List of U.S. county name etymologies (N–R)

This is a list of U.S. county name etymologies, covering the letters N to R.

N
County nameStateOrigin
Nacogdoches CountyTexasNamed for the Nacogdoche tribe of Caddo Native Americans.
Nance CountyNebraskaNamed after Governor Albinus Nance.[1]
Town and County of NantucketMassachusettsNantucket takes its name from a word in an Eastern Algonquian language of southern New England, originally spelled variously as natocke, nantaticut, nantican, and nautican. The meaning of the term is uncertain, although it may have meant "in the midst of waters," or "far away island."[2]
Napa CountyCalifornia

An Indian word, uncertain origin, many plausible possibilities.

Nash CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Brigadier General Francis Nash, who had been mortally wounded at the Battle of Germantown.
Nassau CountyFloridaNamed for the Duchy of Nassau in Germany.
Nassau CountyNew YorkNamed after an old name for Long Island, which was named Nassau after William of Nassau, Prince of Orange (who later became King William III of England.)
Natchitoches ParishLouisianaNamed for the Natchitoches tribe of Native Americans.
Natrona CountyWyoming

Named for the natron, or soda deposits in the county.

Navajo CountyArizona

named for the Navajo Indian tribe

Navarro CountyTexasNamed for José Antonio Navarro, a Tejano leader in the Texas Revolution who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Nelson CountyKentuckyNamed for Thomas Nelson, Jr. a Virginia Governor who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Nelson CountyNorth Dakota

for Nelson E. Nelson, a ND legislator at the time.

Nelson CountyVirginiaNamed for Thomas Nelson, Jr. a Virginia Governor who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Nemaha CountyKansas

from the Otoe Indian word nimaha 'murky water.'

Nemaha CountyNebraska

from the Otoe Indian word 'murky water.'

Neosho CountyKansas

Osage Indian 'cold, clear water' or 'main river,'

Neshoba CountyMississippiNeshoba, derived from the Choctaw word nashoba, means Wolf. [3]
Ness CountyKansasNamed for Corporal Noah V. Ness of the Seventh Kansas Cavalry. Ness died of wounds suffered at the Battle of Abbeyville in Mississippi in August 1864.[4]
Nevada CountyArkansasNamed for the State of Nevada.
Nevada CountyCalifornianamed after the mining town of Nevada City, a name derived from the term "Sierra Nevada." The word nevada in Spanish means "snowy" or "snowcovered."[5]
New Castle CountyDelaware

for William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

New Hanover CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for the House of Hanover.
New Haven CountyConnecticutNamed after its largest city and county seat, New Haven.
New Kent CountyVirginiaNamed for the county of Kent, England.
New London CountyConnecticutNamed after the county seat, New London, which is named for London, England.
New Madrid CountyMissouriNamed after a district located in the region that was once under Spanish rule, Nuevo Madrid, after the city of Madrid, Spain.
New York CountyNew YorkNew York is named after James, Duke of York, who renamed New Amsterdam after himself shortly after the British takeover in 1664. The county name also refers to the fact that New York City was wholly contained in the county until it combined with other areas in the 1880s. New York County today is thus simply referred to as Manhattan, the island that forms almost all the area of the county.
Newaygo CountyMichiganDerived from then name of a Chippewa chief who signed the Treaty of Saginaw or from a Native American word meaning "much water."
Newberry CountySouth CarolinaUnknown
Newport CountyRhode IslandDescriptive, recalling Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
City of Newport NewsVirginiaNot known with any certainty. See the "Name" section of the city's article for possibilities.
Newton CountyArkansasNamed for Thomas W. Newton, an Arkansas Congressman.
Newton CountyGeorgiaNamed after Sgt. John Newton of the American Revolutionary War.
Newton CountyIndiana
Newton CountyMississippiNamed for Sir Isaac Newton.
Newton CountyMissouriNamed after Sgt. John Newton of the American Revolutionary War.
Newton CountyTexas
Nez Perce CountyIdahoNamed for the Nez Percé tribe of Native Americans.
Niagara CountyNew YorkDerived from the Indian word Onguiaahra meaning the straight or thunder of waters.[6]
Nicholas CountyKentuckyNamed for George Nicholas, the "Father of the Kentucky Constitution".
Nicholas CountyWest VirginiaNamed for Virginia Governor Wilson Cary Nicholas.
Nicollet CountyMinnesotaNamed for Joseph Nicolas Nicollet, a geographer-explorer.
Niobrara CountyWyoming

Omaha–Ponca languageIndian 'spreading water river.'

Noble CountyIndianaNamed for James Noble, the first U.S. Senator from Indiana.
Noble CountyOhioNamed for Rep. Warren P. Noble of the Ohio House of Representatives, who was an early settler there.
Noble CountyOklahoma

for John W. Noble, Secretary of the Interior

Nobles CountyMinnesotaNamed for William H. Nobles, a member of the Territorial Legislature.
Nodaway CountyMissouriNamed for the Nodaway River.
Nolan CountyTexasNamed for Philip Nolan, one of the first American traders to visit Texas.
Nome Census AreaAlaskaNamed for Nome, Alaska.
City of NorfolkVirginiaNamed for the county of Norfolk, England.
Norfolk CountyMassachusetts
Norman CountyMinnesotaIn honor of the large number of Norwegians, or Normans, who settled in this county.
North Slope BoroughAlaskaNamed for the Alaska North Slope, a region on the northern slope of the Brooks Range.
Northampton CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for James Compton, 5th Earl of Northampton.
Northampton CountyPennsylvaniaFor Northamptonshire, England,
Northampton CountyVirginiafor Spencer Compton, 2nd Earl of Northampton
Northumberland CountyPennsylvaniaNamed for the county of Northumberland, England.
Northumberland CountyVirginia
Northwest Arctic BoroughAlaskaNamed for its location in the northwest Arctic region of Alaska.
City of NortonVirginiaNamed in 1890 after Eckstein Norton, then president of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.
Norton CountyKansasNamed for Orloff Norton.
Nottoway CountyVirginiaFrom the Nottoway Tribe of Native Americans.
Nowata CountyOklahomaFrom the Lenape word "nuwita," meaning "friendly" or "welcome."
Noxubee CountyMississippiDerived from the Choctaw word nakshobi, meaning to stink.[3]
Nuckolls CountyNebraskaNamed after Stephen F. Nuckolls, an early pioneer in this area.[7]
Nueces CountyTexasNamed for the Nueces River, whose name comes from the Spanish word for walnuts or pecans.
Nye CountyNevadaNamed in honor of James W. Nye, first governor of the Nevada Territory and later U.S. Senator from the state.

O
County nameStateOrigin
O'Brien CountyIowaFor William Smith O'Brien, Irish leader
Oakland CountyMichiganNamed for the numerous oak openings in the county.
Obion CountyTennesseeFrom the Obion River, named either from an Indian word meaning 'many forks' or from an Irish-French trapper named O'Brien.
Ocean CountyNew JerseyLocation on the Atlantic Ocean [8]
Oceana CountyMichiganNamed "Oceana" because it borders Lake Michigan, the freshwater "ocean."
Ochiltree CountyTexasFor Col. William Beck Ochiltree, Republic of Texas secretary of the treasury.
Oconee CountyGeorgiaFor the Oconee River, which is named after a Muskogean people.
Oconee CountySouth Carolina
Oconto CountyWisconsinFor the Oconto River, said to mean "plenty of fish."
Ofu CountyAmerican SamoaNamed after Ofu village
Ogemaw CountyMichiganFrom the Anishinaabemowin word ogimaa, meaning "chief".
Oglala Lakota CountySouth DakotaFor the Oglala Lakota tribe.
Ogle CountyIllinoisFor Lt. Joseph Ogle, first Methodist layman in Illinois and captain of the territorial militia.
Oglethorpe CountyGeorgiaFor Gen. James Edward Oglethorpe, founder of Georgia and first governor
Ohio CountyIndianaNamed for the Ohio River (Seneca Ohi:yo', "Good River"), which it borders.
Ohio CountyKentuckyNamed for the Ohio River (Seneca Ohi:yo', "Good River"), which it used to border until Daviess County and Hancock County were carved out of it in 1829.
Ohio CountyWest VirginiaNamed for the Ohio River (Seneca Ohi:yo', "Good River"), which it borders.
Okaloosa CountyFloridaFrom Choctaw oka lusa, "black water."
Okanogan CountyWashingtonFrom the Syilx (Okanogan, ukʷnaqín) people.
Okfuskee CountyOklahomaNamed for the Okfuskee, a Muscogee people.
Oklahoma CountyOklahomaFrom the Choctaw phrase okla humma, meaning "red people", invented by Allen Wright and applied to the Oklahoma Territory.
Okmulgee CountyOklahomaFrom the Creek okimulgi meaning "boiling water."
Oktibbeha CountyMississippiFrom Choctaw okti abeha, "ice therein."
Oldham CountyKentuckyNamed in honor of Col. William Oldham of Jefferson County, a Revolutionary War officer.
Oldham CountyTexasnamed for William Simpson Oldham Sr., Texas pioneer and Confederate Senator.
Oliver CountyNorth DakotaHarry S. Oliver, Republican politician and member of the Dakota Territory House of Representatives
Olmsted CountyMinnesotaDavid Olmsted, first mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Olosega CountyAmerican SamoaNamed after Olosega village
Oneida CountyIdahoNamed for Oneida Lake, from which most of the early settlers had migrated.
Oneida CountyNew YorkNamed for the Oneida people.
Oneida CountyWisconsin
Onondaga CountyNew YorkFrom the Onondaga (Onöñda’gaga’, "Hill Place") people
Onslow CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Arthur Onslow, longtime Speaker of the House of Commons.
Ontario CountyNew YorkNamed for Lake Ontario.
Ontonagon CountyMichiganNamed for the Ontonagon River.
Orange CountyCaliforniaNamed for the orange, so the county would sound like a semi-tropical, Mediterranean region to people from the east coast.
Orange CountyFloridaNamed for the orange, its main crop.
Orange CountyIndianaThe first settlers were from Orange County, North Carolina.
Orange CountyNew YorkNamed for William, Prince of Orange, later King William III.
Orange CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for the ruling House of Orange-Nassau.
Orange CountyTexasNamed for the orange, formerly its main crop.
Orange CountyVermontNamed for William, Prince of Orange, later King William III.
Orange CountyVirginiaNamed for William, Prince of Orange, later King William III.
Orangeburg CountySouth CarolinaNamed for Orangeburg, South Carolina, which was named for William, Prince of Orange, later King William III.
Oregon CountyMissouriNamed for the Oregon Territory.
Orleans CountyNew YorkUncertain; either to honor the Louis Philippe, Duc d'Orléans, or in reference to the 1815 Battle of New Orleans.
Orleans CountyVermontUncertain, believed to be named after Orléans, France.
Orleans CountyLouisianaNamed for Philippe II, Duke of Orléans.
Osage CountyKansasNamed for the Osage Nation.
Osage CountyMissouriNamed for the Osage River.
Osage CountyOklahomaNamed for the Osage Nation.
Osborne CountyKansasNamed for Captain Vincent B. Osborne, a Civil War soldier in the 2nd Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment on the Union side.
Osceola CountyFloridaNamed for the Seminole chief Osceola.
Osceola CountyIowa
Osceola CountyMichigan
Oscoda CountyMichiganBelieved to be a combination of two Ojibwa words, ossin (stone) and muskoda (prairie).
Oswego CountyNew YorkNamed for the Oswego River, from Mohawk for "small water flowing into that which is large."
Otero CountyColoradoNamed for Miguel Antonio Otero, a prominent politician from the New Mexico Territory.
Otero CountyNew Mexico
Otoe CountyNebraskaNamed for the Otoe people.
Otsego CountyMichiganDerived from the Mohawk word that meant either "clear water" or "meeting place."
Otsego CountyNew YorkNamed for Otsego Lake, from a Mohawk or Oneida word meaning "place of the rock", referring to the large boulder near the lake's outlet, today known as "Council Rock".
Ottawa CountyKansasNamed for the native Odawa people.
Ottawa CountyMichigan
Ottawa CountyOhio
Ottawa CountyOklahoma
Otter Tail CountyMinnesotaNamed for the Otter Tail River.
Ouachita CountyArkansasNamed for the Ouachita River, named in turn for the Ouachita people, from the French transliteration of the Caddo word washita, meaning "good hunting ground."
Ouachita CountyLouisiana
Ouray CountyColoradoNamed for Chief Ouray, leader of the Uncompahgre Ute tribe and a noted statesman.
Outagamie CountyWisconsinA French transliteration of Utagami, the Ojibwe term for the Meskwaki (Fox) Indians, meaning "dwellers on the other side of the stream," referring to their historic habitation along the St. Lawrence River
Overton CountyTennesseeNamed for John Overton, judge, planter, politician and banker.
Owen CountyIndianaNamed for Abraham Owen, soldier, surveyor and politician.
Owen CountyKentucky
Owsley CountyKentuckyNamed for William Owsley, 16th Governor of Kentucky.
Owyhee CountyIdahoNamed for some Native Hawaiian ("Owyhee") trappers who disappeared in the winter of 1819–20.
Oxford CountyMainePossibly named for Oxford, Massachusetts.
Ozark CountyMissouriNamed for the Ozarks (from the French abbreviation aux Arcs, aux Arkansas, "of/at Arkansas").
Ozaukee CountyWisconsinFrom Ozaagii, the Ojibwe name for the Sauk people.

This is a list of U.S. county name etymologies, covering the letters N to R.

P
County nameStateOrigin
Pacific CountyWashingtonNamed for the Pacific Ocean.
Page CountyIowaNamed for Captain John Page, soldier killed in the Mexican–American War.
Page CountyVirginiaNamed for John Page, a governor of Virginia.
Palm Beach CountyFloridaNamed for Palm Beach, Florida, named for its palm trees.
Palo Alto CountyIowaNamed for the Battle of Palo Alto.
Palo Pinto CountyTexasNamed for the Palo Pinto Creek (Spanish palo pinto, "painted stick").
Pamlico CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for the Pamlico people.
Panola CountyMississippiFrom panolo, Choctaw and Chickasaw word for cotton.
Panola CountyTexas
Park CountyColoradoNamed for the South Park region.
Park CountyMontanaNamed for its proximity to Yellowstone National Park.
Park CountyWyoming
Parke CountyIndianaNamed for Benjamin Parke, political figure.
Parker CountyTexasNamed for Isaac Parker, a Texas state representative.
Parmer CountyTexasNamed for Martin Parmer, signatory to the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Pasco CountyFloridaNamed for Samuel Pasco, a United States senator.
Pasquotank CountyNorth CarolinaPasquotank River, from Algonquian pashetanki, "where the current forks."
Passaic CountyNew JerseyPasaeck, a Lenape word for "valley."
Patrick CountyVirginiaNamed for Founding Father Patrick Henry.
Paulding CountyGeorgiaNamed for Revolutionary War fighter John Paulding.
Paulding CountyOhio
Pawnee CountyKansasNamed for the Pawnee people.
Pawnee CountyNebraska
Pawnee CountyOklahoma
Payette CountyIdahoNamed for Francois Payette, fur trader.
Payne CountyOklahomaNamed for David L. Payne, soldier and pioneer.
Peach CountyGeorgiaNamed for the peach, a major crop.
Pearl River CountyMississippiNamed for the Pearl River.
Pecos CountyTexasNamed for the Pecos River, from the Keresan term for the Pecos Pueblo.
Pembina CountyNorth DakotaFrom a Chippewa term for "stabbing."
Pemiscot CountyMissouriNamed for the local bayou, taken from the Fox word, pem-eskaw, meaning "liquid mud."
Pend Oreille CountyWashingtonNamed for the Pend d'Oreilles (French "hangs from ear") people, so called because of their shell earrings.
Pender CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for William Dorsey Pender, Confederate general.
Pendleton CountyKentuckyNamed for Edmund Pendleton, planter and politician.
Pendleton CountyWest Virginia
Pennington CountyMinnesotaNamed for Edmund Pennington, President of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad.
Pennington CountySouth DakotaNamed for John L. Pennington, fifth Governor of Dakota Territory.
Penobscot CountyMaineNamed for the Penobscot people.
Peoria CountyIllinoisNamed for the Peoria people.
Pepin CountyWisconsinNamed for Lake Pepin, named in turn after explorers Pierre and Jean Pepin du Chardonnets.
Perkins CountyNebraskaNamed for Charles Elliott Perkins, president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.
Perkins CountySouth DakotaNamed for Sturgis, South Dakota official Henry E. Perkins.
Perquimans CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for the Perquimans (Perkiomen, Perkimen), an Algonquian people.
Perry CountyAlabamaNamed for naval officer Oliver Hazard Perry.
Perry CountyArkansas
Perry CountyIllinois
Perry CountyIndiana
Perry CountyKentucky
Perry CountyMississippi
Perry CountyMissouri
Perry CountyOhio
Perry CountyPennsylvania
Perry CountyTennessee
Pershing CountyNevadaNamed for General John J. Pershing.
Person CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Revolutionary War fighter Thomas Person.
Petersburg BoroughAlaskaNamed for Petersburg, Alaska, named for Saint Petersburg, Russia.
City of PetersburgVirginiaNamed for 17th-century soldier Peter Jones, who commanded a fort near the city's current location and opened a trading post known as Peter's Point where the city was eventually founded.
Petroleum CountyMontanaNamed for its petroleum fields; it was the first place in Montana where petroleum was discovered.
Pettis CountyMissouriNamed for Spencer Darwin Pettis, politician; died in a famous duel.
Phelps CountyMissouriNamed for John S. Phelps, Civil War general (U.S. Army) and 23rd Governor of Missouri.
Phelps CountyNebraskaNamed for William Phelps, an early settler.
Philadelphia CountyPennsylvaniaNamed for Philadelphia, named by the city's founder William Penn from the Greek Φιλαδέλφεια, meaning "brotherly love" (from philos, "love", and adelphos, "brother").
Phillips CountyArkansasSylvanus Phillips, area's first known white settler and representative to the first legislature of the Arkansas Territory.
Phillips CountyColoradoR. O. Phillips, a secretary of the Lincoln Land Company.
Phillips CountyKansasNamed for William A. Phillips, journalist, soldier and politician.
Phillips CountyMontanaNamed for Benjamin D. Phillips, rancher and state senator.
Piatt CountyIllinoisNamed for James A. Piatt, an early settler.
Pickaway CountyOhioNamed for the Pekowi band of the Shawnee.
Pickens CountyAlabamaNamed for Andrew Pickens, militia leader in the Revolutionary War.
Pickens CountyGeorgia
Pickens CountySouth Carolina
Pickett CountyTennesseeNamed for Howard L. Pickett, state legislator.
Pierce CountyGeorgiaNamed for Franklin Pierce, U.S. President 1853–1857.
Pierce CountyNebraska
Pierce CountyNorth DakotaNamed for Gilbert A. Pierce, author, journalist, playwright and politician.
Pierce CountyWashingtonNamed for Franklin Pierce, U.S. President 1853–1857.
Pierce CountyWisconsin
Pike CountyAlabamaNamed for soldier and explorer Zebulon Pike.
Pike CountyArkansas
Pike CountyGeorgia
Pike CountyIllinois
Pike CountyIndiana
Pike CountyKentucky
Pike CountyMississippi
Pike CountyMissouri
Pike CountyOhio
Pike CountyPennsylvania
Pima CountyArizonaNamed for the Pima people.
Pinal CountyArizonaNamed for the Pinal Mountains, named for their pine trees.
Pine CountyMinnesotaNamed for its pine trees.
Pinellas CountyFloridaFrom Spanish Punta Piñal, "point of pines."
Pipestone CountyMinnesotaNamed for the presence of pipestone (catlinite) in its rocks.
Piscataquis CountyMaineThe Piscataquis River, from an Abenaki word meaning "branch of the river."
Pitkin CountyColoradoNamed for Frederick Walker Pitkin, who was Governor of Colorado at the time of the county's formation.
Pitt CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for William Pitt the Elder, then Secretary of State for the Southern Department and Leader of the House of Commons, later Prime Minister of Great Britain.
Pittsburg CountyOklahomaNamed because its coal production rivaled Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Pittsylvania CountyVirginiaNamed for William Pitt the Elder, then Prime Minister of Great Britain.
Piute CountyUtahNamed for the Southern Paiute people.
Placer CountyCaliforniaNamed for the practice of placer mining.
Plaquemines CountyLouisianaFrom a Louisiana French word for the persimmon, derived from the Atakapa piakimin.
Platte CountyMissouriNamed for the Platte River (probably from the French plate, "flat"), or the Platte Purchase.
Platte CountyNebraskaNamed for the Platte River (probably from the French plate, "flat").
Platte CountyWyomingNamed for the North Platte River.
Pleasants CountyWest VirginiaNamed for James Pleasants, 22nd Governor of Virginia.
Plumas CountyCaliforniaFrom the Spanish name of the Feather River (Río de las Plumas).
Plymouth CountyIowaNamed for the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, named in turn for Plymouth, England, from where the Mayflower sailed to America.
Plymouth CountyMassachusetts
Pocahontas CountyIowaNamed for the Powhatan princess Pocahontas.
Pocahontas CountyWest Virginia
Poinsett CountyArkansasNamed for Joel Roberts Poinsett, physician, diplomat and Secretary of War.
Pointe Coupee ParishLouisianaFrom French Pointe-Coupée, "point of the cutoff."
Polk CountyArkansasNamed for James K. Polk, President of the United States 1845–49.
Polk CountyFlorida
Polk CountyGeorgia
Polk CountyIowa
Polk CountyMinnesota
Polk CountyMissouri
Polk CountyNebraska
Polk CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for William Polk, a colonel in the American Revolution and a member of that state's House of Commons.
Polk CountyOregonNamed for James K. Polk, President of the United States 1845–49.
Polk CountyTennesseeNamed for James K. Polk before he became President; he was governor of Tennessee at the time the county was established.
Polk CountyTexasNamed for James K. Polk, President of the United States 1845–49.
Polk CountyWisconsin
Pondera CountyMontanaNamed for the Pend d'Oreilles people, whose name is French for "ear pendant."
Pontotoc CountyMississippiFrom a Chickasaw word for the region meaning either "cattail prairie" or"land of hanging grapes."
Pontotoc CountyOklahoma
Pope CountyArkansasNamed for John Pope, 3rd Governor of Arkansas Territory.
Pope CountyIllinoisNamed for Nathaniel Pope, Secretary of the Illinois Territory.
Pope CountyMinnesotaNamed for John Pope, Union general in the Civil War.
City of PoquosonVirginiaFrom pocosin, an Algonquian word meaning "a low, marshy, woody place covered by water in the winter, but dry in the summer."
Portage CountyOhioNamed for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers
Portage CountyWisconsinNamed for the portage between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers
Porter CountyIndianaNamed for David Porter, a notable Commodore for the Americans during the War of 1812.
City of PortsmouthVirginiaNamed for Portsmouth, England.
Posey CountyIndianaNamed for Thomas Posey, a governor of Indiana Territory.
Pottawatomie CountyKansasNamed for the Potawatomi people.
Pottawatomie CountyOklahoma
Pottawattamie CountyIowa
Potter CountyPennsylvaniaNamed for James Potter, 4th Vice-President of Pennsylvania.
Potter CountySouth DakotaNamed for Joel A. Potter, territorial legislator.
Potter CountyTexasNamed for Robert Potter, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and Texas Secretary of the Navy.
Powder River CountyMontanaNamed for the Powder River.
Powell CountyKentuckyNamed for Lazarus W. Powell, 19th Governor of Kentucky.
Powell CountyMontanaNamed for Mount Powell, which was named in turn for John Wesley Powell.
Power CountyIdahoNamed for the power plant at American Falls Dam.
Poweshiek CountyIowaNamed for Poweshiek, a Meskwaki chief.
Powhatan CountyVirginiaNamed for the Powhatan people.
Prairie CountyArkansasNamed for the Grand Prairie.
Prairie CountyMontanaNamed for its prairie landscape.
Pratt CountyKansasNamed for Caleb S. Pratt, U.S. Army soldier in the Bleeding Kansas conflict.
Preble CountyOhioNamed for Edward Preble, naval officer.
Prentiss CountyMississippiNamed for Seargent Smith Prentiss, orator and politician.
Presidio CountyTexasNamed for Presidio del Norte ("Presidio of the North"), a border settlement established around 1760.
Presque Isle CountyMichiganDerived from a French term for "peninsula," literally "nearly an island."
Preston CountyWest VirginiaNamed for James Patton Preston, 20th Governor of Virginia.
Price CountyWisconsinNamed for William T. Price, politician.
Prince Edward CountyVirginiaNamed for Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany, son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, who was son of King George II.
Prince George CountyVirginiaNamed for Prince George of Denmark, husband of Queen Anne.
Prince George's CountyMaryland
Prince William CountyVirginiaNamed for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, son of King George II.
Prince of Wales–Hyder Census AreaAlaskaNamed for Prince of Wales Island and Hyder, Alaska, named in turn after George, Prince of Wales (later George IV) and mining engineer Frederick Hyder respectively.
Providence CountyRhode IslandNamed for Providence Plantations, named in turn for Divine Providence.
Prowers CountyColoradoNamed for pioneer John W. Prowers.
Pueblo CountyColoradoPueblo County is named for El Pueblo, an adobe trading post located at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek.
Pulaski CountyArkansasNamed for Casimir Pulaski (Kazimierz Pułaski), Polish count who fought in the Revolutionary War.
Pulaski CountyGeorgia
Pulaski CountyIllinois
Pulaski CountyIndiana
Pulaski CountyKentucky
Pulaski CountyMissouri
Pulaski CountyVirginia
Pushmataha CountyOklahoma
Putnam CountyFloridaNamed for Benjamin A. Putnam, soldier and politician.
Putnam CountyGeorgiaNamed for Revolutionary War general Israel Putnam.
Putnam CountyIllinois
Putnam CountyIndiana
Putnam CountyMissouri
Putnam CountyNew York
Putnam CountyOhio
Putnam CountyTennessee
Putnam CountyWest Virginia

Q
County nameStateOrigin
Quay CountyNew MexicoNamed for Pennsylvania senator Matthew Quay, who supported New Mexican statehood.[9]
Queen Anne's CountyMarylandNamed for Anne, Queen of Great Britain, who reigned when the county was established in 1706.
Queens CountyNew YorkNamed for the then-queen consort, Catherine of Braganza, the Catholic wife of Charles II.
Quitman CountyGeorgiaNamed after General John A. Quitman, leader in the Mexican War, and two-time Governor of Mississippi.
Quitman CountyMississippi

R
County nameStateOrigin
Rabun CountyGeorgiaNamed for William Rabun, 29th Governor of Georgia.
Racine CountyWisconsinNamed for the city of Racine, Wisconsin, itself named after the Root River, racine being French for "root."
City of RadfordVirginiaNamed for Dr. John B. Radford, early inhabitant.
Rains CountyTexasNamed for Emory Rains, politician in the Republic of Texas.
Raleigh CountyWest VirginiaNamed for Walter Raleigh, English writer, soldier, politician, spy and explorer.
Ralls CountyMissouriNamed for Daniel Ralls, Missouri state legislator.
Ramsey CountyMinnesotaNamed for Alexander Ramsey, first territorial governor of Minnesota and second governor after statehood, and United States Secretary of War 1879–81.
Ramsey CountyNorth Dakota
Randall CountyTexasNamed for Horace Randal (sic), Confederate soldier.
Randolph CountyAlabamaNamed for John Randolph of Roanoke, planter and politician.
Randolph CountyArkansas
Randolph CountyGeorgia
Randolph CountyIllinoisNamed for Edmund Randolph, first Attorney General of the United States.
Randolph CountyIndianaNamed for Randolph County, North Carolina.
Randolph CountyMissouriNamed for John Randolph of Roanoke, planter and politician.
Randolph CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Peyton Randolph, first President of the Continental Congress.
Randolph CountyWest VirginiaNamed for Edmund Randolph, seventh Governor of Virginia and first U.S. Attorney General.
Rankin CountyMississippiNamed for Christopher Rankin, politician.
Ransom CountyNorth DakotaNamed for Fort Ransom, named in turn for Thomas E.G. Ransom.
Rapides ParishLouisianaNamed for the rapids (French rapides) on the Red River of the South.
Rappahannock CountyVirginiaNamed for the Rappahannock River, from the Algonquian lappihanne, meaning "river of quick, rising water" or "where the tide ebbs and flows."
Ravalli CountyMontanaNamed for Antonio Ravalli, Italian Jesuit missionary.
Rawlins CountyKansasNamed for John Aaron Rawlins, Civil War Union general and Secretary of War in 1869.
Ray CountyMissouriNamed for John Ray, Missouri state legislator.
Reagan CountyTexasNamed for John Henninger Reagan, Confederate cabinet member.
Real CountyTexasNamed for Julius Real, member of the Texas State Senate.
Red Lake CountyMinnesotaNamed for the Red Lake River.
Red River CountyTexasNamed for the Red River of the South.
Red River ParishLouisiana
Red Willow CountyNebraskaNamed for the Red Willow Creek, a mistranslation of the Dakota name Chanshasha Wakpala, "Red Dogwood Creek."
Redwood CountyMinnesotaNamed for the Redwood River, named for the dogwoods with reddish bark.
Reeves CountyTexasNamed for George R. Reeves, Speaker of the House of the State of Texas and Confederate colonel.
Refugio CountyTexasNamed for the city of Refugio, Texas, itself named for the Rancho Nuestra Señora del Refugio.
Reno CountyKansasNamed for Jesse L. Reno, soldier.
Rensselaer CountyNew YorkNamed for Kiliaen van Rensselaer, Dutch merchant and founder of New Netherland.
Renville CountyMinnesotaNamed for Joseph Renville, interpreter, translator and soldier.
Renville CountyNorth Dakota
Republic CountyKansasNamed for the Republican River, which was named after a band of Pawnee nicknamed "the republicans."
Reynolds CountyMissouriNamed for Thomas Reynolds, 7th Governor of Missouri.
Rhea CountyTennesseeNamed for John Rhea, Irish-American Revolutionary War soldier and Congressman.
Rice CountyKansasNamed for Samuel Allen Rice, Civil War colonel.
Rice CountyMinnesotaNamed for Henry Mower Rice, fur trader and politician.
Rich CountyUtahNamed for Charles C. Rich, early Latter Day Saints leader, one of the Council of Fifty and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 1849–83.
Richardson CountyNebraskaNamed for William Alexander Richardson, 5th Governor of Nebraska Territory.
Richland CountyIllinoisNamed for Richland County, Ohio, where many of the county's influential settlers came from.
Richland CountyMontanaNamed for the richness of its soil, in order to attract settlers.
Richland CountyNorth DakotaNamed for Morgan T. Rich, early settler.
Richland CountyOhioNamed for the richness of its soil.
Richland CountySouth Carolina
Richland CountyWisconsin
Richland ParishLouisiana
City of RichmondVirginiaNamed for Richmond, Surrey, England, because the view of the James River was supposedly similar to the view of the River Thames from Richmond Hill.
Richmond CountyGeorgiaNamed for Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, British politician; Secretary of State for the Southern Department and a supporter of the colonists during the Revolutionary War.
Richmond CountyNew YorkNamed for Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, illegitimate son of King Charles II.
Richmond CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, British politician; Secretary of State for the Southern Department and a supporter of the colonists during the Revolutionary War.
Richmond CountyVirginiaNamed for Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, illegitimate son of King Charles II.
Riley CountyKansasNamed for Bennet C. Riley, 7th Military Governor of California.
Ringgold CountyIowaNamed for Samuel Ringgold, artillery officer.
Rio Arriba CountyNew MexicoNamed for its location on the upper Rio Grande (río arriba means "upriver" in Spanish)
Rio Blanco CountyColoradoNamed for the White River (known in Spanish as the Río Blanco), which runs through the county.
Rio Grande CountyColoradoNamed for the Rio Grande, which runs through the county.
Ripley CountyIndianaNamed for Eleazer Wheelock Ripley, an officer of the War of 1812.
Ripley CountyMissouri
Ritchie CountyWest VirginiaNamed for writer and publisher Thomas Ritchie.
Riverside CountyCaliforniaNamed for Riverside, California, the county seat, which in turn was named for its location beside the Santa Ana River.
Roane CountyTennesseeNamed for Archibald Roane, second Governor of Tennessee.
Roane CountyWest VirginiaNamed for Spencer Roane, politician and judge.
City of RoanokeVirginiaNamed for Roanoke County, Virginia.
Roanoke CountyVirginiaNamed for the Roanoke River, named from rawrenok, an Algonquian word for wampum.
Roberts CountySouth DakotaNamed for S. G. Roberts, fur trader.
Roberts CountyTexasNamed for Oran Milo Roberts, 17th Governor of Texas.
Robertson CountyKentuckyNamed for George Robertson, judge and politician.
Robertson CountyTennesseeNamed for James Robertson, explorer, soldier and Indian agent.
Robertson CountyTexasNamed for Sterling C. Robertson, empresario during Mexican Texas.
Robeson CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Thomas Robeson, Revolutionary War soldier.
Rock CountyMinnesotaNamed for the Rock River.
Rock CountyNebraskaNamed for Rock Creek, which flows in the county; or the rocky condition of the soil in the area.
Rock CountyWisconsinNamed for the Rock River.
Rock Island CountyIllinoisNamed for Rock Island (now Arsenal Island) in the Mississippi River.
Rockbridge CountyVirginiaNamed for the Natural Bridge.
Rockcastle CountyKentuckyNamed for the Rockcastle River.
Rockdale CountyGeorgiaNamed for Rockdale Baptist Church in Conyers, Georgia.
Rockingham CountyNew HampshireNamed for Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, Prime Minister of Great Britain 1765–66 (and 1782).
Rockingham CountyNorth Carolina
Rockingham CountyVirginia
Rockland CountyNew YorkNamed for its rocky land.
Rockwall CountyTexasNamed for Rockwall, Texas, which was named after rock walls thought to be man-made but later found to be natural clastic dikes.
Roger Mills CountyOklahomaNamed for Roger Q. Mills, Confederate officer and Texas politician.
Rogers CountyOklahomaNamed for Clement Vann Rogers, Cherokee settler and rancher.
Rolette CountyNorth DakotaNamed for Joseph Rolette, fur trader and politician.
Rooks CountyKansasNamed for John C. Rooks, soldier in the U.S. Army during the Civil War.
Roosevelt CountyMontanaNamed for Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States 1901–1909.
Roosevelt CountyNew Mexico
Roscommon CountyMichiganNamed for County Roscommon, Ireland; itself named for Roscommon (Irish Ros Comáin, "Coman's wooded height.")
Roseau CountyMinnesotaNamed for Roseau Lake and Roseau River (from the French roseau, "reed", a translation of the Ojibwe Ga-shashagunushkokawi-sibi, "place of rushes river").
Rosebud CountyMontanaNamed for the Rosebud River, a tributary of the Stillwater River, named for its wild roses.
Ross CountyOhioNamed for James Ross, Pennsylvania Senator.
Routt CountyColoradoNamed for John Long Routt, the last Territorial and first State Governor of Colorado.
Rowan CountyKentuckyNamed for John Rowan, politician.
Rowan CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Matthew Rowan, acting governor of North Carolina 1753–54.
Runnels CountyTexasNamed for Hiram Runnels, Mississippi politician.
Rush CountyIndianaNamed for Founding Father Benjamin Rush.
Rush CountyKansasNamed for Alexander Rush, Union Army captain and Civil War hero.
Rusk CountyTexasNamed for Thomas Jefferson Rusk, political and military leader of the Republic of Texas.
Rusk CountyWisconsinNamed for Jeremiah McLain Rusk, 15th Governor of Wisconsin.
Russell CountyAlabamaNamed for Gilbert C. Russell, soldier.
Russell CountyKansasNamed for Avra P. Russell, Union captain and Civil War hero.
Russell CountyKentuckyNamed for William Russell, soldier, pioneer, and politician.
Russell CountyVirginiaNamed for William Russell, Revolutionary War soldier and settler.
Rutherford CountyNorth CarolinaNamed for Griffith Rutherford, Revolutionary War soldier.
Rutherford CountyTennessee
Rutland CountyVermontNamed for Rutland, Massachusetts, named in turn for the county of Rutland, England.

See also

References
  1. "Nance County". Archived 2008-08-19 at the Wayback Machine Nebraska Association of County Officials. Archived 2010-06-05 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  2. Huden, John C. (1962). Indian Place Names of New England. New York: Museum of the American Indian. Cited in: Bright, William (2004). Native American Place Names in the United States. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, pg. 312
  3. Byington, Cyrus (1909). Choctaw Language Dictionary. Global Bible Society.
  4. Kansas Place-Names, John Rydjord, University of Oklahoma Press, 1972, ISBN 0-8061-0994-7
  5. "Nevada County History". US Gen Web Project in California. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  6. Retrieved 2010-05-25 Archived 2009-02-06 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-05-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  8. "History of Ocean County". Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission. Archived from the original on 2007-03-10. Retrieved 2007-05-09.
  9. Historical Sidebar: New Mexico Counties Archived 2008-07-04 at the Wayback Machine, Viva New Mexico!, c. 1996. Accessed 2008-05-01.
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