List of Massachusetts placenames of Native American origin

The following list includes settlements, geographic features, and political subdivisions of Massachusetts whose names are derived from Native American languages.

Listings

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State

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Counties

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Settlements

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  • Acoaxet: (Narragansett) "at the fishing promontory" or "place of small pines"
  • Agawam: (Nipmuck or Pennacook) "low land" (with water) or "place to unload canoes" (possible portage spot)
  • Annisquam (and river)
  • Assinippi: (Wampanoag) "rocks in water"
  • Assonet River (also Cedar Swamp and village): (Narragansett) "at the rock" – the rock in question being Dighton Rock
  • Cataumet: (Wampanoag) "at the ocean" or "landing place"
  • Chicopee (also falls, and river): (Nipmuck) "violent water"
  • Cochituate: (Natick) "place of swift water"
  • Cohasset: (Natick) "long rocky place"
  • Cotuit: (Wampanoag) "long planting field"
  • Cummaquid: (Wampanoag) "harbor"
  • Hockanum: (Podunk) "hook"
  • Humarock: (Wampanoag) "shell place" or "rock carving"
  • Hyannis: (Wampanoag) name of a 17th-century chief, "Iyanogh's"
  • Jamaica Plain (and pond): (Natick) "beaver"
  • Manomet (and point): (Wampanoag) "portage place"
  • Mashpee: (Wampamoag) "place near great cove"
  • Mattapan: (Natick) "resting place" or "end of portage"
  • Mattapoisett: (Wampanoag) "resting place" or "edge of cove"
  • Merrimac: (Pennacook) "deep place"
  • Minnechaug: (Algonquian) "Land of Berries"
  • Nabnasset: (Nipmuck)
  • Nahant: (Natick) "the point" or "almost an island"
  • Natick: tribe; "the place I seek" or "home," "place," "clearing"
  • Nonquitt: (Narragansett) "dry or landing place"
  • Pocasset: (Natick) "where the stream widens"
  • Pontoosuc: (Mahican or Nipmuck) "falls on the brook"
  • Quissett: (Nipmuck) "at the place of small pines"
  • Sagamore: (Wampanoag) "chief"
  • Santuit: (Wampanoag) "cool water place"
  • Saugus: (Natick) "outlet"
  • Scituate: (Wampanoag) "at the cold spring or brook"
  • Seekonk: (Narragansett) "wild black goose" or (Wampanoag) "mouth of stream" or "wild goose"
  • Siasconset: (Narragansett) "at the place of many/great bones" (whales?)
  • Swampscott: (Natick) "place of red rocks"
  • Waquoit: (Wampanoag) "at the end"
  • Wianno
  • Woronoco: (Nipmuck) "winding about"

Bodies of water

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Other

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  • Great Sippewissett Marsh
  • Succanessett Point
  • Tantiusques: (Nipmuck) "black stuff between the hills"

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b Salwen, Bert, 1978. Indians of Southern New England and Long Island: Early Period. In "Northeast", ed. Bruce G. Trigger. Vol. 15 of "Handbook of North American Indians", ed. William C. Sturtevant, pp. 160–176. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution. Quoted in: Campbell, Lyle. 1997. American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pg. 401
  2. ^ "Nissitissit River Land Trust". nissitissitriver.org. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
  3. ^ Nashua River Wild & Scenic Study Committee (November 29, 2017). "DRAFT STEWARDSHIP PLAN" (PDF).

Sources

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