List of Oklahoma placenames of Native American origin explained
This is a list of Native American place names in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Oklahoma has a long history of Native American settlement and reservations. From 1834 to 1907, prior to Oklahoma's statehood, the territory was set aside by the US government and designated as Indian Territory, and today 6% of the population identifies as Native American. Many of the Indians who were forced to migrate during the Trail of Tears were forcibly relocated to Oklahoma.
Lists
State
- Oklahoma – invented by Chief Allen Wright as a rough translation of "Indian Territory"; in Choctaw, okla means "people", "tribe", or "nation", and homa- means "red", thus: "Red people".[1]
Counties
Settlements
- Agawam, Oklahoma
- Ahpeatone, Oklahoma
- Anadarko – Caddo language – Derived from Nadá-kuh, means "bumblebee place."
- Apache, Oklahoma
- Arapaho, Oklahoma
- Bokchito – Choctaw language – "Big creek"
- Bokoshe – Choctaw language – "little creek"
- Camargo – Cheyenne language – "little dog"
- Catoosa – Cherokee language – phonetically pronounced "Ga-du-si" or "Ga-tu-si". Various interpretations of this word exist, including: "between two hills", "on the hill", "into the hills", and possibly signifying a prominent hill or place thereon.
- Cayuga, Oklahoma
- Chattanooga, Oklahoma
- Checotah, Oklahoma
- Cheyenne, Oklahoma
- Chickasha – Choctaw language – Chickasaw Indian tribe
- Chilocco, Oklahoma
- Coweta, Oklahoma
- Etowah, Oklahoma
- Eucha – Cherokee language – named for Principal Chief Oochalata
- Eufaula – Creek language – from the Eufaula tribe, part of the Muscogee Creek Confederacy
- Gotebo – Kiowa language – named for Kiowa Gotebo (Qodebohon)
- Harjo, Oklahoma
- Hitchita, Oklahoma
- Hochatown, Oklahoma
- Honobia, Oklahoma
- Inola – Cherokee language – "black fox"
- Kaw City, Oklahoma
- Keokuk Falls, Oklahoma
- Keota – Choctaw language – "the fire gone out"
- Kinta – Choctaw language – "beaver"
- Konawa, Oklahoma – Seminole language – "string of beads"
- Kosoma, Oklahoma
- Lenapah, Oklahoma
- Manitou, Oklahoma
- Maramec, Oklahoma
- Miami, Oklahoma
- Minco, Oklahoma
- Nashoba, Oklahoma
- Neodesha – Osage language – Derived from ni-o-sho-de "The water is smoky with mud"
- Nescatunga, Oklahoma
- New Alluwe, Oklahoma
- Ninnekah, Oklahoma
- Nuyaka, Oklahoma – Creek language – Derived from "New York"
- Oochelata – Cherokee language – named for Principal Chief Oochalata
- Okemah – Kickapoo language – "Things up high"
- Okesa, Oklahoma
- Oktaha, Oklahoma
- Olustee – Creek language – "black water"
- Oologah – Cherokee language – "Dark Cloud"
- Owasso – Osage language – "End of the trail" or "turnaround"
- Pawhuska – Osage language – "White hair"
- Pawnee, Oklahoma
- Pensacola, Oklahoma
- Peoria, Oklahoma
- Pocasset, Oklahoma
- Pocola – Choctaw language – "ten"
- Ponca City, Oklahoma
- Pontotoc, Oklahoma
- Quapaw, Oklahoma
- Sapulpa, Oklahoma
- Sasakwa – Seminole language – "wild goose"
- Shawnee, Oklahoma
- Skedee, Oklahoma
- Skiatook, Oklahoma
- Skullyville – Choctaw language – derivation from iskuli – "money"
- Tahlequah – Cherokee language – "Open place where the grass grows"
- Talala, Oklahoma
- Talihina – Choctaw language – "iron road" (railroad)
- Tamaha – Choctaw language – "town"
- Taloga – Creek language – "beautiful valley" or "rocking water"
- Tamaha, Oklahoma
- Tecumseh, Oklahoma
- Tishomingo, Oklahoma
- Tonkawa, Oklahoma
- Tullahassee, Oklahoma
- Tupelo, Oklahoma
- Tushka – Choctaw language – "warrior"
- Tuskahoma – Choctaw language – "red warrior"
- Wakita, Oklahoma
- Wapanucka – Lenape language – "Eastern land people"
- Washita, Oklahoma
- Washunga, Oklahoma
- Watonga – Arapaho language – "black coyote"
- Watova, Oklahoma
- Waurika, Oklahoma
- Waynoka, Oklahoma
- Weleetka – Creek language – "Running water"
- Wetumka – Creek language – "Tumbling water"
- Wewoka – Seminole language – "Barking water"
- Wichita Mountains
- Wyandotte, Oklahoma
- Yahola, Oklahoma
Other
See also
References
Sources
- Bright, William (2004). Native American Placenames of the United States. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. .
- Book: Campbell, Lyle . Lyle Campbell . 1997 . American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America . Oxford University Press . 0195094271.
Notes and References
- Web site: Halito Okla Homma! (Chahta Anumpa – Choctaw Language) . 2007-01-24 . Bruce, Benjamin . 2003 . Hello Oklahoma! . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070316025103/http://hello-oklahoma.benjaminbruce.us/choctaw.htm . 2007-03-16 .
