As a result of former Spanish and, later, Mexican sovereignty over lands that are now part of the United States, there are many places in the country, mostly in the southwest, with names of Spanish origin. Florida and Louisiana also were at times under Spanish control, as were California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and portions of western Colorado. There are also several places in the United States with Spanish names as a result of other factors. Some of these names have retained archaic Spanish spellings.

Authenticity and origin

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Not all Spanish place name etymologies in the United States originate from the Spanish colonial period or from the Spanish language. Spanish-sounding place names are classified into four categories:

States

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Territories

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Counties and parishes

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Populated cities

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Cities

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A

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B

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C

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D

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E

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F

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G

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H

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I

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J

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K

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L

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M

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N

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O

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P

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R

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S

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T

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U

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V

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Y

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Z

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Native American reservations

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Census-designated places (CDP) and unincorporated communities

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Districts and boroughs

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Neighborhoods

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Towns and townships

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Villages

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Former settlements

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Historic places (still standing)

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Forts

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Missions

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Presidios

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Ranchos and Spanish lands

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Islands

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Natural places

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Bays and inlets

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Forest

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Mountains, hills, rock, ranges, caves and volcanos

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Regions

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This is not an exhaustive list.

Rivers and lakes

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Springs and waterfalls

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Valleys

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Wilderness, deserts and dunes

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Wildlife refuges and protected areas

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Parks

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Peninsulas

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Other

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Davis, Lucile (2003). The Caddo of Texas. Rosen Publishing. p. 5. ISBN 9780823964352.
  2. ^ Carvajal, Guillermo (January 13, 2014). El Desconocido Origen Español del Nombre de Ocho Estados de Norteamérica [The unknown Spanish origin of the name of eight States of North America].ABC. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  3. ^ Bright, William (2004). Native American placenames of the ... - William Bright - Google Libros. ISBN 9780806135984. Retrieved 2011-11-12.
  4. ^ Walter Romig, Michigan Place Names, p. 86
  5. ^ Walter Romig, Michigan Place Names, p. 187
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