74] [75]
Brampton EnglishNamed after Brampton, England, by a settler named John Elliot. [76]
Brant EnglishNamed after Mohawk Chief Thayendanegea (also known as Joseph Brant), who allied his people with the British during the American Revolution and ultimately led to them receiving a land grant for the area at the site of the current city.
Brantford EnglishNamed after Mohawk Chief Thayendanegea (also known as Joseph Brant), who allied his people with the British during the American Revolution and ultimately led to them receiving a land grant for the area at the site of the current city. The original Mohawk settlement was at a location favourable for landing canoes, which quickly became known as Brant's ford.
Brockville EnglishNamed after Sir Isaac Brock in 1812 by the settlement's residents in honour of his service to Upper Canada. The original name, Elizabethtown, had been selected by government officials but was unpopular with residents, who opted to use Brockville until it was officially changed several years later.
Burlington EnglishNamed after the nearby bay of the same name (now Hamilton Harbour), which was named in 1792 by Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada John Graves Simcoe in honour of the original name of Bridlington, England. [77]
Cambridge EnglishThe city received its name in 1973 following the amalgamation of the towns of Galt, Preston and Hespeler into a single municipality. The name Cambridge originates from Preston's name prior to 1834, Cambridge Mills. [78] [79]
Clarence-Rockland EnglishThe city received its name in 1998 following the amalgamation of the Clarence Township and the Town of Rockland.
Cornwall EnglishNamed after the Duchy of Cornwall. [80]
Dryden EnglishNamed after John Dryden, who served as Ontario's Minister of Agriculture in 1895 and founded the settlement as an agricultural community after visiting the area. [81]
Elliot Lake EnglishNamed after the neighbouring lake of the same name.
Greater Sudbury EnglishNamed for Sudbury, Suffolk in England; "Greater" was added in 2001 when the city of Sudbury was amalgamated with six suburban municipalities.
Guelph EnglishNamed to honour Britain's royal family, the Hanoverians, who were descended from the Guelfs, the ancestral family of George IV, the reigning British monarch; thus the nickname The Royal City.
Haldimand County EnglishNamed after Sir Frederick Haldimand, the Governor of the Province of Quebec from 1778 to 1786.
Hamilton EnglishNamed for George Hamilton, the city's founder.
Kawartha Lakes Anishinaabe Named after the nearby lakes of the same name, which are an Anglicization of the Anishinaabe word Ka-wa-tha, meaning "land of reflections". The name was later changed to Kawartha, which means "bright waters and happy lands". [82]
Kenora Ojibwe / EnglishThe name is a portmanteau of the names of the three towns which amalgamated in 1905 to form the present-day city: Keewatin, Norman and Rat Portage. [83]
Kingston EnglishOriginally referred to as "the King's Town", the name was shortened to Kingston in 1788. [84] [85] The settlement's original name, Cataraqui, likely was derived from an Iroquois word meaning "the place where one hides". [86]
Kitchener EnglishOriginally named Berlin thanks to the German heritage of many of its citizens, in 1916 the city changed its name to Kitchener in response to anti-German sentiment during the First World War. The name Kitchener was suggested in honour of British military officer Horatio Herbert Kitchener, who had died that same year. [87] The other options in the referendum were Adanac, Brock, Benton, Corona, and Keowana.
London EnglishNamed by John Graves Simcoe in 1826 after London, England.
Markham EnglishNamed by John Graves Simcoe after his friend, William Markham, the Archbishop of York.
Mississauga Ojibwe Named for the Mississaugas who originally inhabited the area.
Niagara Falls IroquoisNamed after the eponymous waterfalls. There are differing theories as to the origin of the word "Niagara", with one theory suggesting the name is derived from a local tribe named the Niagagarega, and another theory suggesting it is an Anglicization of the word "Ongniaahra", meaning "point of land cut in two". [88] [89]
Norfolk County EnglishNamed for Norfolk County in England. [90]
North Bay EnglishNamed for its geographical location on the shore of Lake Nipissing.
Orillia SpanishThe first recorded use of the name Orillia was in 1820 by Sir Peregrine Maitland, then-Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. There is no record as to the meaning of the name, however the most common explanation is that it originates from the Spanish word "orilla", which means the shore of a lake or river.
Oshawa OjibweAnglicization of the Ojibwa term "aazhaway", meaning "the cross place". [91] [92]
Ottawa Odawa The Ottawa Valley was the traditional home of the Algonquin people (Anishinaabe) who called the Ottawa River the Kichi Sibi or Kichissippi' meaning "Great River" or "Grand River". [93] [94] [95] [96] [97] Despite the name of the city, the Ottawa people, another First Nation who lived far to the west along Georgian Bay and Lake Huron never lived in the area, but rather maintained a trade route along the Ottawa River for a relatively short time. [98]
Owen Sound EnglishThe area of the present city was named Owen Sound by William Fitzwilliam Owen in 1815 after his older brother, Admiral Edward Owen. The settlement received its current name in 1851. It had previously been known as Sydenham.
Pembroke EnglishIndirectly named after Sidney Herbert, who served as British First Admiralty Secretary from 1841 to 1845. His father was the 11th Earl of Pembroke.
Peterborough EnglishNamed after Peter Robinson, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada and the man primarily responsible for the 1825 emigration plans which saw Irish immigrants settle in the area.
Pickering EnglishNamed after Pickering, North Yorkshire, England. [99]
Port Colborne EnglishNamed in honour of former Lieutenant Governor Sir John Colborne.
Prince Edward County EnglishNamed in honour of Prince Edward Augustus, then-commander-in-chief of British North America.
Quinte West French/MohawkNamed for its location on the western end of the Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario. The name Quinte is derived from the French name "Kenté", which was the name of a French Catholic mission in the area. [100]
Sarnia Latin Named after the Latin term for Guernsey, one of the British Channel Islands. [101]
Sault Ste. Marie FrenchNamed for the rapids in the St. Mary's River. The city shares its name with Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, as they were a singular community prior to the establishment of the Canadian-United States border.
St. Catharines EnglishThe origins of the name are obscure, but it is thought that the city is named after Catharine Askin Robertson Hamilton, who was the wife of Robert Hamilton, a prominent businessman. [102]
St. Thomas EnglishNamed in honour of Thomas Talbot. [103]
Stratford EnglishNamed after Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
Temiskaming Shores AlgonquinNamed after neighbouring Lake Timiskaming, which means "deep waters" in Algonquin. The city received its name in 2004 following the amalgamation of New Liskeard, Haileybury, and Dymond.
Thorold EnglishNamed after Sir John Thorold, a former British MP in response to his opposition to war with the United States. [104] [105]
Thunder Bay English, FrenchNamed for the bay on which the city is located, which was originally labelled Baie du Tonnerre on French maps in the 17th century. The name was chosen by referendum in 1969 with the merger of the cities of Fort William and Port Arthur.
Timmins EnglishNamed by Alphonse Paré in 1912 in honour of his uncle Noah Timmins, President of Hollinger Mines. [106]
Toronto Iroquoian Derived from word "tkaronto", meaning "place where trees stand in the water".
Vaughan EnglishNamed for Benjamin Vaughan, a British commissioner who signed the peace treaty with the United States in 1783.
Waterloo DutchNamed after Waterloo, Belgium.
Welland EnglishNamed after the Welland Canal, which formerly ran directly through downtown Welland. The name Welland is derived from the River Welland in Lincolnshire, England.
Windsor EnglishNamed after Windsor, Berkshire, England.
Woodstock EnglishNamed by the city's founder, Admiral Henry Vansittart in 1834 after Woodstock, England. [107]

Prince Edward Island

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Charlottetown English Named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, consort of King George III of Great Britain
Summerside EnglishNamed for Summerside House, an inn operated by the son of the settlement's founder. [108]

Quebec

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Chicoutimi Innu The name means "The end of the deep water" in the Innu/Montagnais language
Montreal Middle French Named for "Mont Réal", or Mount Royal, a geological feature located within the city. The mountain was named in honour of Francis I of France by Jacques Cartier. [109]
Quebec City Algonquin French transcription of the Algonquin word "kébec", which means "where the river narrows"

Saskatchewan

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Estevan EnglishNamed after the telegraphic address of George Stephen, first President of the Canadian Pacific Railway. [110]
Humboldt GermanNamed after German explorer Alexander von Humboldt. [111]
North Battleford EnglishThe name Battleford originated from a nearby ford of the Battle River. The city is named North Battleford to distinguish it from the town of Battleford, which is located south across the North Saskatchewan River. [112]
Martensville EnglishNamed after the Martens family, who founded the city on land which they had previously purchased. [113]
Meadow Lake EnglishNamed after the nearby lake, which is the source of the Meadow River. [112]
Melfort EnglishNamed by Reginald Beatty, the first European woman to settle in the area, after her family estate in Argyll, Scotland. [114]
Melville EnglishNamed for Charles Melville Hays, President of the Grand Trunk Railway and Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. [115]
Prince Albert EnglishNamed by James Nisbet in honour of Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. [112]
Regina LatinNamed by Princess Louise, wife of the then-Governor General of Canada the Marquess of Lorne in honour of Queen Victoria; Regina is the Latin word for queen. [112]
Saskatoon CreeNamed after the saskatoon berry. The berry's name is an anglicization of the Cree word misâskwatômina, meaning “the fruit of the tree of many branches”. [116]
Swift Current French/CreeNamed after the Swift Current Creek, which was originally called Riviere au Couran by the Metis. That name was likely inspired by the Cree name for the South Saskatchewan River, Kisiskâciwan, which means "fast flowing river". [117]
Warman EnglishNamed after American journalist Cy Warman, who recorded the construction of the Canadian Northern Railway. [118]
Weyburn EnglishThe origin of the city's name is disputed. One story is that the city is named after a worker who supervised the building of the railroad in the area. Another story is the name came from a Scottish man who exclaimed "Wee Burn!" after stumbling upon the Souris River on a hot day. [119]
Yorkton EnglishThe name of the city is inspired by the York Farmers' Colonization Company, which led the founding and initial settlement of the community. Originally named York Colony, it was changed to Yorkton in 1884. [120]

Yukon

CityLanguage of originExplanation
Whitehorse EnglishNamed for the White Horse Rapids, which were said to look like the mane of a white horse.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adjala-Tosorontio</span> Township in Ontario, Canada

Adjala–Tosorontio is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, in the County of Simcoe.

Desboro is a community in Chatsworth Township, Grey County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, located south of Owen Sound and near the community of Chatsworth. The community was named for Desborough in Northamptonshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada (New France)</span> French colony in North America from 1535 to 1763

The colony of Canada was a French colony within the larger territory of New France. It was claimed by France in 1535 during the second voyage of Jacques Cartier, in the name of the French king, Francis I. The colony remained a French territory until 1763, when it became a British colony known as the Province of Quebec.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Name of Canada</span> Etymology of the countrys name

While a variety of theories have been postulated for the name of Canada, its origin is now accepted as coming from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word kanata, meaning 'village' or 'settlement'. In 1535, indigenous inhabitants of the present-day Quebec City region used the word to direct French explorer Jacques Cartier to the village of Stadacona. Cartier later used the word Canada to refer not only to that particular village but to the entire area subject to Donnacona ; by 1545, European books and maps had begun referring to this small region along the Saint Lawrence River as Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paisley, Ontario</span> Community in Ontario, Canada

Paisley is an unincorporated community and village in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie, Bruce County in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Paisley is defined by its position at the confluence of the Saugeen River and the Teeswater River, and at the junction of Bruce Roads 1, 11, and 3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lount Township, Ontario</span> Geographic township in Ontario, Canada

Lount is a geographic township in the Unorganized Centre Part of Parry Sound District in Central Ontario, Canada. The communities of Bummer's Roost, Rye and Wattenwyle are located in the township. It originally was settled by the building of the Rosseau and Nipssing Road which cuts diagonally through the township. Lount is part of the Almaguin Highlands region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Gore</span>

Toronto Gore is a former incorporated and now geographic township in Ontario, Canada. It is today split between Mississauga and Brampton.

Underwood is a community in the Regional Municipality of York in Markham, Ontario, Canada that is located at the corner of Warden Ave between Birchmount Road and Steeles Avenue, north up to Hwy 7. Underwood is considered part of Downtown and Uptown Markham. It is likely considered to be part of Milliken.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynden, Ontario</span> Area of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Lynden is part of Flamborough, which is itself part of the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Lynden now has fewer than 500 residents. There used to be a train station in Lynden that went to Hamilton and Lynden provided goods to that city. Currently Lynden has many farmers, small business entrepreneurs and commuters to Hamilton, Cambridge, Dundas, Brantford and Toronto.

Bolsover is a village in Canada, located in the city of Kawartha Lakes, west of the village of Kirkfield at the junction of Kawartha Lakes Road 48 and Kawartha Lakes Road 46. The village is located to the south of Canal Lake. The community is likely named for Bolsover in Derbyshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fenwick, Ontario</span> Unincorporated community in Ontario, Canada

Fenwick is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, in the town of Pelham. It is located in the Niagara Region. Welland is the closest city center. Fenwick has a population of 1,500.

Unorganized North East Parry Sound District is an unorganized area in Parry Sound District in Central Ontario, Canada. It is served by the local services board of Laurier and is part of the Almaguin Highlands region. The region had a population of 179 in the Canada 2021 Census, and a land area of 183.04 square kilometres.

Loring, Port Loring and District is a local services board in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Parry Sound District, and by extension, the Almaguin Highlands region.

In Canada, a number of sites and structures are named for royal individuals, whether a member of the past French royal family, British royal family, or present Canadian royal family thus reflecting the country's status as a constitutional monarchy under the Canadian Crown. Those who married into the royal family are indicated by an asterisk (*). Charles Edward Stuart was a pretender to the British throne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverary, Ontario</span> Place in Ontario, Canada

Inverary is a Compact Rural Community and unincorporated place in South Frontenac, Frontenac County in eastern Ontario, Canada. The community was originally called Storrington post office in 1845, for geographic Storrington Township in which the community lies. It was renamed to Inverary in 1856 by landowner James Campbell after Inveraray, his ancestral home in Scotland, before being officially incorporated in 1860.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerseyville, Ontario</span> Dispersed Rural Community in Ontario, Canada

Jerseyville is a dispersed rural community within the city of Hamilton, in Ontario, Canada. The community was initially known as Jersey Settlement, named by the United Empire Loyalist settlers from New Jersey who settled in the late 1790s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bibliography of Canadian provinces and territories</span> Works on the provinces and territories of Canada

This is a bibliography of works on the Provinces and territories of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Places named after the Channel Islands</span>

A number of places in the world, like the places named after places in other parts of Britain, were named after the Channel Islands, or some place therein. Not all are named directly for one of the islands, but are often named indirectly, such as for another place on the list.

References

  1. Delday, Eva (1975). Brooks : between the Red Deer and the Bow. Brooks, Alberta. p. 30. ISBN   0-919212-60-3. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2017-12-25.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. "Calgary". Archived from the original on 2012-01-11. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  3. "How Calgary got its name". Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  4. CPG Camrose Archived 2015-08-14 at the Wayback Machine – Camrose History
  5. Cold Lake at The Canadian Encyclopedia, accessed September 1, 2019
  6. Town of Lacombe (February 2007). "History". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-03-08.
  7. "History of Leduc | City of Leduc".
  8. "History of Spruce Grove".
  9. Wetaskiwin Municipal Website [ permanent dead link ] – The Legend of Wetaskwin.
  10. 1 2 Thorburn, Mark (2009). British Columbia Place Names. Dragon Hill Publishing Ltd. p. 336. ISBN   978-1-896124-46-9.
  11. WS Crocket 1905 Abbotsford Adam and Black London History of Abbotsford. M.S.A. Museum
  12. WS Crockett 1905 Abbotsford Adam and Black London [ permanent dead link ]
  13. "Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada". www.britishcolumbia.com. Archived from the original on 12 January 2006. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  14. "Burnaby (city)". BC Geographical Names .
  15. "Campbell River (city)". BC Geographical Names .
  16. Nesteroff, Greg (16 September 2013). "Castlegar named for founder's Irish family estate". nelsonstar.com. Nelson Star.
  17. "Chilliwack (city)". BC Geographical Names .
  18. "Colwood (city)". BC Geographical Names .
  19. Kwikwetlem First Nation: History & Culture Archived 5 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 5 March 2009
  20. "Courtenay (city)". BC Geographical Names .
  21. "Cranbrook (city)". BC Geographical Names .
  22. "First Traveler Through Dawson, 1879". The News, Progress Edition. 27 April 1979. Archived from the original on 2015-05-01. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  23. "Delta (city)". BC Geographical Names .
  24. "Duncan". BC Geographical Names .
  25. "Enderby". BC Geographical Names .
  26. "Fernie". BC Geographical Names .
  27. "Fort St. John". BC Geographical Names .
  28. "Grand Forks". BC Geographical Names .
  29. "Greenwood". BC Geographical Names .
  30. Tk'emlúps Indian Band, Tk'emlúps History, 2011. Accessed 2011-06-01.
  31. "Kelowna". BC Geographical Names .
  32. "Kimberley". BC Geographical Names .
  33. "About Langford". Archived from the original on 2017-12-28. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  34. First Fort Langley National in The Langley Story Illustrated
  35. "Maple Ridge". BC Geographical Names .
  36. Akrigg, Helen B. and Akrigg, G.P.V; 1001 British Columbia Place Names; Discovery Press, Vancouver 1969, 1970, 1973, p. 114
  37. "Nanaimo". BC Geographical Names .
  38. "Nelson". BC Geographical Names .
  39. Ormsby, pl 175
  40. "Parksville". BC Geographical Names .
  41. "Penticton (City)". BC Geographical Names .
  42. "Pitt Meadows - History". Archived from the original on 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  43. Archer, Christon. "ALBERNI, PEDRO DE". Library and Archives Canada.
  44. "Port Coquitlam (City)". BC Geographical Names .
  45. "Port Moody (City)". BC Geographical Names .
  46. "Powell River (City)". BC Geographical Names .
  47. Runnalls (1946:23)
  48. Talbot, "The Making of a Great Canadian Railway...The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway," (1912, The Musson Book Co.), at p. 318-19; BC Names entry "Prince Rupert (city)"
  49. "Quesnel (City)". BC Geographical Names .
  50. "Revelstoke (City)". BC Geographical Names .
  51. Reference on toponym "Rossland" Archived 2007-08-15 at archive.today in the official database of the Integrated Land Management Bureau Archived 2007-10-27 at the Wayback Machine in British Columbia
  52. "Salmon Arm (City)". BC Geographical Names .
  53. "Surrey (City)". BC Geographical Names .
  54. "Terrace (City)". BC Geographical Names .
  55. Barman, Jean The West Beyond the West, University of Toronto Press, 2007, p. 130.
  56. Bell, Barbara. "Vernon". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  57. "White Rock (City)". BC Geographical Names .
  58. Stangoe, Irene (1994). Cariboo Chilcotin Pioneer People and Places. Heritage House. p. 32. ISBN   1-895811-12-0.
  59. City of Brandon. "City of Brandon - About Brandon" . Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  60. Encyclopedia Britannica. "Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada" . Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  61. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. "Flin Flon,Manitoba, Canada" . Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  62. "Morden History - The Railway". Archived from the original on 2017-01-05. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  63. Collier, Anne M. (1970). A History of Portage La Prairie and Surrounding District (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-08-19. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  64. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. "Thompson,Manitoba, Canada" . Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  65. "Winnipeg River". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
  66. MacMillan 1978 , pp. 33–34
  67. "Dieppe: History". Archived from the original on 9 August 2016.
  68. Denis Michaud, "La ville de Sir Edmund: l'histoire d'un nom et d'un personnage politique", Onomastica Canadiana, vol 85, no 1, June 2003.
  69. Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador: Corner Brook
  70. Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador: Mount Pearl
  71. "Dartmouth, Nova Scotia". Government of Nova Scotia. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  72. Brown (1922), p. 140.
  73. Public Archives of Nova Scotia (1967), p. 657.
  74. "Historic Plaques of Ontario: Plaque 1". Archived from the original on 11 April 2000.
  75. Boyce, Gerry (2008) Belleville - A Popular History
  76. "Brampton's Beginning" in Brampton's 100th Anniversary as an Incorporated Town: 1873-1973", Brampton: The Corporation of the Town of Brampton and the Brampton Centennial Committee, 1973, originally published in Ross Cumming, ed., "Historical Atlas of Peel County", n.p.: Walker and Miles, 1877.
  77. Rayburn, Alan Place Names of Ontario (University of Toronto Press), Toronto-Buffalo-London,1997, ISBN   0-8020-7207-0), pg.48
  78. About Cambridge - Cambridge Visitor Information Centre
  79. Local History - City of Cambridge
  80. 5 Star Flags
  81. Gerrie Noble (2001-02-16). "History of Dryden : A Chronology of Events at Dryden (from 1875 to 1945)". Dryden District Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on 2007-06-08. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  82. Rayburn, Alan (1997). Place names of Ontario. Toronto, Buffalo: University of Toronto Press. p. 176. ISBN   978-0-8020-0602-8. OCLC   36342881.
  83. Barnes, Michael (1995). Gold in Ontario. Erin: The Boston Mills Press. p. 22. ISBN   155046146X.
  84. Armstrong 1973, p. 67.
  85. "Chronology of the History of Kingston". Kingston Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  86. Quebec History – Cataraqui Retrieved April 12, 2014
  87. "Kitchener mayor notes 100th year of name change – Kitchener-Waterloo – CBC News". Cbc.ca. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
  88. Bruce Trigger, The Children of Aataentsic (McGill-Queen's University Press, Kingston and Montreal,1987, ISBN   0-7735-0626-8), p. 95.
  89. Stewart, George R. (1967) Names on the Land. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company; p. 83.
  90. Norfolk Country at The Canadian Encyclopedia, accessed September 1, 2019
  91. Rayburn, Alan, Place Names of Ontario, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1997, p. 258.
  92. Beaumont. "Free English Ojibwe dictionary and translator - Android or PC".
  93. McMillan & Yellowhorn 2004, pp. 103.
  94. Taylor 1986, pp. 11.
  95. "Settlement Along the Ottawa River" (PDF). Ottawa River Heritage Designation Committee (Ontario Ministry of Culture). 2008. p. 1. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  96. Hessel 1987, pp. 10.
  97. Shaw 1998, pp. 1.
  98. Hessel 1987, pp. 2, 10.
  99. Alan Rayburn (1997). Place Names of Ontario. University of Toronto Press. p. 270. ISBN   9780802072078.
  100. Great Canadian Lakes, Lake Ontario - Saving Souls in Kente Archived March 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved: 2010-04-15
  101. John Selden (1635). Mare Clausum. excudebat Will. Stanesbeius. p. 333.
  102. History of the City - St. Catharines
  103. Rayburn, Alan (1997), Place Names of Ontario, University of Toronto Press, Pg. 304 ISBN   0-8020-7207-0
  104. History and Heritage|City of Thorold
  105. "Thorold, Sir John, 9th Bt. (1734-1815), of Syston Park, Lincs". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  106. Barnes, Michael (1986). Fortunes in the Ground. Erin, Ontario: The Boston Mills Press. p. 123. ISBN   091978352X.
  107. Woodstock | Ontario, Canada | Britannica.com
  108. "PlaceFinder: Summerside, Prince Edward Island". Government of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  109. Harris, Carolyn (Aug 2017). "The Queen's land". Canada's History. 97 (4): 34–43. ISSN   1920-9894.
  110. Saskatchewan Business. "Estevan". Archived from the original on 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2008-03-12.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  111. Humboldt Museum. "Humboldt History" . Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  112. 1 2 3 4 David McLennan (2008). Our Towns: Saskatchewan Communities from Abbey to Zenon Park. Regina: University of Regina Press. ISBN   978-0-88977-209-0.
  113. City of Martensville. "About Us" . Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  114. City of Melfort. "History of Melfort". Archived from the original on 30 August 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  115. E.T. Russell, ed. (1975). What's In a Name?. Saskatoon: Western Producer Prairie Books. ISBN   0-919306-39-X.
  116. Government of Canada (15 August 2017). "Saskatchewan - Canada.ca" . Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  117. City of Swift Current. "History of Swift Current" . Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  118. "Cy Warman: Pioneer Railroad Writer". Great Eastern. Archived from the original on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  119. "History & Heritage - Weyburn". City of Weyburn. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  120. "City of Yorkton - History". City of yorkton. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2017.

Sources

Further reading