Allie Healy | ahealy@syracuse.com
How New York's 62 counties got their names
What's in a name? For these New York state counties, there is plenty of history behind each of their names. We asked numerous county historians how their county's title came to be. Some were named after prominent politicians and others honor Native American tribes.
Check out our list of 62 name origins for all of NY state's counties.
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Albany County
The county is named for the Duke of York and of Albany, who became James II of England.
Flickr photo by Francis Scott
Allegany County
Its name derives from a Lenape word, applied by European-American settlers of Western New York, to a trail that followed the Allegheny River.
Flickr photo from Internet Archive Book Images
Broome County
The county was named in honor of John Broome, who was lieutenant governor in 1806 when Broome County was established.
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Bronx County
The county was named after Jonas Bronck, an early settler of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. Here, he's signing peace treaty with the Native Americans in April 22, 1642.
Facebook photo from Enchanted Mountains
Cattaraugus County
This county was named a Seneca word meaning "bad smelling banks,” referring to the odor of natural gas which leaked from local rock formations.
Flickr photo by Joyce Freeland
Cayuga County
The county was named after the Cayuga tribe of Native Americans.
Flickr photo by Allie Gasser
Chautauqua County
Chautauqua is a word from the Iroquois, which may mean "bag tied in the middle/two moccasins tied together.”
Flickr photo from Lebatihem
Chemung County
Chemung is an Algonquin word meaning “big horn.” This originates from when Native Americans discovered large mammoth tusks along the Chemung River.
Flickr photo by Chris Stoddard
Chenango County
The county was named an Onondaga word meaning "large bull-thistle."
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Clinton County
This county was named after George Clinton, fourth Vice President of the United States and first and third Governor of New York.
The Associated Press
Columbia County
The county was named for Christopher Columbus, the European explorer.
Flickr photo from Internet Archive Book Images
Cortland County
This county was named for Pierre Van Cortlandt, the first Lieutenant Governor of New York.
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Delaware County
This county was named after Thomas West, the third Baron of De La Warr, and an early colonial leader in Virginia.
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Dutchess County
The county was named after Lady Anne Hyde, Duchess of York and wife of King James II of England.
Screenshot from YouTube
Erie County
The county gets its name from the Erie tribe of Native Americans.
Flickr photo from The British Library
Essex County
This county was named after the county of Essex in England.
Photo by Joseph Siffred Duplessis
Franklin County
The county gets its name from Benjamin Franklin, the early American printer, scientist, and statesman.
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Fulton County
This county is named after Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamship.
Flickr photo by Genesee County
Genesee County
The county gets its name from a Seneca phrase meaning "good valley."
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Greene County
Nathanael Greene, the American Revolutionary War general, influenced this county’s name.
Photo by David Lassman
Hamilton County
Alexander Hamilton, the early American political theorist and first Secretary of the Treasury, inspired this county’s name.
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Herkimer County
Battle of Oriskany hero General Nicholas Herkimer influence the name of this NY state county.
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Jefferson County
The county was named for Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States.
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Kings County
Kings County is named for King George III of England.
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Lewis County
Named for Morgan Lewis, governor of New York State at the time of incorporation in 1805.
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Livingston County
This county was named in honor of Chancellor Robert R. Livingston.
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Madison County
The county was named after U.S. Secretary of State James Madison.
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Monroe County
This county was named after James Monroe, the early American statesman and fifth President of the United States.
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Montgomery County
Originally Tryon County after colonial governor William Tryon, the county was renamed after the American Revolutionary War general Richard Montgomery.
Flickr photo by Bob Menak
Nassau County
In 1693, the Colonial Assembly named Long Island the "Island of Nassau.” After the three western towns of Queens County became part of New York City in 1898, the three eastern towns established a new county in 1899 and used the name Nassau.
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New York County
The county was named after King James II of England, who was Duke of York and Albany before he ascended the throne of England, Duke of York being his English title.
Photo by Gary Walts
Niagara County
The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra, meaning the strait or thunder of waters.
Photo by Mark Weiner
Oneida County
The name was chosen in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that lived in the area at the time of European exploration.
Photo by Michael Greenlar
Onondaga County
The name derives from the Onondaga tribe who lived in the area at the time of European contact. The word means “People of the Hills.”
Photo by Michael Greenlar
Ontario County
This county name comes from the Iroquoian word meaning “beautiful lake.”
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Orange County
The county was named for William of Orange, the king at the time that the county lines were drawn.
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Orleans County
This county was named in honor of the French Royal House of Orleans. Pictured here, Philippe II d'Orléans with his Protégée, Louis XV.
Photo by Gary Walts
Oswego County
The name Oswego originates from the Native American language of the Iroquois. One legend held that Chief Hiawatha, a spirit man and leader of the Iroquois Confederacy, influenced the name with his enchantment made by the endless view of expansive waters.
Photo by David Lassman
Otsego County
This county name comes from the Oneida or Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."
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Putnam County
General Israel Putnam, hero of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. One of the leaders at the Battle of Bunker Hill, he might have told his soldiers, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” There is some debate about who said it.
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Queens County
Named in honor of Catherine of Braganza, Queen of England and wife to King Charles II.
Flickr photo from Internet Archive Book Images
Rensselaer County
Named in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the early landholder in the Dutch New Amsterdam colony
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Richmond County
This county was named after Charles Lennox, First Duke of Richmond, and the illegitimate son of King Charles II of England.
Flickr photo by Jeff Bergman
Rockland County
The name is derived from “rocky land” as the area was described by early English and Dutch settlers.
Photo by Gary Walts
St. Lawrence County
The county is named for the St. Lawrence River which forms its border. The river is named after for the Catholic saint Lawrence of Rome.
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Saratoga County
The county name is derived from the Native American word "sah-rah-ka," or "Sarach-togue," meaning “the hill beside the river,” referring to the Hudson River bordering the county on its eastern side and the Mohawk to the south.
Flickr photo by Tom O'Donnell
Schenectady County
Schenectady was named by the Mohawk who lived in the area, derived from the word "skahnéhtati," meaning "over the pine plains."
Photo by Joed Viera
Schoharie County
The name of the county comes from a Mohawk word meaning "floating driftwood."
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Schuyler County
The county was named after Gen. Phillip Schuyler, one of prominent American generals of the American Revolution. He later served in the U.S. Senate.
Photo by David Lassman
Seneca County
This county was named after the Seneca tribe of Native Americans.
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Steuben County
The county is named after Baron Frederick Wilhelm von Steuben, a Prussian general, hired by General George Washington as Drill Master during the Revolutionary War.
Flickr photo from The British Library
Suffolk County
The county was named after county of Suffolk in England.
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Sullivan County
The county is named after American Revolutionary War General John Sullivan.
Flickr photo by Sally Neely
Tioga County
Tioga is derived from the Iroquois word, “Ta-Ya-o-Ga,” which meant “at the fork,” referring to the juncture of the Susquehanna and Chemung Rivers.
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Tompkins County
Named after Daniel Tompkins, the fourth Governor of New York, and served as Vice President under James Monroe. He used his own money to raise a state militia for the War of 1812 when the legislature refused.
Flickr | Creative Commons
Ulster County
The county is named after the Irish province of Ulster.
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Warren County
This county is named after Dr. Joseph Warren, who played one of the leading roles in the early days of the Revolution. He enlisted Paul Revere to warn the British were coming, and participated in the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
The Associated Press
Washington County
The whole territory of Northern New York was part of Albany County. Clashes over border lines occurred, and a new county was formed. It was named Charlotte County, in honor of the Queen. After the Revolution, Charlotte County was changed to Washington County by a legislative order.
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Wayne County
General “Mad” Anthony Wayne of Revolutionary War fame was called out of retirement by President George Washington to raise, train and lead an army. Wayne is the second most popular place name after Washington.
Donald King | The Associated Press
Westchester County
Thomas Pell settled the area, he called it West Chester, or westernmost camp of the New Haven Colony. When Yorkshire was divided into 12 counties in 1683, the British remembered the first permanent English settlement. The word "chester" is a direct descendant of the Latin castrum, "camp."
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Wyoming County
The County was first called "Marshall," in honor of Chief Justice John Marshall. At the insistence of local legislators, who preferred a Native American name, a law was passed which gave the County its present name on May 19, 1841.
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Yates County
This county was named after Joseph Yates, the eighth Governor of New York.
Thank you to our historians
A special thanks to the following historians who helped us with this list:
Craig Braack, Allegany County; Lloyd Ultan, Bronx County; Michelle Henry, Chautauqua County; Rachel Dworkin, Chemung County; Pat Evans, Chenango County; William Tatum, Dutchess County; Susan Perkins, Herkimer County; Jordan Walker, Jefferson County; Ron Schweiger, Kings County; Jerry Perrin, Lewis County; Amie Alden, Livingston County; Matthew Urtz, Madison County; Natalie Naylor, Nassau County; Catherine L. Emerson, Niagara County; Johanna Yaun, Orange County; Justin White, Oswego County; Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County; Michael Maloney, Schenectady County; Julie Morris, Schuyler County; Eleanor R. Silliman, Steuben County; Ned Smith, Suffolk County; Emma Sedore, Tioga County; Audrey Klinkenberg, Ulster County; Stan Cianfarano, Warren County; Loretta Bates, Washington County; Peter Evans, Wayne County; Patrick Raftery, Westchester County and Cynthia Amrhein, Wyoming County.
Pictured above: Matt Urtz, Madison County historian. Photo by John Berry.
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