From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Map of
Ohio
counties .
This list of Ohio county name etymologies lists the 88
counties of the
U.S. state of
Ohio , with the date of their creation (in parenthesis) and the
etymology of their names. Because many are derived from
American Indian names and words, there are disagreements as to the true etymology.
Adams County (
July 10 ,
1797 ):
For President
John Adams
[1]
For President
John Quincy Adams (clearly wrong)
[2]
Allen County (1820):
For
Ethan Allen of the
Green Mountain Boys during the
American Revolutionary War
For Colonel
John Allen , a soldier in the
War of 1812
[1]
[3]
Ashland County (1846):
For the home of Senator
Henry Clay of
Kentucky near
Lexington
[2]
[1]
Ashtabula County (1807):
For the
Ashtabula River , Ashtabula being an Indian word for "fish river"
[3]
For the
Algonquian word for either "river of many fish" or "there are always enough moving"
[2]
For the Indian word meaning "fish"
[1]
For the Indian word meaning "halfway place"
[4]
For the Indian word meaning "river of many fish"
[5]
For the Indian word meaning "there-are-always-enough moving"
[6]
Athens County (1805):
For
Athens ,
Greece , as the state university was there
[2]
[1]
Auglaize County (1848):
For the
Auglaize River , "auglaize" being a corruption of the French "eau glaise" or muddy water.
For the
Auglaize River , "auglaize" being an Indian word for "fallen timbers". At the confluence of the Auglaize and
Maumee rivers was fought the
Battle of Fallen Timbers .
[1]
For the Indian word for "overgrown with brush"
[4]
For the Indian word for "at the lick"
[7]
Belmont County (
September 7 ,
1801 ):
For the
French for "beautiful mountain" for the scenery there.
For the
French for "a fine mountain"
[3]
Brown County (1818):
For Major General
Jacob Brown , an officer in the
War of 1812 who was wounded at the
Battle of Lundy's Lane .
[1]
Butler County (1803):
For General
Richard Butler , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War who was killed by the Indians in 1790.
[1]
[2]
Carroll County (1833):
For
Charles Carroll of Carrollton , the last surving signer of the
Declaration of Independence
[1]
[2]
Champaign County (1805):
For the
French for "plain" as the land there was very flat.
[1]
Clark County (1818):
For General
George Rogers Clark , who served in the
Northwest Indian War , but is mainly famous for the conquest of the
Illinois Territory in 1778 and 1779.
[2]
[1]
Clermont County (
December 6 ,
1800 ):
For the province of
Clermont in
France
[3]
For the
French for "clear mountain" despite the absence of mountains there
[2]
For Clermont, or Clear Mountain, France
[1]
Clinton County (1810):
For
Vice President of the United States
George Clinton
[2]
[1]
Columbiana County (1803):
For
Christopher Columbus
[2]
[1]
Howe states "Kilbourn, in his 'Gazeteer,' says: 'Columbiana is a fancy name, taken from the names Columbus and Anna'"
Coshocton County (1810):
For the
Delaware Indian word meaning "union of waters"
For the Delaware Indian word meaning "black bear town" (cush-og-wenk) or "union of waters" ("coshoc-gung")
[2]
For the Delaware Indian word meaning "black bear town"
[1]
For the Indian word for either "habitation of owls," "union of waters," or "finished small harbor"
[4]
For the Indian word for "where there is a river crossing"
[7]
For the Indian word for "river crossing" or "ferry"
[6]
For the Indian village "Goshachgunk"
[3]
Crawford County (1820):
For
United States Secretary of the Treasury
William Crawford
For Colonel
William Crawford , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War burned at the stake by Indians--this seems more likely
[1]
[3]
Cuyahoga County (1807):
For the
Cuyahoga River , it being an Indian word meaning "crooked"
[1]
[3]
For the Indian word for either "crooked", "lake river", or "news carrier"
[4]
For the Indian word for "the important river"
[6]
Darke County (1809):
For General
William Darke , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War
Defiance County (1845):
For
Fort Defiance , so named by General "Mad"
Anthony Wayne because it was near the site of
St. Clair's Defeat , the worst defeat ever suffered by the U.S. Army against the Indians, was fought and Wayne wanted to show resolve and dared or "defied" them to attack again.)
Delaware County (1808):
For the
Delaware Indians , who took their name from the proprietors of the state of
Delaware , the Lords De La Warr.
For the Delaware Indians, who took their name from
Delaware Bay
[8]
Erie County (1838):
For the
Erie Indians , whose name was their word for "cat", there being many wildcats in the area.
For the Erie Indians, whose name was their word for "cat", but who lived in
New York State
[2]
For the Indian word for "lake of the cat"
[8]
For the Indian word for "wildcat"
[4]
For the Indian word for "cat"
[9]
For the Indian word for "the Cat nation"
[6]
Fairfield County (
December 9 ,
1800 ):
For the country there.
Fayette County (1810):
For the
Marquis de Lafayette , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War
Franklin County (1803):
For
Benjamin Franklin
Fulton County (1850):
For steamboat pioneer
Robert Fulton
Gallia County (1803):
For the
Latin word for
France , as French settlers lived there
Geauga County (1806):
For the Indian word meaning "
raccoon "
[1]
For the Indian word meaning "raccoon river" or "dogs around the fire"
[4]
Greene County (1803):
For General
Nathaniel Greene , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War
Guernsey County (1810):
For the island of
Guernsey in the
Channel Islands
Hamilton County (
January 2 ,
1790 ):
For
United States Secretary of the Treasury
Alexander Hamilton
Hancock County (1820):
For
John Hancock , first signer of the
Declaration of Independence
Hardin County (1820):
For General
John Hardin , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War , killed in Ohio in 1792 during the
Northwest Indian War
Harrison County (1813):
For General
William Henry Harrison , an officer in the
War of 1812 and later
President of the United States
Henry County (1820):
For
Virginia legislator
Patrick Henry
Highland County (1805):
For the hilly country there
For the ridge there that divided the
Little Miami River and
Scioto River 's watersheds
[1]
[3]
Hocking County (1818):
For the
Hocking River
For the
Delaware Indian word for "gourd" or "bottle"
[2]
[1]
For the Indian word for "high up there is land"
[10]
For the Indian word for "above-there-is-arable-land"
[6]
For the Delaware Indian word "Hock-hock-ing," meaning "bottle" of the
Shawnee Indian word "wea-tha-kagh-qua-sepe" meaning "bottle river"
[3]
Holmes County (1824):
For Major
Andrew Holmes , an officer in the
War of 1812 killed at
Mackinac Island ,
Michigan
Huron County (1809):
For the
Huron Indians
For the Huron Indians, whose name is
French for a kind of
peasant
[8]
For the Indian word for "wild
boar "
[4]
For the Indian word for "a rough person"
[10]
For the Indian word for "because of the straight locks, like bristles of a wild boar"
[9]
For the name the
French explorers gave to the
Wyandot Indians
[3]
Jackson County (1816):
For General
Andrew Jackson , an officer in the
War of 1812 and later
President of the United States
Jefferson County (
July 29 ,
1797 ):
For
Vice President of the United States (and later
President )
Thomas Jefferson
Knox County (1808):
For General
Henry Knox , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War and later first
Secretary of War
Lake County (1840):
For its position on
Lake Erie
Lawrence County (1815):
For Captain
James Lawrence , a Naval officer in the
War of 1812 famous for his remark "Don't give up the ship!"
Licking County (1808):
For
salt licks in the area
Logan County (1818):
For General
Benjamin Logan , who fought Indians there
Lorain County (1822):
For the province of
Lorraine in
France
Lucas County (1835):
For
Governor
Robert Lucas , who called out the militia to defend the area from
Michigan , which claimed it as its own.
Madison County (1810):
For
James Madison , who was
President of the United States at the time.
Mahoning County (1846):
For an Indian word for "at the salt licks"
For an Indian word for "salt licks"
[1]
Howe states: "It derived its name from Mahoning river. The name Mahoning is, according to Heckwelder, derived from either the Indian word Mahoni , signifying "a lick," or Mahonink , "at the lick".
Marion County (1820):
For the "Swamp Fox", General
Francis Marion , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War
Medina County (1812):
For
Medina, Saudia Arabia
Meigs County (1819):
For
Governor
Return J. Meigs, Jr. , who was
Postmaster General when the county was erected
Mercer County (1820):
For General
Hugh Mercer , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War who died at the
Battle of Princeton
[2]
Miami County (1807):
For the
Ottawa Indian word meaning "mother"
For the Indian word meaning "very large"
[8]
For the Indian word meaning "people on the peninsula"
[9]
For the Indian word meaning "very large" or "downstream"
[6]
Monroe County (1813):
For
United States Secretary of State
James Monroe , who was later
President of the United States
Montgomery County (
May 1 ,
1803 ):
For General
Richard Montgomery , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War who led the army that captured
Montreal
Morgan County (1817):
For General
Daniel Morgan , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War
Morrow County (1848):
Governor
Jeremiah Morrow
Muskingum County (1803):
For the Indian word meaning "by the river side"
For the Indian word meaning "moose-eye river"
[4]
Howe writes: "The word Muskingum, said Kilbourne's Gazetteer , 'is said to signify in the old Indian language an elk's eye , or the glare of an elk's eye .' Col. John Johnston stated that 'Muskingum is a
Delaware word and means a town on the river side. The
Shawanese call it Wa-ka-tamo sepe , which has the same signification."
Noble County (1851):
For James Noble, an early settler there.
For James Noble and Warren P. Noble, early settlers there
[2]
For Warren P. Noble, chairman of the
Ohio General Assembly 's committee on new counties
[1]
For James Noble, the first settler near
Sarahsville, Ohio
[3]
Ottawa County (1840):
For an Indian word meaning "trader" (Rydjord)
For the
Ottawa Indians , who lived there
[2]
For an Indian word meaning "trader", citing
H. H. Bancroft
[3]
Paulding County (1820):
For
John Paulding , a captor of
spy
John André in the
American Revolutionary War
Perry County (1818):
For
Oliver Hazard Perry , hero of the
War of 1812
Battle of Put-in-Bay . says "Commodore Perry", which is Oliver's brother.)
Pickaway County (1810):
For variation on the same Indian word that
Piqua, Ohio is named for.
For the
Piqua Indians who lived there
[2]
For a variant spelling of Piqua, the Indian's capital
[1]
For the Indian word for "ashes"
[4]
Pike County (1815):
For General
Zebulon Pike , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War and an explorer of the American West. (could not have been an officer in Revolution--was 4 yrs. old when it ended)
Portage County (1807):
For the
portage between the
Cuyahoga and the
Tuscarawas River Rivers
For the
portage between the
Cuyahoga and
Mahoning Rivers
[2]
Preble County (1808):
For Captain
Edward Preble , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War and in the war against the
Barbary Pirates .
Putnam County (1820):
For General
Israel Putnam , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War .
[3]
For
Rufus Putnam , a soldier in the
French and Indian War and the
American Revolutionary War
[1]
Richland County (1808):
For the fertile soil there
Ross County (
August 20 ,
1798 ):
For Senator
James Ross of
Pennsylvania , a
Federalist .
Sandusky County (1820):
For the Indian word meaning "cold water"
For the
Iroquois word "Sandoos-tie", meaning "cold water"
[2]
For the Indian word meaning "at the cold water"
[1]
For the Indian word meaning "there is pure water here"
[4]
Scioto County (1803):
For the
Scioto River
For the Indian word meaning "deer"
[1]
For the Indian word meaning "great legs"
[4]
For the Indian word meaning "good hunting"
[7]
For the
Wyandot Indian word meaning "deer"
[2]
For the Wyandot Indian word Sci-on-to , whose meaning is unknown
[3]
Seneca County (1820):
For the
Seneca Indians , who had a reservation here
[3]
For
Seneca County, New York
[2]
For the Seneca Indians, whose name is from the
Dutch "sinnekaas"
[4]
For the Indian word, transliterated into English in the form of the name of the Roman writer
Seneca
[6]
Shelby County (1819):
For General
Isaac Shelby , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War and later
Governor of
Kentucky .
For
Shelby County, Kentucky
[2]
Stark County (1808):
For General
John Stark , an officer in the
American Revolutionary War .
Summit County (1840):
For the highest point on the
Ohio and Erie Canal which was located there.
Trumbull County (
July 10 ,
1800 ):
For Governor
Jonathan Trumbull of
Connecticut . (This was in the
Western Reserve , which was once part of Connecticut.)
Tuscarawas County (1808):
For the
Tuscarawas River , supposedly an Indian word meaning "open mouth".
[3]
For the Indian word meaning "old town" or "open mouth"
[4]
Union County (1820):
For its formation from the union of parts of four counties,
Delaware ,
Franklin ,
Madison , and
Logan
[3]
Van Wert County (1820):
For
Isaac Van Wart , one of the captors of
spy
John André in the
American Revolutionary War --the spelling was changed for the county name
[3]
Vinton County (1850):
For Congressman
Samuel Finley Vinton , who also ran for
Governor of Ohio as a
Whig .
Warren County (
May 1 ,
1803 ):
For General
Joseph Warren , a hero of the
American Revolutionary War who was killed at the
Battle of Bunker Hill .
For
Warren County, Pennsylvania .
[2]
Washington County (
July 27 ,
1788 ):
For General
George Washington
Wayne County (
August 15 ,
1796 ):
For General "Mad"
Anthony Wayne
Williams County (1820):
For
David Williams , one of the captors of
spy
John André in the
American Revolutionary War
Wood County (1820):
For Captain
Eleazer D. Wood , the engineer for General
William Henry Harrison 's army who built
Fort Meigs
Wyandot County (1845):
For the
Wyandot Indians, who lived in the area. "Wyandot" supposedly means "around the plains" in their language.
[1]
For the Indian word meaning "calf of the leg" or "
tobacco tribe"
[9]
For the Indian word meaning "dwellers on a peninsula"
[9]
Below are categorized the names of counties by their sources. Each county is counted only one in the main entries. Those listed under "plus" appeared in previous categories, e.g. "Washington" is counted under Presidents of the United States, but also listed under Revolutionary War figures for completeness.
Of Ohio's 88 counties:
Count
Named for
Counties
Primary
Plus
7
Presidents
Adams ,
Harrison ,
Jackson ,
Jefferson ,
Madison ,
Monroe , and
Washington
1
Vice President
Clinton
Adams and
Jefferson
3
Governors of Ohio
Lucas ,
Meigs , and
Morrow
1
Governor of another state
Trumbull
Clinton ,
Henry ,
Jefferson ,
Monroe ,
Shelby
2
a member of Congress
Ross and
Vinton
Carroll ,
Harrison ,
Jackson ,
Madison ,
Monroe
1
cabinet member
Hamilton
Jefferson ,
Knox ,
Madison ,
Meigs ,
Monroe
20
American Revolutionary War : soldiers and officers
Allen ,
Butler ,
Clark ,
Darke ,
Fayette ,
Greene ,
Knox ,
Logan ,
Marion ,
Mercer ,
Montgomery ,
Morgan ,
Paulding ,
Preble ,
Putnam ,
Shelby ,
Stark ,
Van Wert ,
Warren , and
Williams
Monroe ,
Washington
4
American Revolutionary War : figures who did not fight
Carroll ,
Franklin ,
Henry ,
Hancock
3
Indian fighters:
Crawford ,
Hardin and
Wayne
Clark ,
Logan
6
officers and soldiers in the
War of 1812
Brown ,
Holmes ,
Lawrence ,
Perry ,
Pike ,
Wood
Harrison and
Jackson
6
places elsewhere
Ashland ,
Athens ,
Clermont ,
Gallia ,
Guernsey ,
Lorain , and
Medina
8
geographic features
Belmont ,
Champaign ,
Fairfield ,
Highland ,
Lake ,
Portage ,
Richland ,
Summit
1
U.S. Army fort
Defiance
1
explorer
Columbiana
Pike
1
inventor
Fulton
1
circumstances of its creation
Union
1
early settler
Noble
1
naval officer
Preble
Perry
19
Indian words
Ashtabula ,
Auglaize ,
Coshocton ,
Cuyahoga ,
Delaware ,
Erie ,
Geauga ,
Hocking ,
Huron ,
Mahoning ,
Miami ,
Muskingum ,
Ottawa ,
Pickaway ,
Sandusky ,
Scioto ,
Seneca ,
Tuscarawas , and
Wyandot
In general, the Ohio Official Roster is the primary source for this list. Where other sources give different derivations, they are noted.
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O'Bryant, Michael (ed.), ed. (1996). The Ohio Almanac : an encyclopedia of indispensable information about the Buckeye universe (2nd edition ed.).
Wilmington, Ohio : Orange Frazer Press.
ISBN
1882203100 . ;
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The Encyclopedia of Ohio (2nd edition ed.).
New York, NY : Somerset Publishers. 1994.
ISBN
0403099633 .
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Howe, Henry (1904). Historical Collections of Ohio .
Cincinnati, Ohio : C.J. Krehbiel for the State of Ohio.
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Garnett, Henry (1947). American Names .
Washington, D.C. : Public Affairs Press.
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Lindsay, David (1955). Ohio Western Reserve : The Story of its Place Names .
Cleveland, Ohio :
Western Reserve University .
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Stewart, George R. (1970). American place-names; a concise and selective dictionary for the continental United States of America .
New York :
Oxford University Press .
OCLC
95369 .
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Overman, William D. (1951). Ohio Place Names .
Akron, Ohio : Atlantic Press.
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Stewart, George R. (1945). Names on the Land .
New York :
Random House .
OCLC
419734 .
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Rydjord, John (1968). Indian Place Names .
Norman, Oklahoma :
University of Oklahoma Press.
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Overman, William D. (1951). Ohio Town Names .
Akron, Ohio : Atlantic Press.