List of Place Names in New England of Aboriginal Origin - Connecticut

Connecticut

Common dialects of the Algonquian languages: Hammonasset, Mahican, Montauk, Niantic, Paugussett, Pequot-Mohegan, Podunk, Poquonock, Quinnipiac, Tunxi, Wangunk

  • Connecticut, the state, and river: (in several dialects) "place of the long river" or "by the long tidal stream"
    • Aspetuck River (and town): (Paugussett) "at the high place"
    • Cockenoe Island: (Montauk) from the name of a 17th-century native interpreter
    • Coginchaug River: (Wangunk) "place where fish are dried/cured"
    • Congamuck Ponds (on MA border Congamond Lake): (Nipmuck) "long fishing place"
    • Cos Cob: (Mohegan from Cassacubque) "high rocks"
    • Hammonassett Point: (Hammonassett) "place of sand bars"
    • Hockanum River (and community): (Podunk) "hook"
    • Housatonic River: (Mahican) "beyond the mountain"
    • Mashapaug Pond: (Nipmuck) "large pond"
    • Massapeag: (Mohegan) "place at the large cove"
    • Mianus River (and town): (Paugussett) a 17th-century chief's name – "Mianu/Mayanno's"
    • Mohawk Mountain: eastern Iroquois tribe; Algonquian term for their western enemies – "wolves," "hungry animals," or "cannibals"
    • Mohegan: tribe; "hungry animal" or "wolf"
    • Moodus River (also reservoir, and village): (Wangunk) from "mache moodus" or "bad noises" (the Moodus noises)
    • Moosup: (Narragansett) a chief named "Mausup"
    • Mystic River (and town): (Pequot-Mohegan) "great tidal river"
    • Naugatuck River (and town): (Quinnipiac) "single tree"
    • Natchaug River: (Nipmuck) "between rivers"
    • Nepaug Reservoir: (Wangunk) "fresh pond"
    • Niantic River (and town): tribe; "point of land on tidal river"
    • Norwalk River (and city): (Algonquian) noyank or "point of land" or from the name Naramauke
    • Oronoque: (Quinnipiac) "curved place" or "land at the bend"
    • Pachaug River (and pond): (Narragansett} "at the turning place"
    • Pataguanset Lake: (Niantic) "at the round, shallow place"
    • Pawcatuck River (RI border): (Niantic/Pequot) "the clear divided (tidal) stream"
    • Pequabuck: (Wangunk) "clear, open pond"
    • Pistapaug Pond: (Quinnipiac) "muddy pond"
    • Pocotopaug Lake: (Wangunk) "divided pond" or "two ponds"
    • Poquetanuck: (Mohegan) "land broken up" (like dried mud cracking)
    • Poquonock Bridge and river: (Algonquian – several) "cleared land"
    • Quaddick Reservoir: (Nipmuck) "bend in river" or (Narragansett) "boggy place"
    • Lake Quassapaug: (Quinnipiac) "big pond" or "big rock"
    • Quinebaug River (and town): (Nipmuck) "long pond"
    • Quinnipiac River: (Quinnipiac) "where we change our route"
    • Lake Quonnipaug: (Quinnipiac) "long pond"
    • Sachem Head: (Algonquian/general) "chief"
    • Saugatuck River: (Paugussett) "outlet of the tidal river"
    • Scitico: (Nipmuck) "land at the river branch"
    • Shenipsit Lake: (Mohegan) "at the great pool"
    • Shepaug River: (Tunxis) "great pond"
    • Shetucket River: (Mohegan) "land between rivers"
    • Shunock River: ((Mohegan) "stony place" or possibly "place between streams"
    • Skungamug River: (Nipmuck) "eel-fishing place"
    • Taconic: (Mahican) "steep ascent"
    • Uncasville: (Mohegan) 17th-century chief's name (wonkus – "fox")
    • Wangum Lake: (Paugussett) "bend/crooked"
    • Wangumbaug Lake: (Nipmuck) "crooked pond"
    • Wangumgaug Lake: "crooked pond"
    • Lake Waramaug: (Mahican) "good fishing-place"
    • Willimantic River (and town): (Mohegan or Nipmuck) "good cedar swamp"
    • Winnepauk: (Mahican) "beautiful pond"
    • Wononpacook Pond: (Mahican) "land at the bend in the pond"
    • Wononskopomuc Lake: (Mahican) "rocks at the bend in the lake"
    • Wopowaug River: ((Wangunk) "crossing-place"
    • Wopowog: (Wangunk) "crossing-place"
    • Wyassup Lake: (Mohegan) "flags" or "rushes"
    • Yantic River (and town): (Mohegan) "as far as the tide goes up this side of the river"
  • Former names:
    • Mameeg or Nameeg: (Pequot-Mohegan) "fishing place" New London
    • Miamogue: (Paugussett) "where we come together to fish" Bridgeport (harbor)
    • Nawaas: general name for Connecticut

Read more about this topic:  List Of Place Names In New England Of Aboriginal Origin