The Origins of Pennsylvania's 67 County Names Pennsylvania's

The Origins of Pennsylvania’s 67 County Names Pennsylvania’s the German “Lecha,”which comes Schuylkill, named for the Schuylkill from the Indian “Lechauwekind,” River ◆ Snyder, in honor of Governor Counties meaning “where there are forks” Simon Snyder ◆ Luzerne, in honor of the French ◆ Somerset, named for Somersetshire, Minister to the US, Chevalier de England ◆ Sullivan, in honor of Senator la Luzerne ◆ Lycoming, derived Charles C. Sullivan ◆ Susquehanna, from a Delaware Indian word named for the Susquehanna River meaning “sandy or gravelly creek” ◆ Tioga, named for the Tioga River ◆ McKean, in honor of Governor ◆ Union, allusion to the Federal Pennsylvania’s history is Thomas McKean ◆ Mercer, in honor Union ◆ Venango, comes from the of General Hugh Mercer ◆ Mifflin, Indian name for French Creek ◆ revealed in the names of in honor of Governor Thomas Mifflin Warren, in honor of General Joseph its counties. ◆ Monroe, in honor of President Warren ◆ Washington, in honor of James Monroe ◆ Montgomery, George Washington ◆ Wayne, in From former presidents for landowner Isaac Morris ◆ honor of General Anthony Wayne ◆ Montour, in honor of Madame Westmoreland, named for a county in to Native American Montour, a prominent woman of England ◆ Wyoming, named for the terminology and both Indian and French descent Wyoming Valley ◆ York, named either ◆ Northampton, was subsequently for the Duke of York, an early patron outstanding geological named for Northamptonshire, of the Penn family, or for the city and features, Pennsylvania’s England ◆ Northumberland, shire of York in England. probably named for the English county names are as county of the same name ◆ Perry, in honor of Oliver Hazard Perry, diverse as the citizens Created by the victor in the Battle of Lake Erie who live within their ◆ Philadelphia, the name signified House of Representatives Commonwealth of Pennsylvania boundaries. “brother love” to PA founder, and William Penn ◆ Pike, in honor of Capitol Visitor Services General Zebulon Pike ◆ Potter, in honor of General James Potter ◆ sstada02 Carbon, alludes to its deposits of of the eldest son of the French The Origins of anthracite coal ◆ Centre, refers to King ◆ Delaware, named for the Pennsylvania’s 67 its geological location at the center Delaware River ◆ Elk, for the of the state ◆ Chester, derives from herd of elk that used to roam the County Names Chesire, England ◆ Clarion, for the county ◆ Erie, named for Lake Clarion River ◆ Clearfield, named for Erie ◆ Fayette, in honor of the ◆ Adams, in honor of President Clearfield Creek ◆ Clinton, named Marquis de la Fayette ◆ Forest, for ◆ John Adams Allegheny, for the for NY Governor DeWitt Clinton ◆ its extensive forests ◆ Franklin, ◆ Allegheny River Armstrong, in honor in honor of Benjamin Franklin ◆ of General John Armstrong Color the Counties Fulton, in honor of steamboat ◆ Beaver, for the inventor, Robert Fulton ◆ Greene, Beaver River in honor of General ◆ Bedford, Nathaniel Greene named for Fort ◆ Huntingdon, ◆ Bedford Berks, named for its for Berkshire, county seat of ◆ England Blair, Huntingdon ◆ in honor of Indiana, named prominent citizen, for the Territory John Blair of Indiana ◆ ◆ Bradford, Jefferson, in honor second U.S. of President Attorney General Thomas William Bradford Jefferson ◆ ◆ Bucks, for Juniata, named Bucking-hamshire, for the Juniata home of the Penns River ◆ Lackawanna, of Pennsylvania named for the Lackawanna ◆ Butler, in honor of General Columbia, a poetic allusion to America River ◆ Lancaster, named for ◆ Richard Butler Cambria, named ◆ Crawford, in honor of Colonel Lancashire, England ◆ Lawrence, for Cambria Township of Somerset William Crawford, a frontier hero named for Perrys flagship, Lawrence ◆ County Cameron, in honor of ◆ Cumberland, for Cumberland ◆ Lebanon, named for old Lebanon ◆ US Senator Simon Cameron County, England ◆ Dauphin, the title Township ◆ Lehigh, derived from