kids encyclopedia robot

List of place names in Nebraska of Native American origin facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This is a list of Native American place names in the U.S. state of Nebraska. These include state, county, townships, cities, towns, and villages.

Main article: List of placenames of indigenous origin in the Americas

State

  • Nebraska - The name of the state is derived from an Omaha name meaning "flat water." In the Omaha language the name is Nibthaska; ni, water, and bthaska, flat.

Counties

Villages, towns and cities

  • Anoka - A Dakota Indian word meaning "on both sides."
  • Arapahoe
  • Birdwood - A translation of the Dakota name Ziŋtka-c̣aŋ Wakpala (False Indigo Creek). False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa), commonly grows along the stream and in Dakota is literally called "birdwood."
  • Battle Creek - Named after a nearby stream where Nebraska volunteer militiamen were prepared to fight a battle against the Pawnee Indians that never happened.
  • Barada - Named after Antoine Barada, a French-Omaha settler on the Nemaha Half-Breed Reservation.
  • Blackbird - Blackbird is the English translation of the name Wash-ing-guhsah-ba, or Chief Blackbird of the Omahas who lived and died in the vicinity.
  • Bone Creek Township, Butler County, Nebraska
  • Brule - Named after the Brule tribe of the Teton Sioux.
  • Council Creek Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  • Elkhorn Township, Dodge County, Nebraska
  • Fontenelle - Named after Omaha chief Logan Fontenelle.
  • Hyannis - Named after Hyannis, Massachusetts, which was named after Iyannough, a sachem of the Cummaquid tribe.
  • Iowa Township, Holt County, Nebraska
  • Kenesaw Township, Adams County, Nebraska
  • Leshara - Named after Chief Petalesharo.
  • Lodgepole - Named after a nearby creek that is named after a literal translation of the Dakota name, Tushu Wakpala.
  • Logan Township, Adams County, Nebraska
  • Logan Township, Antelope County, Nebraska
  • Logan Township, Buffalo County, Nebraska
  • Logan Township, Burt County, Nebraska
  • Logan Township, Clay County, Nebraska
  • Logan Township, Cuming County, Nebraska
  • Logan Township, Dixon County, Nebraska
  • Logan Township, Dodge County, Nebraska
  • Logan Township, Gage County, Nebraska
  • Logan Township, Kearney County, Nebraska
  • Logan Township, Knox County, Nebraska
  • Loup Ferry Township, Nance County, Nebraska
  • Loup Township, Buffalo County, Nebraska
  • Loup Township, Custer County, Nebraska
  • Loup Township, Merrick County, Nebraska
  • Loup Township, Platte County, Nebraska
  • Mankota - Mankota is from the Dakota Indian word Maḳaṭo, meaning "blue earth". Named for Mankato, Minnesota.
  • Minatare - From the Hidatsa word mirita'ri, meaning "crosses the water."
  • Monowi - Meaning "flower", this town was so named because there were so many wild flowers growing in the vicinity.
  • Nehawka - An approximation to the Omaha and Otoe Indian name of a nearby creek meaning "rustling water."
  • Nemaha - Named after the Nemaha River, based on an Otoe word meaning "swampy water."
  • Niobrara - The Omaha and Ponca word for spreading water or spreading river.
  • Oconee - Named for Oconee, Illinois. Oconee was the name of a Creek town.
  • Oconto - A Menominee word meaning the "place of the pickerel." Named for Oconto, Wisconsin.
  • Ogallala - named for the Oglala people.
  • Omaha - Named for the Omaha people who lived nearby
  • Oneida Township, Kearney County, Nebraska
  • Osceola
  • Ottercreek Township, Dixon County, Nebraska
  • Leshara. Named after Petalesharo, a Pawnee chief.
  • Platte Township, Buffalo County, Nebraska
  • Platte Township, Butler County, Nebraska
  • Platte Township, Dodge County, Nebraska
  • Pohocco - A precinct in the northeastern part of Saunders county, the name derives from Pahuk, meaning headland or promontory, the Pawnee name of a prominent hill in the vicinity.
  • Ponca
  • Quinnebaugh Township, Burt County, Nebraska
  • Red Cloud
  • Rosalie - Named for Rosalie La Flesche, a daughter of Omaha chief Joseph La Flesche.
  • Santee
  • Sappa Township, Harlan County, Nebraska
  • Saratoga Township, Holt County, Nebraska
  • Sioux
  • Skull Creek Township, Butler County, Nebraska
  • St. Deroin - A ghost town on the former Nemaha Half-Breed Reservation founded by a French-Omaha settler who was killed near his trading post along the Missouri River.
  • Tecumseh
  • Tekamah - Located on the site of a historic Pawnee village, the surrounding hills were used for burying grounds and the highest point was used as a fire signal station. The origin of the name is not definitely known.
  • Tonawanda - Named for Tonawanda, New York.
  • Unidilla - An Iroquois word meaning "place of meeting." Named after Unadilla, New York.
  • Venango - An eastern Native American name in reference to a figure found on a tree, carved by the Erie.
  • Waco - Named after Waco, Texas, which is the name of one of the divisions of the Tawokoni whose village stood on the site of Waco, Texas.
  • Wahoo
  • Weeping Water is a translation of the French "L'Eau qui Pleure", and has an interesting Native American legend connected with its name.
  • Winnebago
  • Wyoming - Derived from a corrupted Delaware word meaning "large plains" or "extensive meadows."
  • Wyoming Township, Holt County, Nebraska
  • Yutan - Named for an Otoe chief.

Natural features

Other places

See also

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of place names in Nebraska of Native American origin Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.