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Locations in New Zealand with a Scottish name facts for kids

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This article is about places in New Zealand that have names from Scotland. Many Scottish people moved to New Zealand a long time ago. They often named new towns, rivers, and mountains after places they remembered from home. This helps us see the strong connection between Scotland and New Zealand.

You'll find some interesting names in New Zealand that mix Scottish and Māori words. For example, the Strath-Taieri area and the Ben Ohau Range of mountains combine words from both Scots Gaelic and Māori. The name Glentaki, near the Waitaki River, is another example of this mix.

Invercargill is a great example of a Scottish name. "Inver" means "river's mouth" in Scottish Gaelic. "Cargill" comes from William Cargill, an early Scottish settler. Many of Invercargill's main streets are even named after Scottish rivers, like Dee, Tay, and Clyde! Another interesting name is Inchbonnie, which combines words from both Lowland Scots and Scottish Gaelic.

North Island Names

Rothesay
Rothesay Bay Beach with Rangitoto Island in the distance in the Hauraki Gulf.
WellingtonPanorama
Panorama of Wellington including the Kelburn cable car.

Many places on the North Island have Scottish names. You can find them in big cities and smaller towns.

Auckland Area

Several suburbs around Auckland have Scottish names. These include:

Other North Island Places

Wellington Suburbs

The capital city, Wellington, also has suburbs with Scottish names:

South Island Names

Esk Street Invercargill NZ
Cnr of Esk and Dee Streets, looking up Esk st, one of the main shopping streets of Invercargill.
Glenorchy wharf
Looking at Lake Wakatipu from Glenorchy
RoxburghBridge
View of the Clutha River towards Roxburgh Bridge.
LeithValley, Dunedin, NZ
Upper reaches of the Water of Leith, Woodhaugh, Dunedin

The South Island has even more Scottish names, especially in the Otago and Southland regions.

Towns and Rivers

Mountains and Lakes

Many mountains and lakes also carry Scottish names:

Dunedin and its Suburbs

Dunedin itself is a Scottish name! It comes from Dun Eideann, which is Scottish Gaelic for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Many of Dunedin's streets are named after streets in Edinburgh, like Princes Street. Some of Dunedin's suburbs with Scottish names include:

Other South Island Features

Stewart Island (Rakiura)

Stewart Island
Satellite image of Stewart Island / Rakiura
Ulva Island rainforest
Temperate rainforest on Ulva Island
Oban Stewart Island
Overlooking Oban and Halfmoon Bay on Stewart Island

Stewart Island itself has a Scottish name. The largest town on the island is Oban, named after a town in Scotland. Other Scottish names here include:

Auckland Islands

These remote islands also have some Scottish names:

Images for kids

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Locations in New Zealand with a Scottish name Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.