St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-08
State Names and Their Meaning.

Maine takes its name from the Prov
ince of Main. in France, and was so
called as compliment to the queen of
Charles l., Henrietta, who was its
owner.
New Hampshire took its name from
Hampshire, Eng. New Hampshire was
originally called Laconia.
Vermont is French (Verd Mont, Sig
nifying Green mountain.
Massachusetts is an Indian word sig
nifying Country About the Great
Hills"
Rhode Island gets its name because OF
its fancied resemblance to the Island OF
Rhodes, in the Mediterranean.
The real name of Connecticut is
"Quon-eh-ta-cut." 1t is a Mohican
word, and means 'LOng River"
New York was so named as COM
pliment to the duke of York, whose
brother, Charles H., granted him that
territory.
New Jersey was named for Sir George
Carter, who was at that time governor
of the Island of Jersey, in the British
channel.
Pennsylvania. as is generally known,
takes its name from William Penn, the
'sylvania" part of it meaning woods.
Literally. it is "Penn's Woods"
Delaware derives its name from
Thomas West. Lord de la Ware.
Maryland was named in l)l)r of
Henrietta Maria. queen of Charles l..
Virginia got its name from Queen
Elizabeth. the Virgin Queen"
The Carolinas were named for Charles
(Carolus) Ii.
Florida gets its name from Kanunas
de Flores, or ''FeaSt of the Flowers"
lob from GrnnE
and signified Land Of Rest"
Louisiana was so named in honor of
Louis XIV.
Mississippi is a Natchez wor1 and
means Father of Waters"
Three or four Indian interpretations
have been given to the word Arkansas,
the best being that it signifies ''Smoke
waters,' the French prefix ARK"
meaning bow.
Tennessee, according to some writers,
is from Tenasea, an Indian chief: others
have it that it means ''riYer of the big
bend"
Kentucky does not mean clark and
bloody ground" but is derived from the
Indian word Kain-tuk-ae, signfying
'land at the head of the river"
Ohio has had several meanings fitted
to ii. Some say that 1t is a Suwanee
word meaning "the beautiful river"
Others refer to the Wyandotte word
Oheza, which signified "something
great"
Indiana means land of Indians.
Illinois is supposed to be derived from
an Indian word which was intended TO
refer TO a superior class of men.
Wisconsin is an Indian word meaning
"wild, rushing waters.''
Missouri means muddy water"
Michigan is from an Indian word
meaning ''great lake."
The name of Kansas is based on the
same as that of Arkansas.
Iowa is named from all Indian tribe,
the kiowas: the KiowaS were. so called
by the Illinois Indians because they
were "across the river.'
The name of California is matter of
much dispute. Some writer's say that
it first appeared In a Spanish romance
of 1880, the heroine being an AmaZonian
named California.
Colorado is a Spanish word, applied
to that portion of the Rocky mountains
on account OF Its many colored peaks.
Nebraska means shallow waters.
Nevada is a Spanish word signifying
"snow covered mountains"
Georgia had its name bestowed when
it was colony, in honor of George ii.
The Spanish missionaries OF 1874
called the county now known as Texas
"Mixtecapah, and the people Mixtecas.
From this last word the name of Texas
is supposed to have been derived.
Oregon is Spanish word signifying
"vales of wild thyme"
Dakota means ''leagued" OF "allied
tribes"
Wyoming is the Indian word for "Big
Plains"
Washington gets its name from our
first president.
Montana means mountainous.
Idaho is name that has never been
satisfactorily accounted for.