The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-10-17
ORIGIN OF PROPER NAMES.
Specification of the More Common Amerf-
can Geographical Terms.

Specification of the More Common Ameri-
can Geographical Terms.
In the earliest days of the human
family, all known persons, places and
groups of human beings must have had
names by which they were recognized.
The study of these names and of
their survival in civilization enables us
often to ascertain what races inhabited
districts now peopled by those OF en-
tirely different speech.
The names of mountains and rivers
in many parts of England, for instance,
are Celtic.
Ancient local names are, as rule,
purely descriptive. A river is called by
some word which merely signifies ''the
water" a mountain may have name
which means 1.-The peak" ''the castle"
'the point
English place names generally state
some simple fact, and often denote no
more than property; the name Of
town or hamlet being formed by adding
early landholder
Quite often bit of even half humor-
GUS description will survive i'll such a
name, as when stony, starved and
Weedy district is called Starvacre.
The English race carries with it the
ancient names of an older people into
every continent and titles given to
places IN the British Isles may now be
found in America, Australia, Africa
and the islands of the furthest seas.
Touching personal names, we find
that among most unciviliZeG races
name commonly derived from some
incident or natural object, is given at
the time of birth by the parents to each
child
In some cases names of the earliest
races denote some phenomenon OF ma
ture. No names are more common
among North American Indians than
those derived from sun, moon, stars,
clouds and wind.
Our English ancestors had for per
sonal names compound words, as IN O.
BILE Wolf" wolf of War" and so
forth, the names teStifying to some
what primitive and fierce stage of So
ciety Later came vulgar nicknames,
as Long" Black white, :"
Brown and so forth.
Other names were derived from the
occupation Of the person to whom they
were given Smith, Fowler, Saddler)
Yet other names are derived from
places. The noble and landowner was
called of such and such a place
NSAAO
French de-
The humber man was called not ''of"
but at such place, as in the name
''AttewelI' lat well, or merely by the
local name without the sat, as Wells.
Below are given the origin of the
names of some countries, and States in
the United States
Europe signifies a country of white
people, given because the inhabitants
were OF a lighter color than those of
Africa and Asia.
Asia means between" given because
geographers placed it between Europe
and Africa.
Africa, which was celebrated for its
abundance of grain, was given this
name, meaning 1.-The land of corn"
Siberia signifies thirsty or dry.
Italy signifies country of pitch, be-
cause it yielded great quantities OF
black pitch.
Britain means the country OF tin.
Sicily denotes the country of grapes.
Hibernia means utmost or last in
habitation," for beyond this westward
the PhRnicianS never extended their
voyage.
Corsica means woody place.
Rhodes implies serpents or dragons.
Gaul, modern France, signifies ''yel-
low-haired," from the light hair of the
GaulS.
Maine was so called from the prov
ince of Maine in France.
New Hampshire was named by Ma
son, in 1889, from Hampshire in Eng
land
Vermont comes from the French
vert mont, or green mountain.
Massachusetts is an Indian name,
signifying the country about the green
hills.
Rhode Island was named after the
island of Rhodes, in the Mediterranean
because of it's fancied resemblance to
that island
Connecticut is derived from the
Indian word Qunni-tukut, which signi-
ties upon the long river"
New York was named by the Duke
of York, title given him by the Eng
fish crown in 1864.
New Jersey was so called in honor OF
Sir George Carteret who was governor
of the island of Jersey, in the British
channel
Pennsylvania comes from Admira
Penn, the father of the founder of the
colony meaning ''Penn'S Woods.
Maryland was named after Henrietta
Maria, queen of Charles L of England
Virginia was named in honor of the
virgin queen" Elizabeth
North and South Carolina were named
after Charles IN. of France, Charles
being Carolus in Latin.
Georgia was so called in honor OF
George II. of England, who established
colony there in 1893.
Florida was named by Ponce de Leon
who discovered it, in commemoration
of the day of his landing-the Feast OF
Flowers" or Easter Sunday.
Alabama is of Indian origin, signify
ing ''here we rest
Mississippi was so called from the
great river on its western margin mean
ing ''long river"
Louisiana, from Louis XIV. OF
France who for some time owned the
territory
Arkansas, from Kansas Indian fol-
smoky water"
Tennessee is the Indian word fol
river Of the big bend;'' i. e., the Miss
issippi, which is the western boundary.
Kentucky is the Indian word for ''at
the head of the river
Ohio is also from the Indian, meaning
"beautifu1 -