Indian Names In Louisiana

The following names are taken from a fascinating book "Louisiana Place-Names of Indian Origin" by William A. Reed, Ph.D. There's lots more in the book. If you're interested in this subject, I strongly suggest you go to your local library or bookstore and get a copy of this wonderful book.

ABITA, a town
From the Choctaw "Ibetap", meaning the source of water, or springs.

ACADIA, a region
Most probably from the Micmac (a nation in what is now basically a Canadian area) "acade", meaning a place where there is abundance.

ALABAMA, a river
From the Choctaw "alba", vegetation and "amo", to gather.

ATCHAFALAYA, a river
This word mean "long river" from the Choctaw "hacha" for river, and "falia" for long.

AVOYELLES, a parish (a "county" in other states)
Means people of the rocks in reference to a Native Nation.

BAYOU, a small river
From the Choctaw word for river, stream or lake, which is "bayuk". Some Louisiana bayous that still bear their original Indian names today are: Boudcau, Bushley, Funny Louis (originally fanilusa for "Black Squirrel"), Goula, Louis (meaning "Black"), Plaquemine Brule', Bistinwau, Bogue Chitto ("Big River") and Bougue Falaya (similar to Atchafalaya, "long river").

CALCASIEU, a river
From the Atakapa "katkosh", for Eagle, and "yok", to cry.

CATAHOULA, a parish in northern LA, and a town in southern LA)
From the Choctaw "okhata", meaning lake and "hullo", meaning beloved.

KISATCHIE, a national forest and a river
Derived from the Choctaw "kusha" and "hacha", meaning reed and river.

MANCHAC, a waterway off the western coast of Lake Pontchartrain)
The original Mobilian "imashaka" means rear entrance, and was probably mispronounced by the French.

MISSISSIPPI, a river
From the Algonquian "misi", great, and "sipi", water.

NATALBANY, a town and a river
In Choctaw, "nita" means bear and "bano" is an adjective meaning only. The Natalbany river had a dense bear population at one time.

PANOLA, a plantation
This is the Choctaw word for cotton.

PLAQUEMINE, a parish and bayou
From the Mobilian word "piakimin", which means persimmon.

TCHOUPITOULAS, a street in New Orleans and a French settlement outside of N.O. at one time
The name of an extinct Indian tribe.

WHISKEY CHITTO CREEK, a small river
Originally, the Choctaw words were "uski" for cane and "chito" for large. The full meaning is Big Cane Creek. This also applies to what we now call "Whiskey" River.

WINONA, a railroad station
From the Dakota word for first-born, "winona".

YUPON, an evergreen and a railroad station
This evergreen is found everywhere in Louisiana. The Catawba word "yopun", or "yop" means tree or shrub.

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