List of U.S. county name etymologies (S–Z)

This is a list of U.S. county name etymologies, covering the letters S to Z.

S

County nameStateOrigin
Sabine CountyTexasNamed for the Sabine River (from Spanish sabina, "cypress")
Sabine ParishLouisiana
Sac CountyIowaNamed for the Sauk (Sac) people
Sacramento CountyCaliforniaNamed for the city of Sacramento, California, itself named after the sacrament of the Eucharist
Sagadahoc CountyMaineFrom an Abenaki word meaning "mouth of the big river;" referring to the Kennebec River.
Saginaw CountyMichiganUncertain; probably from Ojibwe words meaning "place of the outlet": sag (opening) + ong (place of).
Saguache CountyColoradoFrom a Ute word, "Sa-gua-gua-chi-pa", which roughly translated to "Blue Earth" and referred to clear blue waters from springs in the county.
City of SalemVirginiaNamed for Salem, New Jersey, in honor of William Bryan, who had moved from there.
Salem CountyNew JerseyFrom Salem, a town mentioned in the Old Testament, from Hebrew shalom, "peace"; also from .
Saline CountyArkansasNamed for the salt water (brine) springs in the area.
Saline CountyIllinoisNamed for the Saline River (a tributary of the Ohio River).
Saline CountyKansasNamed for the Saline River (a tributary of the Smoky Hill River).
Saline CountyMissouriNamed for the salt water (brine) springs in the area.
Saline CountyNebraskaNamed for a belief held by the early pioneers that great salt springs and deposits could be found in the area, a hope found to be false.
Salt Lake CountyUtahNamed for the Great Salt Lake.
Saluda CountySouth CarolinaNamed for the Saluda River, named for a Native American tribe that lived along it (also Seleuda, Salutah).
Sampson CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for John Sampson, politician.
San Augustine CountyTexasNamed for the town of San Augustine, Texas, named for the Presidio de San Agustín de Ahumada, named for Agustín de Ahumada, 2nd Marquess of Amarillas.
San Benito CountyCaliforniaNamed for the San Benito River, named in turn for Saint Benedict of Nursia.
San Bernardino CountyCaliforniaNamed for the San Bernardino Valley, named for San Bernardino de Sena Estancia, named in turn for Bernardino of Siena.
San Diego CountyCaliforniaNamed for Saint Didacus of Alcalá.
City and County of San FranciscoCaliforniaFrom Mission San Francisco de Asís, a Spanish mission located in what is now the city's Mission District and named for Francis of Assisi.
San Jacinto CountyTexasNamed for the Battle of San Jacinto, which took place near the San Jacinto River, named for Saint Hyacinth of Caesarea.
San Joaquin CountyCaliforniaNamed for the San Joaquin River, named for Joachim, father of Mary, mother of Jesus.
San Juan CountyColoradoNamed for the San Juan River, named for John the Baptist.
San Juan CountyNew Mexico
San Juan CountyUtah
San Juan CountyWashingtonNamed for the San Juan Islands.
San Luis Obispo CountyCaliforniaNamed for the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa ("Mission of Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse"), named in turn for Louis of Toulouse.
San Mateo CountyCaliforniaNamed for Saint Matthew.
San Miguel CountyColoradoNamed for the San Miguel River, which runs through the county.
San Miguel CountyNew MexicoNamed for the church at San Miguel del Vado, Spanish for "Saint Michael of the ford."
San Patricio CountyTexasNamed for Saint Patrick; the original settlers were Irish Catholics.
San Saba CountyTexasNamed for the San Saba River, which was named for Saint Sabbas the Sanctified.
Sanborn CountySouth DakotaNamed for George W. Sanborn, president of the Milwaukee Railroad.
Sanders CountyMontanaNamed for Wilbur Fiske Sanders, pioneer and U.S. Senator.
Sandoval CountyNew MexicoNamed for the Sandoval family, 17th-century landowners.
Sandusky CountyOhioNamed for the Sandusky River, from Wyandot saandusti, "water (within water-pools)"; or andusti, "cold water".
Sangamon CountyIllinoisNamed for the Sangamon River, from Pottawatomie Sain-guee-mon meaning "where there is plenty to eat."
Sanilac CountyMichiganNamed for Sanilac, a Wyandot (Huron) chief.
Sanpete CountyUtahNamed for Sanpitch, a Ute chief.
Santa Barbara CountyCaliforniaNamed for Santa Barbara, California, named for the Santa Barbara Channel, named for Saint Barbara.
Santa Clara CountyCaliforniaNamed for Santa Clara, California, named for the Mission Santa Clara de Asís, itself named for Saint Clare of Assisi.
Santa Cruz CountyArizonaNamed for the Santa Cruz River. ("Holy Cross" in Spanish)
Santa Cruz CountyCaliforniaNamed for Santa Cruz, California, named for the Mission Santa Cruz, itself named for Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Santa Fe CountyNew MexicoNamed for Santa Fe, New Mexico, from the Spanish for "holy faith."
Santa Rosa CountyFloridaNamed for Saint Rose of Viterbo.
Sarasota CountyFloridaNamed for Sarasota, Florida, first recorded as Zarazote, of uncertain origin.
Saratoga CountyNew YorkFrom Iroquois sah-rah-ka, "the hill beside the river"
Sargent CountyNorth DakotaNamed for H. E. Sargent, railroad executive.
Sarpy CountyNebraskaNamed for Peter A. Sarpy, fur trader and businessman.
Sauk CountyWisconsinNamed for the Sauk people.
Saunders CountyNebraskaNamed for Alvin Saunders, governor of the Nebraska Territory.
Sawyer CountyWisconsinNamed for Philetus Sawyer, politician.
Schenectady CountyNew YorkNamed for Schenectady, New York, from the Mohawk skahnéhtati, "beyond the pines."
Schleicher CountyTexasNamed for Gustav Schleicher, engineer, politician and Confederate soldier.
Schley CountyGeorgiaNamed for William Schley, lawyer, jurist, and politician.
Schoharie CountyNew YorkNamed for Schoharie, New York, from the Mohawk skoharle, "driftwood."
Schoolcraft CountyMichiganNamed for Henry Schoolcraft, geographer, geologist, and ethnologist.
Schuyler CountyIllinoisNamed for Philip Schuyler, Revolutionary War general and U.S. Senator.
Schuyler CountyMissouri
Schuyler CountyNew York
Schuylkill CountyPennsylvaniaNamed for the Schuylkill River, from Dutch meaning "hidden river" or "sheltered creek."
Scioto CountyOhioNamed for the Scioto River, from Wyandot skɛnǫ·tǫ, "deer."
Scotland CountyMissouriNamed for Scotland.
Scotland CountyNorth Carolina
Scott CountyArkansasNamed for Andrew Scott, judge.
Scott CountyIllinoisNamed for Scott County, Kentucky.
Scott CountyIndianaNamed for Governor of Kentucky Charles Scott.
Scott CountyIowaNamed for General Winfield Scott.
Scott CountyKansas
Scott CountyKentuckyNamed for Charles Scott, 4th Governor of Kentucky.
Scott CountyMinnesotaNamed for General Winfield Scott.
Scott CountyMississippiNamed for Abram M. Scott, 7th Governor of Mississippi.
Scott CountyMissouriNamed for John Scott, politician.
Scott CountyTennesseeNamed for General Winfield Scott.
Scott CountyVirginia
Scotts Bluff CountyNebraskaNamed for Scotts Bluff, named for mountain man and trapper Hiram Scott.
Screven CountyGeorgiaNamed for General James Screven, Revolutionary War soldier.
Scurry CountyTexasNamed for William Read Scurry, Confederate general.
Searcy CountyArkansasNamed for Richard Searcy, first clerk and judge in the Arkansas Territory.
Sebastian CountyArkansasNamed for William K. Sebastian, U.S. Senator.
Sedgwick CountyColoradoNamed for Fort Sedgwick, an Army post itself named for Civil War general John Sedgwick.
Sedgwick CountyKansasNamed for Civil War general John Sedgwick.
Seminole CountyFloridaNamed for the Seminole people.
Seminole CountyGeorgia
Seminole CountyOklahoma
Seneca CountyNew YorkNamed for the Seneca people.
Seneca CountyOhio
Sequatchie CountyTennesseeFrom a Cherokee chief, whose name was from Cherokee siqua utsetsisti, "opossum, he grins or runs".
Sequoyah CountyOklahomaNamed for Sequoyah, Cherokee linguist.
Sevier CountyArkansasNamed for Ambrose Hundley Sevier, politician.
Sevier CountyTennesseeNamed for John Sevier (1745–1815), governor of the State of Franklin and first Governor of Tennessee.
Sevier CountyUtahNamed for the Sevier River (Spanish: Río Severo, "harsh river").
Seward CountyKansasNamed for William H. Seward, U.S. Secretary of State and opponent of slavery.
Seward CountyNebraska
Shackelford CountyTexasNamed for Jack Shackelford, doctor and soldier of the Texas Revolution.
Shannon CountyMissouriNamed for George Shannon, explorer on the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Sharkey CountyMississippiNamed for William L. Sharkey, 25th Governor of Mississippi.
Sharp CountyArkansasNamed for Ephraim Sharp, a state legislator.
Shasta CountyCaliforniaNamed for Mount Shasta, named in turn for the Shasta people.
Shawano CountyWisconsinFrom Sawanoh, a Menominee chief.
Shawnee CountyKansasNamed for the Shawnee people.
Sheboygan CountyWisconsinNamed for the Sheboygan River, from Chippewa Shawb-wa-way-gun, meaning "hollow bone", "noise underground" or "river disappearing underground."
Shelby CountyAlabamaNamed for Isaac Shelby, soldier and politician.
Shelby CountyIllinois
Shelby CountyIndiana
Shelby CountyTexas
Shenandoah CountyVirginiaNamed for the Shenandoah River, named for the Senedo people.
Sherburne CountyMinnesotaNamed for Moses Sherburne, politician and judge.
Sheridan CountyKansasNamed for Philip Sheridan, U.S. Army general.
Sheridan CountyMontana
Sheridan CountyNebraska
Sheridan CountyNorth Dakota
Sheridan CountyWyoming
Sherman CountyKansasNamed for Founding Father Roger Sherman.
Sherman CountyNebraska
Sherman CountyOregon
Sherman CountyTexas
Shiawassee CountyMichiganNamed for the Shiawassee River, from the Chippewa shia-was-see, "river straight ahead."
Shoshone CountyIdahoNamed for the Shoshone people.
Sibley CountyMinnesotaNamed for Henry Hastings Sibley, first Governor of Minnesota.
Sierra CountyCaliforniaNamed for the Sierra Nevada ("snowy jagged mountain range").
Sierra CountyNew MexicoNamed for the Black Range (Spanish: Sierra Diablo).
Silver Bow CountyMontanaNamed for the Silver Bow Creek, named for how it sparkled in the sun.
Simpson CountyKentuckyNamed for John Simpson, soldier and politician.
Simpson CountyMississippiNamed for Josiah Simpson, judge.
Sioux CountyIowaNamed for the Sioux (Oceti Sakowin) people.
Sioux CountyNebraska
Sioux CountyNorth Dakota
Siskiyou CountyCaliforniaNamed for the Siskiyou Trail, of unclear origin: Chinook Jargon for "bob-tailed horse," or French six callioux, "six stones."
Sitka City and BoroughAlaskaFrom Tlingit Shee At'iká, "people on the outside of Baranof Island."
Skagit CountyWashingtonNamed for the Skagit peoples.
Skamania CountyWashingtonFrom the Cascades Chinook sk'mániak, "swift waters."
Slope CountyNorth DakotaNamed for the Missouri Slope, a geographical feature.
Smith CountyKansasNamed for J. Nelson Smith, Union soldier in the Civil War.
Smith CountyMississippiNamed for David Smith, Revolutionary War major.
Smith CountyTennesseeNamed for Revolutionary War officer and U.S. Senator Daniel Smith
Smith CountyTexasNamed for James Smith, a general during the Texas Revolution.
Smyth CountyVirginiaNamed for Alexander Smyth, politician.
Snohomish CountyWashingtonNamed for the Snohomish River and the Snohomish people.
Snyder CountyPennsylvaniaNamed for Simon Snyder, third Governor of Pennsylvania.
Socorro CountyNew MexicoNamed for Socorro, New Mexico, from the Spanish socorro, "help, aid."
Solano CountyCaliforniaNamed for Sem-Yeto, Suisun chief baptized as Francisco Solano.
Somerset CountyMaineNamed for Somerset, England.
Somerset CountyMarylandNamed for Mary, Lady Somerset, wife of Sir John Somerset and daughter of Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour.
Somerset CountyNew JerseyNamed for Somerset, England.
Somerset CountyPennsylvania
Somervell CountyTexasNamed for Alexander Somervell, Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas.
Sonoma CountyCaliforniaNamed for the city of Sonoma, California, from the Miwok sonoma, "many moons."
Southampton CountyVirginiaNamed for either Southampton, England, or Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton.
Southeast Fairbanks Census AreaAlaskaNamed for its location to the southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska
Spalding CountyGeorgiaNamed for Thomas Spalding, politician.
Spartanburg CountySouth CarolinaNamed for Spartanburg, South Carolina, from a local militia called the Spartan Regiment in the Revolutionary War.
Spencer CountyIndianaNamed for Spier Spencer, soldier.
Spencer CountyKentucky
Spink CountySouth DakotaNamed for S. L. Spink, politician.
Spokane CountyWashingtonNamed for the Spokane people.
Spotsylvania CountyVirginiaNamed for Alexander Spotswood, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.
St. Bernard ParishLouisianaNamed for Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, who was the patron saint of colonial administrator Bernardo de Gálvez, 1st Viscount of Galveston.
St. Charles CountyMissouriNamed for Saint Charles Borromeo.
St. Charles ParishLouisiana
St. Clair CountyAlabamaNamed for Arthur St. Clair, major general in the Revolutionary War and first Governor of the Northwest Territory.
St. Clair CountyIllinois
St. Clair CountyMichiganNamed for Lake St. Clair, named in honor of Saint Clare of Assisi.
St. Clair CountyMissouriNamed for Arthur St. Clair, major general in the Revolutionary War and first Governor of the Northwest Territory.
St. Croix CountyWisconsinNamed for the St. Croix River.
St. Francis CountyArkansasNamed for the St. Francis River.
St. Francois CountyMissouri
St. Helena ParishLouisianaNamed for Saint Helena.
St. James ParishLouisianaNamed for Saint James.
St. John the Baptist ParishLouisianaNamed for John the Baptist.
St. Johns CountyFloridaNamed for the San Juan del Puerto mission ("Saint John of the Port").
St. Joseph CountyIndianaNamed for the St. Joseph River.
St. Joseph CountyMichiganNamed for Fort St. Joseph in Niles, which was named for Saint Joseph.
St. Landry ParishLouisianaNamed for St. Landry Catholic Church, named in honor of Saint Landry of Paris (Landericus).
St. Lawrence CountyNew YorkNamed for the Saint Lawrence River, named in honor of Saint Lawrence.
City of St. LouisMissouriNamed for Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France).
St. Louis CountyMinnesotaNamed for the Saint Louis River, named by Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye after the Order of Saint Louis that he received.
St. Louis CountyMissouriNamed for Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France).
St. Lucie CountyFloridaNamed for the St. Lucie Inlet, named in turn for Saint Lucy.
St. Martin ParishLouisianaNamed for Saint Martin of Tours.
St. Mary ParishLouisianaNamed for Mary, mother of Jesus.
St. Mary's CountyMarylandNamed for St. Mary's City, Maryland, named in honor of Mary, mother of Jesus.
St. Tammany ParishLouisianaNamed for Tamanend, a Lenni-Lenape chief in the Delaware Valley during the 17th century who made peace with William Penn.
Stafford CountyKansasNamed for Lewis Stafford, Union soldier in the Civil War.
Stafford CountyVirginiaNamed for Staffordshire, England.
Stanislaus CountyCaliforniaNamed for the Stanislaus River, named in turn for Estanislao, a Lakisamni leader.
Stanley CountySouth DakotaNamed for David S. Stanley, Union Army Civil War general.
Stanly CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for John Stanly, politician.
Stanton CountyKansasNamed for Edwin Stanton, U.S. Attorney General and Secretary of War.
Stanton CountyNebraska
City of StauntonVirginiaNamed for Lady Rebecca Staunton, wife of Virginia colonial governor Sir William Gooch, 1st Baronet.
Stark CountyIllinoisNamed for John Stark, general in the Revolutionary War.
Stark CountyNorth DakotaNamed for George Stark, a vice president of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
Stark CountyOhioNamed for John Stark, general in the Revolutionary War.
Starke CountyIndiana
Starr CountyTexasNamed for James Harper Starr, director of the postal service of the Trans-Mississippi Department.
Ste. Genevieve CountyMissouriNamed for Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, named for Saint Genevieve.
Stearns CountyMinnesotaNamed for Charles Thomas Stearns, politician.
Steele CountyMinnesotaNamed for Franklin Steele, early settler.
Steele CountyNorth DakotaNamed for Edward H. Steele, businessman.
Stephens CountyGeorgiaNamed for Alexander Stephens, Vice President of the Confederate States of America.
Stephens CountyOklahomaNamed for John Hall Stephens, Texas politician.
Stephens CountyTexasNamed for Alexander Stephens, Vice President of the Confederate States of America.
Stephenson CountyIllinoisNamed for Benjamin Stephenson, politician.
Sterling CountyTexasNamed for W. S. Sterling, an early settler.
Steuben CountyIndianaNamed for Baron Frederick von Steuben, an officer of the Revolutionary War.
Steuben CountyNew York
Stevens CountyKansasNamed for Thaddeus Stevens, politician.
Stevens CountyMinnesotaNamed for Isaac Stevens, soldier and first Governor of Washington Territory.
Stevens CountyWashington
Stewart CountyGeorgiaNamed for General Daniel Stewart.
Stewart CountyTennesseeNamed for Duncan Stewart, Tennessee state legislator and lieutenant governor of Mississippi Territory.
Stillwater CountyMontanaNamed for the Stillwater River.
Stoddard CountyMissouriNamed for Amos Stoddard, soldier.
Stokes CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for John Stokes, judge.
Stone CountyArkansasNamed for its rocky terrain.
Stone CountyMississippiNamed for John Marshall Stone, 31st and 33rd Governor of Mississippi.
Stone CountyMissouriNamed for William Stone, early settler.
Stonewall CountyTexasNamed for Lieutenant General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson
Storey CountyNevadaNamed for Edward Farris Storey, Nevada settler killed by Paiute.
Story CountyIowaNamed for Joseph Story, a preeminent United States Supreme Court Justice.
Strafford CountyNew HampshireNamed for William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford, English nobleman.
Stutsman CountyNorth DakotaNamed for Enos Stutsman, lawyer and politician.
Sublette CountyWyomingNamed for William Sublette, mountain man and fur trapper.
City of SuffolkVirginiaNamed for Suffolk, England.
Suffolk CountyMassachusetts
Suffolk CountyNew York
Sullivan CountyIndianaNamed for Daniel Sullivan, a soldier of the Revolutionary War.
Sullivan CountyMissouriNamed for John Sullivan, General in the Revolutionary War and Governor of New Hampshire.
Sullivan CountyNew Hampshire
Sullivan CountyNew York
Sullivan CountyPennsylvaniaNamed for Charles C. Sullivan, politician.
Sullivan CountyTennesseeNamed for John Sullivan, Governor of New Hampshire.
Sully CountySouth DakotaNamed for Alfred Sully, soldier.
Summers CountyWest VirginiaNamed for George W. Summers, politician.
Summit CountyColoradoNamed for the numerous mountain peaks which fill the region, including Grays Peak and Torreys Peak.
Summit CountyOhioNamed for the highest elevation on the Ohio and Erie Canal.
Summit CountyUtahNamed for the summits of the Wasatch Range and Uinta Mountains.
Sumner CountyKansasNamed for Jethro Sumner (1733–1785), an American colonist who defended North Carolina against the British in 1780.
Sumner CountyTennessee
Sumter CountyAlabamaNamed for Thomas Sumter, general in the Revolutionary War.
Sumter CountyFlorida
Sumter CountyGeorgia
Sumter CountySouth Carolina
Sunflower CountyMississippiNamed for the Sunflower River.
Surry CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Surrey, England.
Surry CountyVirginia
Susquehanna CountyPennsylvaniaNamed for the Susquehanna River, from Unami Siskëwahane, "mile wide, foot deep."
Sussex CountyDelawareNamed for Sussex, England.
Sussex CountyNew Jersey
Sussex CountyVirginia
Sutter CountyCaliforniaNamed for Sutter's Fort, built by John Sutter.
Sutton CountyTexasNamed for John S. Sutton, Confederate officer.
Suwannee CountyFloridaNamed for the Suwannee River.
Swain CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for David Lowry Swain, 26th Governor of North Carolina.
Sweet Grass CountyMontanaNamed for the abundant sweet grass (Muhlenbergia filipes).
Sweetwater CountyWyomingNamed for the Sweetwater River.
Swift CountyMinnesotaNamed for Henry Adoniram Swift, 3rd Governor of Minnesota.
Swisher CountyTexasNamed for James G. Swisher, a soldier of the Texas Revolution.
Switzerland CountyIndianaNamed for Switzerland, homeland of many of the early settlers.

T

County nameStateOrigin
Talbot CountyGeorgiaNamed for Matthew Talbot, 30th Governor of Georgia.
Talbot CountyMarylandNamed for Grace, Lady Talbot, the wife of Sir Robert Talbot, an Irish statesman, and the sister of Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore.
Taliaferro CountyGeorgiaNamed for Colonel Benjamin Taliaferro of Virginia, an officer in the American Revolution.
Talladega CountyAlabamaThe name Talladega is derived from a Muscogee (Creek) Native American word Tvlvteke, from the Creek tålwa, meaning "town", and åtigi, or "border" -- "Border Town"—a town indicating its location on the boundary between the lands of the Creek tribe and those of the Cherokee and Chickasaw.[1]
Tallahatchie CountyMississippiChoctaw name meaning "rock of waters".
Tallapoosa CountyAlabamaName of Creek origin.
Tama CountyIowaNamed for Taimah, a leader of the Meskwaki Indians.
Taney CountyMissouriNamed in honor of Roger Brooke Taney, fifth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Tangipahoa ParishLouisianaTangipahoa comes from an Acolapissa word meaning "ear of corn" or "those who gather corn."
Taos CountyNew Mexico"Place of red willows" in the Taos language.
Tarrant CountyTexasNamed in honor of General Edward H. Tarrant.[2]
Tate CountyMississippiNamed for Thomas Simpson Tate, one of the first prominent settlers of the area.
Tattnall CountyGeorgiaNamed for Josiah Tattnall Sr., U.S. Senator and 25th Governor of Georgia.
Taylor CountyFloridaNamed for Zachary Taylor, twelfth President of the United States of America.
Taylor CountyGeorgia
Taylor CountyIowa
Taylor CountyKentucky
Taylor CountyTexasNamed for Edward Taylor, George Taylor, and James Taylor, three brothers who died at the Battle of the Alamo.
Taylor CountyWest VirginiaNamed for Sen. John Taylor of Caroline.
Taylor CountyWisconsinProbably named for William Robert Taylor, 12th Governor of Wisconsin
Tazewell CountyIllinoisNamed in honor of Littleton Waller Tazewell, U.S. Senator and Governor of Virginia, and/or Littleton's father, prominent Virginia politician Henry Tazewell.
Tazewell CountyVirginiaNamed after Henry Tazewell, a United States Senator from Virginia as well as a state legislator and judge.
Tehama CountyCaliforniaNamed after Tehama, California; possibly from Spanish tejamanil ("shingle"), or a Native word for "high water."
Telfair CountyGeorgiaNamed for Edward Telfair, sixteenth governor of Georgia and member of the Continental Congress.
Teller CountyColoradoNamed for Henry M. Teller, a U.S. Senator and the 15th United States Secretary of the Interior.
Tensas ParishLouisianaDerived from the Taensa people.
Terrebonne ParishLouisianaFrench for "good land" or "good earth".
Terrell CountyGeorgiaNamed for U.S. Representative William Terrell.
Terrell CountyTexasNamed for Texas state senator Alexander W. Terrell.
Terry CountyTexasNamed for Benjamin Franklin Terry, a colonel in the Confederate Army.
Teton CountyIdahoNamed after the Teton Mountains.[3]
Teton CountyMontanaNamed for the Teton River (Montana)
Teton CountyWyomingNamed for the Teton Range
Texas CountyMissouriNamed after the Republic of Texas.
Texas CountyOklahomaSo named because it was wholly included within the limits of the Texas Cession of 1850, whereby the ownership of the area was passed from the State of Texas to the United States Government.
Thayer CountyNebraskaNamed after the General and Governor John Milton Thayer.[4]
Thomas CountyGeorgiaNamed for Jett Thomas, officer in the War of 1812; also known for overseeing the construction of the first building at the University of Georgia as well as the state capitol at Milledgeville.
Thomas CountyKansasNamed for George Henry Thomas, Union General in the American Civil War.
Thomas CountyNebraskaNamed after General George H. Thomas.[5]
Throckmorton CountyTexasNamed for William Throckmorton, an early Collin County settler.
Thurston CountyNebraskaNamed after U.S. Senator John M. Thurston.[6]
Thurston CountyWashingtonNamed after Samuel R. Thurston, the Oregon Territory's first delegate to Congress.
Tift CountyGeorgiaNamed for Nelson Tift, founder of the city of Albany and United States Representative.
Tillamook CountyOregonNamed for the Tillamook, a Native American tribe.
Tillman CountyOklahomaBenjamin Tillman, U.S. Senator and 84th Governor of South Carolina
Tioga CountyNew YorkDerived from an American Indian word meaning "at the forks", describing a meeting place.
Tioga CountyPennsylvaniaNamed for the Tioga River.
Tippah CountyMississippiThe name "Tippah" is a Chickasaw word meaning "cut off", and is taken from the creek of the same name that flows across much of the original county from northeast to southwest before emptying into the Tallahatchie River. The creek probably was so named because it, and the ridges on either side, "cut off" the western part of the region from the eastern portion.
Tippecanoe CountyIndianaNamed for the Tippecanoe River and the Battle of Tippecanoe.
Tipton CountyIndianaTipton is named for John Tipton, a soldier of the Battle of Tippecanoe.
Tipton CountyTennesseeNamed for Jacob Tipton, who was killed by Native Americans in a conflict over the Northwest Territory.
Tishomingo CountyMississippiTishomingo (1734–1838), a Chickasaw chieftain
Titus CountyTexasNamed for Andrew Jackson Titus, an early settler.
Todd CountyKentuckyNamed after John Todd, an early frontier military figure.[7]
Todd CountyMinnesotaNamed after John Blair Smith Todd, delegate from Dakota Territory to the United States House of Representatives and General in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Todd CountySouth Dakota
Tolland CountyConnecticutNamed for the town of Tolland, Connecticut, which itself is named after Tolland, Somerset.
Tom Green CountyTexasNamed for Thomas Green, a Confederate brigadier general.
Tompkins CountyNew YorkNamed in honor of Daniel D. Tompkins, Governor of New York and Vice President of the United States of America.
Tooele CountyUtahIt is thought that the name derives from a Native American chief, but controversy exists about whether such chief lived. Alternate explanations hypothesize that the name comes from "tu-wanda", the Goshute word for "bear", or from "tule", a Spanish word of Aztec origins meaning "bulrush" (Schoenoplectus).
Toole CountyMontanaNamed for Joseph Toole, Montana's first governor.
Toombs CountyGeorgiaNamed for Robert Toombs, United States representative and senator.
Torrance CountyNew MexicoNamed for Francis J. Torrance, a promoter of the New Mexico Central Railroad.
Towner CountyNorth DakotaNamed after Oscar M. Towner, a member of the United States House of Representatives.
Towns CountyGeorgiaNamed for lawyer, legislator, and politician George W. Towns.
Traill CountyNorth DakotaNamed after Walter John Strickland Traill, an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company and son of Canadian pioneer Catharine Parr Traill.[8]
Transylvania CountyNorth CarolinaDerived from the Transylvania Company and has Latin origins: trans ("across") and silva or sylva ("woods").
Traverse CountyMinnesotaNamed for Lake Traverse
Travis CountyTexasNamed in honor of William Barret Travis, commander of the Republic of Texas forces at the Battle of the Alamo.
Treasure CountyMontanaFrom the state nickname of Montana, the "Treasure State", so called because of its gold and silver mines.
Trego CountyKansasNamed for Edgar Poe Trego of the 8th Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment, killed at the 1863 Battle of Chickamauga.[9]
Trempealeau CountyWisconsinFrench fur traders were the first Europeans to enter this land. At the mouth of the Trempealeau River, which flows from northeast to southwest across the county on its way to the Mississippi River, they found a bluff surrounded by water and called it "La Montagne qui trempe à l'eau", which means "mountain with its foot in the water." The name was later shortened.[10]
Treutlen CountyGeorgiaNamed for John A. Treutlen, Georgia's first state governor following adoption of the state Constitution of 1777.
Trigg CountyKentuckyNamed for Stephen Trigg, a frontier officer in the American Revolutionary War who died in the Battle of Blue Licks.
Trimble CountyKentuckyNamed for Robert Trimble, attorney, judge, and justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Trinity CountyCaliforniaNamed after the Trinity River, which was named in 1845 by Major Pierson B. Reading, who was under the mistaken impression that the river emptied into Trinidad Bay. Trinity is the English translation of Trinidad.
Trinity CountyTexasNamed after the Trinity River (Texas).
Tripp CountySouth DakotaNamed for Bartlett Tripp.
Troup CountyGeorgiaNamed for George Troup, thirty-fourth governor of Georgia, U.S. representative, and senator.
Trousdale CountyTennesseeNamed for William Trousdale, Creek and Mexican–American War soldier and officer, state senator and Governor of Tennessee.
Trumbull CountyOhioNamed for Jonathan Trumbull, Governor of Connecticut, who once owned the land in the region.
Tualatai CountyAmerican SamoaTuālā, v. to put a canoe before the wind; n. the back of a sail.[11][12] The ‘tai’ suffix designates this county as being the Tuālā county on the side towards the sea, whereas Tuālā-uta is the Tuālā county on the side towards the land or inland.
Tucker CountyWest VirginiaNamed after Henry St. George Tucker, Sr., a judge and Congressman from Williamsburg, Virginia.[13]
Tulare CountyCaliforniaNamed for Tulare Lake.
Tulsa CountyOklahomaNamed for Tulsa, Oklahoma, which takes its name from the Creek Tallasi, "old town."
Tunica CountyMississippiNamed for the Tunica Native Americans.
Tuolumne CountyCalifornia

The name Tuolumne is of Native American origin and has been given different meanings, such as Many Stone Houses, The Land of Mountain Lions and, Straight Up Steep, the latter an interpretation of William Fuller, a native Chief. Mariano Vallejo, in his report to the first California State Legislature, said that the word is "a corruption of the Miwok word talmalamne which signifies 'cluster of stone wigwams.'" The name may mean "people who dwell in stone houses", i.e., in caves.

Turner CountyGeorgiaNamed for Henry Gray Turner, U.S. representative and Georgia state Supreme Court justice.
Turner CountySouth DakotaNamed for John W. Turner.
Tuscaloosa CountyAlabamaNamed in honor of the pre-Choctaw chief Tuskaloosa.
Tuscarawas CountyOhioThe name is a Delaware word variously translated as "old town" or "open mouth".
Tuscola CountyMichiganNeologism created by Henry Schoolcraft.
Twiggs CountyGeorgiaNamed for American Revolutionary War general John Twiggs.
Twin Falls CountyIdahoThe county is named for a split waterfall on the Snake River of the same name. The Snake River is the county's northern boundary.
Tyler CountyTexasNamed for John Tyler, the tenth President of the United States.
Tyler CountyWest VirginiaNamed after John Tyler, Sr., father of President John Tyler.
Tyrrell CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Sir John Tyrrell, one of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina.

U

County nameStateOrigin
Uinta CountyWyomingNamed for the Uinta(h), a Native American tribe associated with the Ute people.
Uintah CountyUtah
Ulster CountyNew YorkNamed for the Irish province of Ulster, which was an earldom of the Duke of York at the time of naming.
Umatilla CountyOregonNamed for the Umatilla River.
Unicoi CountyTennesseeName is a Native American word for the southern Appalachian Mountains, probably meaning white or fog-draped.
Union CountyArkansasNamed in recognition of the 1829 citizens' petition for a new county, stating that they were petitioning "in the spirit of Union and Unity".
Union CountyFloridaNamed to honor the concept of unity.
Union CountyGeorgiaThe Union Party, a political group that supported removing Native Americans from the area and opening it to white settlers, is the probable inspiration for the county's name.
Union CountyIllinoisNamed for a joint revival meeting of the Baptists and Dunkards, called a "union meeting".
Union CountyIndianaSo named because it is the product of a union of parts of Fayette, Franklin and Wayne counties, as united into one county in 1821.
Union CountyIowaNamed in honour of the Union which the people wished to preserve at the time of founding (1853).
Union CountyKentuckyNamed for the unanimous decision of the residents to unite together and create a new county.
Union CountyMississippiThis county was formed as a union of pieces of several other counties.
Union CountyNew JerseyIn reference to the Federal Union of the United States.
Union CountyNew MexicoThe county is named "Union" because the citizens, in 1893/94, were united in their desire for the creation of a new county out of three existing New Mexico counties.
Union CountyNorth CarolinaIts name was a compromise between Whigs, who wanted to name the new county for Henry Clay, and Democrats, who wanted to name it for Andrew Jackson.
Union CountyOhioThe name is reflective of the county's origins, being the union of pieces of Franklin, Delaware, Madison, and Logan Counties.[14]
Union CountyOregonThe name, which is taken from the city of Union within the county's borders, references the Union states, or Northern States, of the American Civil War.[15]
Union CountyPennsylvaniaThe name is an allusion to the Federal Union.
Union CountySouth CarolinaReceived its name from the old Union Church near Monarch Mill.
Union CountySouth DakotaOriginally named Cole County, the named was changed to Union because of Civil War sentiment.
Union CountyTennesseeNamed either for its creation from parts of five counties or to memorialize East Tennessee's support for preservation of the Union in the years before the Civil War.
Union ParishLouisianaReportedly took its name from a statement made by Daniel Webster: "liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable".
Upshur CountyTexasNamed for Abel P. Upshur, who was U.S. Secretary of State during President John Tyler's administration.
Upshur CountyWest Virginia
Upson CountyGeorgiaNamed in honor of noted Georgia lawyer Stephen Upson.
Upton CountyTexasNamed for brothers John C. and William F. Upton, both Colonels in the Confederate army.
Utah CountyUtahNamed for the Spanish name (Yuta) for the Ute Indians.
Uvalde CountyTexasNamed for Juan de Ugalde, the Spanish governor of Coahuila.

V

County nameStateOrigin
Val Verde CountyTexasNamed for the 1862 Civil War Battle of Val Verde (val verde meaning "green valley" in Spanish).
Valdez-Cordova Census AreaAlaskaThe port of Valdez was named after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y Basán; Cordova after the city of Córdoba, Spain. Both namings were made by Spanish explorer Salvador Fidalgo in 1790.
Valencia CountyNew MexicoNamed for Valencia, New Mexico, named in turn for Valencia, Spain.
Valley CountyIdahoNamed after the Long Valley of the North Fork of the Payette River.
Valley CountyMontanaNamed for the valley of the Milk River.
Valley CountyNebraskaNamed after the geological features of the area.[16]
Van Buren CountyArkansasNamed for U.S. President Martin Van Buren (1782–1862).
Van Buren CountyIowa
Van Buren CountyMichigan
Van Buren CountyTennessee
Van Wert CountyOhioNamed for Isaac Van Wart, one of the captors of John André in the American Revolutionary War.[17]
Van Zandt CountyTexasNamed for Isaac Van Zandt, a member of the Congress of the Republic of Texas.[18]
Vance CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Zebulon Baird Vance, a Governor of North Carolina (1862–1865, 1877–1879) and United States senator (1879–1894).
Vanderburgh CountyIndianaNamed for Henry Vanderburgh, a judge for Indiana Territory.
Venango CountyPennsylvaniaThe origin of the name "Venango" comes from the Native American name for the region, Onenge, meaning Otter. This was corrupted into English as the Venango River.[19]
Ventura CountyCaliforniaFrom Mission San Buenaventura, named for Saint Bonaventure.
Vermilion CountyIllinoisNamed for the Vermilion River (Wabash River tributary).
Vermilion ParishLouisianaNamed for Vermilion River (Louisiana).
Vermillion CountyIndianaVermillion is named for the Vermilion River (Wabash River tributary).
Vernon CountyMissouriNamed for Col. Miles Vernon (1786–1867), a state senator and veteran of the Battle of New Orleans.
Vernon CountyWisconsinNamed for Mount Vernon.
Vernon ParishLouisianaVarious theories for the naming exist (see History of Vernon Parish)
Victoria CountyTexasNamed for Guadalupe Victoria, the first President of Mexico.
Vigo CountyIndianaNamed for Francis Vigo, an Italian tradesman from St. Louis who assisted George Rogers Clark's campaigns during the American Revolutionary War.
Vilas CountyWisconsinNamed for William Freeman Vilas, United States Senator (1891–1897).[20]
Vinton CountyOhioNamed for Samuel Finley Vinton, a 19th-century congressman from Ohio.[21]
City of Virginia BeachVirginiaState of Virginia and its beach.
Volusia CountyFloridaNamed for Volusia, Florida, possibly derived from a name meaning "land of the Yuchi."

W

County nameStateOrigin
Wabash CountyIllinoisNamed for the Wabash River, from the Miami-Illinois waapaahšiiki, "it shines white."
Wabash CountyIndiana
Wabasha CountyMinnesotaNamed for the Mdewakanton Dakota mixed-blood (with Anishinaabe) chiefs Wapi-sha (wáȟpe šá - leaf red), father (1718–1806), son (1768–1855), and grandson (±1816-1876) of the same name.
Wabaunsee CountyKansasNamed for Waubonsie, a Potawatomi chief.
Wadena CountyMinnesotaNamed for the Wadena trading post, named for an Ojibwe chief.
Wagoner CountyOklahomaNamed for Henry "Bigfoot" Wagoner, a Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad dispatcher.
Wahkiakum CountyWashingtonNamed for Chief Wahkiakum ("Tall Timber") of the Chinook.
Wake CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Margaret Wake Tryon, wife of William Tryon, who served as the Colonial Governor of North Carolina and the Colonial Governor of New York.
Wakulla CountyFloridaNamed for the Wakulla River, named for a Muscogee chief.
Waldo CountyMaineNamed for Samuel Waldo, merchant and political figure.
Walker CountyAlabamaNamed for John Williams Walker, U.S. Senator.
Walker CountyGeorgiaNamed for Freeman Walker, politician.
Walker CountyTexasNamed for Samuel Hamilton Walker, soldier.
Walla Walla CountyWashingtonNamed for the Walla Walla (Waluulapam) people.
Wallace CountyKansasNamed for W. H. L. Wallace, Union general in the Civil War.
Waller CountyTexasNamed for Edwin Waller, entrepreneur and town planner.
Wallowa CountyOregonNamed for the Wallowa River, from Nez Perce wil-le-wah, "winding water" or "fishing weir."
Walsh CountyNorth DakotaNamed for George H. Walsh, newspaper editor and politician.
Walthall CountyMississippiNamed for Edward C. Walthall, Confederate general.
Walton CountyFloridaNamed for Colonel George Walton, Jr., secretary of the Florida Territory.
Walton CountyGeorgiaNamed for George Walton, signatory to the Declaration of Independence.
Walworth CountySouth DakotaNamed for Walworth County, Wisconsin.
Walworth CountyWisconsinNamed for Reuben H. Walworth, lawyer, jurist and politician.
Wapello CountyIowaNamed for Wapello, Meskwaki (Fox) chief.
Ward CountyNorth DakotaNamed for Mark Ward, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Counties.
Ward CountyTexasNamed for Thomas W. Ward, soldier and politician.
Ware CountyGeorgiaNamed for Nicholas Ware, politician.
Warren CountyGeorgiaNamed for Joseph Warren, Revolutionary War leader.
Warren CountyIllinois
Warren CountyIndiana
Warren CountyIowa
Warren CountyKentucky
Warren CountyMississippi
Warren CountyMissouri
Warren CountyNew Jersey
Warren CountyNew York
Warren CountyNorth Carolina
Warren CountyOhio
Warren CountyPennsylvania
Warren CountyTennessee
Warren CountyVirginia
Warrick CountyIndianaNamed for Jacob Warrick, a notable soldier of the Battle of Tippecanoe.
Wasatch CountyUtahFrom a Ute word for "mountain pass."
Wasco CountyOregonNamed for the Wasco people.
Waseca CountyMinnesotaNamed for Waseca, Minnesota, from a Dakota word meaning "rich."
Washakie CountyWyomingNamed for Washakie, a Shoshone chief.
Washburn CountyWisconsinNamed for Cadwallader C. Washburn, Governor of Wisconsin.
Washington CountyAlabamaNamed for George Washington, first President of the United States.
Washington CountyArkansas
Washington CountyColorado
Washington CountyFlorida
Washington CountyGeorgia
Washington CountyIdaho
Washington CountyIllinois
Washington CountyIndiana
Washington CountyIowa
Washington CountyKansas
Washington CountyKentucky
Washington CountyMaine
Washington CountyMaryland
Washington CountyMinnesota
Washington CountyMississippi
Washington CountyMissouri
Washington CountyNebraska
Washington CountyNew York
Washington CountyNorth Carolina
Washington CountyOhio
Washington CountyOklahoma
Washington CountyOregon
Washington CountyPennsylvania
Washington CountyRhode Island
Washington CountyTennessee
Washington CountyTexas
Washington CountyUtah
Washington CountyVermont
Washington CountyVirginia
Washington CountyWisconsin
Washington ParishLouisiana
Washita CountyOklahomaNamed for the Washita River, which was mistook by explorers for the Ouachita River, named for the Ouachita people.
Washoe CountyNevadaNamed for the Washoe people.[22]
Washtenaw CountyMichiganFrom O-wash-ta-nong ("far away water"), the Ojibwe name for the Grand River.
Watauga CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for the Watauga River.
Watonwan CountyMinnesotaNamed for the Watonwan River, from Dakota watanwan meaning "fish bait" or "plenty of fish."
Waukesha CountyWisconsinNamed for the city of Waukesha, Wisconsin, from Waagoshag (Wau-tsha), the leader of a local tribe.
Waupaca CountyWisconsinFrom wau-pa-ka-ho-nak, a Menominee word meaning "white sand bottom" or "brave young hero."
Waushara CountyWisconsinFrom a Winnebago term meaning "good earth."
Wayne CountyGeorgiaNamed for Revolutionary War general Anthony Wayne.
Wayne CountyIllinois
Wayne CountyIowa
Wayne CountyKentucky
Wayne CountyMichigan
Wayne CountyMississippi
Wayne CountyMissouri
Wayne CountyNebraska
Wayne CountyNew York
Wayne CountyNorth Carolina
Wayne CountyOhio
Wayne CountyPennsylvania
Wayne CountyTennessee
Wayne CountyUtahNamed for Wayne County, Tennessee.
Wayne CountyWest VirginiaNamed for Revolutionary War general Anthony Wayne.
City of WaynesboroVirginia
Weakley CountyTennesseeNamed for U.S. Representative Robert Weakley.
Webb CountyTexasNamed for James Webb, who served as Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of State, and Attorney General of the Republic of Texas
Weber CountyUtahNamed for the Weber River, which was named for fur trapper John Henry Weber.
Webster CountyGeorgiaNamed for Daniel Webster, politician.
Webster CountyIowa
Webster CountyKentucky
Webster CountyMississippi
Webster CountyMissouri
Webster CountyNebraska
Webster CountyWest Virginia
Webster ParishLouisiana
Weld CountyColoradoNamed for Lewis Ledyard Weld, designer of the Seal of Colorado who died while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War.
Wells CountyIndianaNamed for Captain William A. Wells, a scout for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne.
Wells CountyNorth DakotaNamed for Edward Payson Wells, banker and early promoter of the James River Valley.
West Baton Rouge ParishLouisianaNamed for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which is from French bâton rouge ("red stick"), a translation of Choctaw iti humma, referring to red poles used as boundary markers.
West Carroll ParishLouisianaNamed for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence.
West Feliciana ParishLouisianaOriginally part of Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, from Spanish Feliciana ("happy land") and in honor of Marie Félicité St. Maxent, wife of Bernardo de Gálvez, 1st Viscount of Galveston.
Westchester CountyNew YorkNamed for Chester, England.
Westmoreland CountyPennsylvaniaNamed for Westmorland, England.
Westmoreland CountyVirginia
Weston CountyWyomingNamed for Jefferson B. Weston, geologist and surveyor.
Wetzel CountyWest VirginiaNamed for Lewis Wetzel, frontiersman.
Wexford CountyMichiganNamed for County Wexford, Ireland.
Wharton CountyTexasNamed for William H. Wharton and John Austin Wharton, brothers and Republic of Texas leaders.
Whatcom CountyWashingtonNamed for Whatcom (Xwotʼqom), a Nooksack chief.
Wheatland CountyMontanaNamed for its wheat production.
Wheeler CountyGeorgiaNamed for Joseph Wheeler, Confederate general and, after the Civil War, a U.S. Army general.
Wheeler CountyNebraskaNamed for Daniel H. Wheeler, secretary of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture
Wheeler CountyOregonNamed for Henry H. Wheeler, early settler.
Wheeler CountyTexasNamed for Royall T. Wheeler, judge.
White CountyArkansasNamed for Hugh Lawson White, a Whig candidate for President of the United States.
White CountyGeorgiaNamed for David T. White, local politician.
White CountyIllinoisNamed for Leonard White, politician and soldier.
White CountyIndianaNamed for Isaac White, a soldier who was killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe.
White CountyTennesseeNamed for John White, Revolutionary War soldier and the first white settler in the county.
White Pine CountyNevadaNamed for the Rocky Mountain white pine (limber pine, Pinus flexilis), a common tree in the county.
Whiteside CountyIllinoisNamed for Samuel Whiteside, pioneer.
Whitfield CountyGeorgiaNamed for George Whitefield, Evangelical cleric.
Whitley CountyIndianaNamed for Colonel William Whitley, who was killed in the War of 1812.
Whitley CountyKentuckyNamed for William Whitley, pioneer.
Whitman CountyWashingtonNamed for Marcus Whitman, physician and pioneer.
Wibaux CountyMontanaNamed for Pierre Wibaux, rancher.
Wichita CountyKansasNamed for the Wichita people.
Wichita CountyTexas
Wicomico CountyMarylandNamed for the Wicomico River, from Lenape wicko-mekee, "place where houses are built."
Wilbarger CountyTexasNamed for Josiah Pugh Wilbarger and Mathias Wilbarger, early settler.
Wilcox CountyAlabamaNamed for Joseph M. Wilcox, soldier.
Wilcox CountyGeorgiaNamed for Mark Wilcox, Georgia state legislator and one of the founders of the Georgia Supreme Court.
Wilkes CountyGeorgiaNamed for John Wilkes, British radical, journalist and politician.
Wilkes CountyNorth Carolina
Wilkin CountyMinnesotaNamed for Alexander Wilkin, soldier.
Wilkinson CountyGeorgiaNamed for James Wilkinson, soldier and statesman.
Wilkinson CountyMississippi
Will CountyIllinoisNamed for Dr. Conrad Will, businessman and politician.
Willacy CountyTexasNamed for John G. Willacy, politician.
Williams CountyNorth DakotaNamed for Erastus Appleman Williams, politician.
Williams CountyOhioNamed for David Williams, Revolutionary War soldier.
City of WilliamsburgVirginiaNamed for King William III of England.
Williamsburg CountySouth Carolina
Williamson CountyIllinoisNamed for Williamson County, Tennessee, from which the first white settlers came.
Williamson CountyTennesseeNamed for U.S. Representative Hugh Williamson.
Williamson CountyTexasNamed for Robert McAlpin Williamson, Texas Ranger and judge.
Wilson CountyKansasNamed for Hiero Tennant Wilson, merchant.
Wilson CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Louis Dicken Wilson, U.S. Army general.
Wilson CountyTennesseeNamed for David Wilson, a member of the legislatures of North Carolina and the Southwest Territory.
Wilson CountyTexasNamed for James Charles Wilson, early settler.
City of WinchesterVirginiaNamed for Winchester, England, birthplace of Colonel James Wood, who laid out the community's original plan and served as the first court clerk
Windham CountyConnecticutNamed for the town of Windham, Connecticut, which itself is named after the village of Windham (now Wineham), Sussex.
Windham CountyVermontNamed for Windham, Vermont, named in turn for Windham, Connecticut, which was named for Wineham (Wyndham), Sussex, England (from Old English Winda-hamm, "Winda's water meadow").
Windsor CountyVermontNamed for Windsor, Vermont, named in turn for Windsor, Connecticut, which was named for Windsor, Berkshire, England (from Old English Windles-ore, "winch by the riverside").
Winkler CountyTexasNamed for Clinton McKamy Winkler, Confederate colonel.
Winn ParishLouisianaNamed for Walter Winn, state legislator.
Winnebago CountyIllinoisNamed for the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) people.
Winnebago CountyIowa
Winnebago CountyWisconsin
Winneshiek CountyIowaNamed for Winneshiek, a Ho-Chunk chief.[23]
Winona CountyMinnesotaNamed for Winona, legendary Dakota woman.
Winston CountyAlabamaNamed for John A. Winston, 15th Governor of Alabama.
Winston CountyMississippiNamed for Louis Winston, militia colonel and judge.
Wirt CountyWest VirginiaNamed for William Wirt, U.S. Attorney General.
Wise CountyTexasNamed for Henry A. Wise, Confederate general and later politician.
Wise CountyVirginia
Wolfe CountyKentuckyNamed for Nathaneal Wolfe, a member of the legislative assembly.
Wood CountyOhioNamed for Eleazer D. Wood, soldier.
Wood CountyTexasNamed for George Tyler Wood, second Governor of Texas.
Wood CountyWest VirginiaNamed for James Wood, 11th Governor of Virginia.
Wood CountyWisconsinNamed for Joseph Wood, pioneer and politician.
Woodbury CountyIowaNamed for Levi Woodbury, judge and politician.
Woodford CountyIllinoisNamed for Woodford County, Kentucky, home of many of the first pioneers.
Woodford CountyKentuckyNamed for William Woodford, Revolutionary War general.
Woodruff CountyArkansasNamed for William E. Woodruff, publisher and politician.
Woods CountyOklahomaNamed for Samuel Newitt Wood, attorney, politician, and Free State advocate.
Woodson CountyKansasNamed for Daniel Woodson, Acting Territorial Governor of Kansas.
Woodward CountyOklahomaNamed for either Brinton W. Woodward, a Santa Fe Railway director, or bison hunter, teamster, and eventually local saddle-maker Richard "Uncle Dick" Woodward.
Worcester CountyMarylandNamed for Mary Arundell, the wife of Sir John Somerset, a son of Henry Somerset, 1st Marquess of Worcester.
Worcester CountyMassachusettsNamed for Worcester, England.
Worth CountyGeorgiaNamed for Major General William J. Worth.
Worth CountyIowa
Worth CountyMissouri
Wright CountyIowaNamed for Silas Wright, attorney and politician.
Wright CountyMinnesota
Wright CountyMissouri
Wyandot CountyOhioNamed for the Wyandot (Huron) people.
Wyandotte CountyKansas
Wyoming CountyNew YorkFrom a Lenape word meaning "broad bottom lands".
Wyoming CountyPennsylvaniaNamed for the Wyoming Valley.
Wyoming CountyWest VirginiaFrom a Lenape word meaning "broad bottom lands".
Wythe CountyVirginiaNamed for George Wythe, judge.

Y

County nameStateOrigin
Yadkin CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for the Yadkin River which is derived from Yattken, or Yattkin, a Siouan Indian. The meaning of the word is unknown but it may mean "big tree" or "place of big trees" in Siouan language.
Yakima CountyWashingtonNamed after the Yakama tribe of Native Americans.
Yakutat City and BoroughAlaskaFrom the Tlingit name Yaakwdáat, meaning "the place where canoes rest", although it may originally derive from an Eyak name which has been lost.
Yalobusha CountyMississippiYalobusha is a Native American word meaning "tadpole place".
Yamhill CountyOregonOrigin of name uncertain, but probably from an explorer's name for a local Native American tribe, the Yamhill, who are part of the North Kalapuyan family.
Yancey CountyNorth CarolinaNamed in honor of Bartlett Yancey, U.S. Congressman (1813–1817) and speaker of the N.C. Senate (1817–1827).
Yankton CountySouth DakotaNamed for the Yankton tribe of Nakota (Sioux) Native Americans.
Yates CountyNew YorkYates County is named in honor of Joseph C. Yates, seventh governor of New York (1823–1824).
Yavapai CountyArizonaNamed after the Yavapai people, who were the main inhabitants of the area at the time of annexation by the United States.
Yazoo CountyMississippiNamed for the Yazoo River.
Yell CountyArkansasNamed after Archibald Yell, the state's first member of the United States House of Representatives and the second governor of Arkansas; he later fell in combat at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican–American War.
Yellow Medicine CountyMinnesotaThe name is based on an Indian name for the bitter root of the Moonseed plant, which they used for medicinal purposes.
Yellowstone CountyMontanaNamed for the Yellowstone River which roughly bisects the county from southwest to northeast.[24]
Yoakum CountyTexasNamed for Henderson King Yoakum, a Texas historian.
Yolo CountyCaliforniaYolo is a Native American name variously believed to be a corruption of a tribal name Yo-loy meaning "a place abounding in rushes" or of the name of the chief Yodo or of the village of Yodoi.
York CountyMaineIn 1664, what had been the Province of Maine was given a grant by Charles II of England to James, Duke of York. Under the terms of this patent the territory was incorporated into Cornwall County, part of the Province of New York. The patent to James for this territory was renewed in 1674 and survives in York County.
York CountyNebraskaEither named after the city of York in England or for York County in Pennsylvania.[25]
York CountyPennsylvaniaNamed either for the Duke of York, an early patron of the Penn family, or for the city and shire of York in England.
York CountySouth CarolinaNamed for Yorkshire, England.
York CountyVirginiaNamed for the city of York in Northern England.
Young CountyTexasThe county is named for William Cocke Young, an early Texas settler and soldier.[26]
Yuba CountyCaliforniaNamed after the Yuba River for the Native American village Yubu, Yupu or Juba near the confluence of the Yuba and Feather rivers, or for the quantities of wild grapes (uvas silvestres in Spanish) growing on its banks.
Yukon-Koyukuk Census AreaAlaskaThe Yukon River and one of its major tributaries, the Koyukuk River, whose respective drainages comprise the vast majority of the census area's land mass.
Yuma CountyArizonaNamed for the Quechan (Yuma) indigenous people.
Yuma CountyColoradoYuma County is named for the town of Yuma, Colorado, which itself was supposedly named for a Quechan railroad worker (or a man named "Yuma") who died near the town while building a line for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.

Z

County nameStateOrigin
Zapata CountyTexasNamed after Colonel Jose Antonio de Zapata, a rancher who rebelled against Mexico in 1839.[27]
Zavala CountyTexasNamed after Lorenzo de Zavala, Mexican politician and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence.[28]
Ziebach CountySouth DakotaNamed after local leader Frank M. Ziebach.

References

  1. Jack Martin and Margaret McKane Mauldin, A Dictionary of Creek/Muskogee (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000), s.vv. "Tvlvtēke", "Talladega."
  2. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hct01
  3. Idaho.gov - Teton County Archived 2009-08-15 at the Wayback Machine accessed 2010-05-24
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2010-03-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Accessed 2010-05-24.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-03-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Accessed 2010-05-24.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-03-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Accessed 2010-05-24.
  7. "North Dakota government county history page". Archived from the original on 2015-02-02. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
  8. http://www.ksgenweb.org/trego/Captain-Trego.htm
  9. Elkins, Winston (1985). Trempealeau and the Mississippi River Dam. Trempealeau County, Wisconsin: Trempealeau County Historical Society, p.1
  10. Tregear, E. (1891). The Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary. Netherlands: Lyon and Blair.
  11. Pratt, G. (1862). Samoan Dictionary: English and Samoan, and Samoan and English, with a Short Grammar of the Samoan Dialect. American Samoa: London Missionary Society's Press.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-02-20. Retrieved 2010-03-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) West Virginia Division of Culture and History – Tucker County History web page, accessed 2010-05-24
  13. "Union County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. Archived from the original on October 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  14. Deumling, Dietrich (May 1972). The roles of the railroad in the development of the Grande Ronde Valley (masters thesis). Flagstaff, Arizona: Northern Arizona University. OCLC 4383986.
  15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-03-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Retrieved on March 14, 2008.
  16. "Van Wert County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. Archived from the original on December 3, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  17. History of Van Zandt County (Van Zandt County History Book Committee. Dallas, Texas: 1984)
  18. Donehoo, George (1995). "French Creek". Indian Villages and Place Names in Pennsylvania. Gateway Press. Retrieved 24 Jan 2007.
  19. "Vilas County History". Archived from the original on 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  20. "Vinton County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  21. "History of Washoe County" (PDF). Wilbur D. May Center.
  22. "About Winneshiek County". Winneshiek County. Retrieved 2020-08-22.
  23. "Montana Digital Atlas – Montana Natural Resources Information System". Montana State Library, State of Montana. Archived from the original on 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  24. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-08-19. Retrieved 2010-03-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Retrieved on March 15, 2008.
  25. "Young, William Cocke". The Handbook of Texas Online. The Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  26. "Handbook of Texas Online: Zapata County". University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 2007-10-17.
  27. "Handbook of Texas Online: Zavala County". University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 2007-10-17.

See also

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