HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > Canada


Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
  #1  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:12 PM
Acajack's Avatar
Acajack Acajack is offline
Unapologetic Occidental
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Province 2, Canadian Empire
Posts: 67,664
Origins and meanings of Canadian place names

I was thinking about starting this thread a few days ago, and the other thread on Did you know? brought it back in mind.

So, what are the origins of the place name of where you live (or of other places in Canada)?

What does the place name actually mean?
__________________
Amber alerts welcome at any time
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #2  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:14 PM
FFX-ME's Avatar
FFX-ME FFX-ME is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,053
Embrun was the name of the town in the French Alps that Embrun, ON's first priest originated from. Named the village after his home town, simple enough.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #3  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:21 PM
Laceoflight's Avatar
Laceoflight Laceoflight is offline
Montérégien
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Montréal, QC <> Paris, FR
Posts: 1,230
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu means what it means. Out of the 516 Saint-Something municipalities in the province, it's the largest... But the name was so common - lots of St-Jean in the province- that the town council added sur-Richelieu to it in 1978 in order to distinguish it from the village on Orleans island and... Saint-Jean (Saint John NB) and Saint-Jean de Terre-Neuve (St. John's NL). Richelieu stands for the river and indirectly for the Cardinal de Richelieu (a very odd character in French history).

Throughout history, it's first been called Masolian by the Abénakis, which meant "lots of silver". Then, Saint-Jean (because of the day the fort was inaugurated in 1666), St. Johns, Dorchester (obvious meaning - the man). During the French regime and until about 1790, the nickname of the place was Fort-aux-Maringouins (or "Fort Mosquito") because of well... haha. Our mascot during the Jeux du Québec was a huge maringouin called Moustique. Sadly the name didn't stick. Would have been fun.

Last edited by Laceoflight; Feb 8, 2018 at 9:45 PM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #4  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:28 PM
Acajack's Avatar
Acajack Acajack is offline
Unapologetic Occidental
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Province 2, Canadian Empire
Posts: 67,664
Quote:
Originally Posted by Laceoflight View Post
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu means what it means. Out of the 516 Saint-Something municipalities in the province, it's the largest... But the name was so common - lots of St-Jean in the province- that the town council added sur-Richelieu to the it in 1978 in order to distinguish it from the village on Orleans island and... Saint-Jean (Saint John NB) and Saint-Jean de Terre-Neuve (St. John's NL). Richelieu stands for the river and indirectly for the Cardinal de Richelieu (a very odd character in French history).

Throughout history, it's first been called Masolian by the Abénakis, which meant "lots of silver". Then, Saint-Jean (because of the day the fort was inaugurated in 1666), St. Johns, Dorchester (obvious meaning - the man). During the French regime and until about 1790, the nickname of the place was Fort-aux-Maringouins (or "Fort Mosquito") because of well... haha. Our mascot during the Jeux du Québec was a huge maringouin called Moustique. Sadly the name didn't stick. Would have been fun.

Has it ever been referred to as St-Jean-d'Iberville? I have some relatives in that area and in my family for some reason everyone's always called it that.
__________________
Amber alerts welcome at any time
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:29 PM
geotag277 geotag277 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,091
Regina SK's original name is "Pile O' Bones", from the Cree "oskana kâ-asastêki", due to buffalo bones being piled on the banks of a creek.

The Ontario city of Kenora was an amalgamation between Rat Portage and Keewatin, Norman, and gets it's name from the first two letters of each. Rat Portage as a name comes from the idea that it is a "portage to the country of the muskrat". Rat Portage itself was early on claimed by Manitoba, and apparently there are early references to Rat Portage, Manitoba. It was briefly officially part of Manitoba at Ottawa's behest for about 10 years until being passed over to Ontario control.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #6  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:39 PM
Echoes's Avatar
Echoes Echoes is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Posts: 4,230
Saskatoon is derived from the Cree noun misâskwatômina that refers to the berries that grow in the area.
__________________
SASKATOON PHOTO TOURS
2013: [Part I] [Part II] | [2014] | [2016] | [2022-23]
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #7  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:40 PM
SignalHillHiker's Avatar
SignalHillHiker SignalHillHiker is online now
I ♣ Baby Seals
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Sin Jaaawnz, Newf'nland
Posts: 34,641
In the early 1500s (and much earlier, they claim), St. John's was a seasonal fishing station used primarily by the Portuguese, named São João. St. John's is just the translation of that name - lots of myths have risen up crediting various English-speaking sources. None are accurate.

Newfoundland... no idea.

Brigus is my favourite in Newfoundland. It was Brickhouse, and just slowly became Brigus over the centuries.
__________________
Note to self: "The plural of anecdote is not evidence."

Last edited by SignalHillHiker; Feb 8, 2018 at 9:59 PM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #8  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:41 PM
Laceoflight's Avatar
Laceoflight Laceoflight is offline
Montérégien
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Montréal, QC <> Paris, FR
Posts: 1,230
Quote:
Originally Posted by Acajack View Post
Has it ever been referred to as St-Jean-d'Iberville? I have some relatives in that area and in my family for some reason everyone's always called it that.
Informellement only. As the town was named Saint-Jean "tout court", people would add the county after the name, in order to avoid confusion. My grandparents called it St-Jean-d'Iberville... Younger generations don't. I always thought of my hometown as having the blandest name out of the important places of the province.

Quote:
Regina SK's original name is "Pile O' Bones"
Regina should definitely be renamed to Pile O' Bones.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #9  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:41 PM
Xelebes's Avatar
Xelebes Xelebes is offline
Sawmill Billowtoker
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Rockin' in Edmonton
Posts: 13,817
All places I've lived:

Edmonton: (OE) "Farmstead of man so named as representing a rich helmet." So named because the chief factor hailed from Edmonton, UK.
Lynnwood: (OE, Scottish) "the wood of a lynn, stream or pool" So named because of a wooded dry stream that was once part of the ravine.
Meyonohk: (Cree) "A nice place to be" So named because the area used to be part of the Papaschase First Nation, a Cree Nation which was dissolved under they eye of the Interior Minister Frank Oliver.
Hazeldean: (OE) "A hill adorned with hazelnut trees" Perhaps of familial association to the original developer.
Rideau Place: (OE) "A congregation point for curtain waterfalls" Likewise.
Millboune: (OE) "Mound atop Mill Creek, creek so named for the large mill located above its mouth into the river" Literal
Hepburn: (OE) "High burial mound" Named for familial relations to the founders.
Devon: (Brythonic) "Deep Valleys" Likewise.
Saskatoon: (Cree) "At the serviceberry" Literal
__________________
The Colour Green
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #10  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:46 PM
Acajack's Avatar
Acajack Acajack is offline
Unapologetic Occidental
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Province 2, Canadian Empire
Posts: 67,664
Quote:
Originally Posted by Laceoflight View Post


Regina should definitely be renamed to Pile O' Bones.

Especially when you consider how the correct pronunciation of Regina causes a visible malaise among non-Canadian visitors.
__________________
Amber alerts welcome at any time
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #11  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:50 PM
Acajack's Avatar
Acajack Acajack is offline
Unapologetic Occidental
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Province 2, Canadian Empire
Posts: 67,664
Quote:
Originally Posted by Laceoflight View Post
Informellement only. As the town was named Saint-Jean "tout court", people would add the county after the name, in order to avoid confusion. My grandparents called it St-Jean-d'Iberville... Younger generations don't. I always thought of my hometown as having the blandest name out of the important places of the province.

.
Ahhh, now I get it.

It's like Saint-Raymond (de Portneuf). The real name is Saint-Raymond, but "de Portneuf" is often added to situate it within Quebec, and some people assume it's part of the name.

Ça prenait un "Johanois"(?) pour m'expliquer ça.
__________________
Amber alerts welcome at any time
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #12  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 9:52 PM
Laceoflight's Avatar
Laceoflight Laceoflight is offline
Montérégien
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Montréal, QC <> Paris, FR
Posts: 1,230
Quote:
Originally Posted by Acajack View Post
Ahhh, now I get it.

It's like Saint-Raymond (de Portneuf). The real name is Saint-Raymond, but "de Portneuf" is often added to situate it within Quebec, and some people assume it's part of the name.

Ça prenait un "Johanois"(?) pour m'expliquer ça.

Un Johannais ;-) Le plus proche exemple est définitivement Saint-Georges (-de-Beauce).
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #13  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 10:16 PM
Laceoflight's Avatar
Laceoflight Laceoflight is offline
Montérégien
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Montréal, QC <> Paris, FR
Posts: 1,230


I wonder who gave this name to a street in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, QC, and why ?
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #14  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 10:19 PM
Architype's Avatar
Architype Architype is offline
♒︎ Empirically Canadian
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: 🍁 Canada
Posts: 11,902
It seems more than half of the places in Quebec are named after saints. Those of us who aren't Catholic never even realised there were so many saints. Is there a possibility of such names being changed in future, as the religious influence fades?

https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.49506...4,10.37z?hl=en
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #15  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 10:27 PM
CanSpice's Avatar
CanSpice CanSpice is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New Westminster, BC
Posts: 2,157
New Westminster was named after Westminster by Queen Victoria in 1859. It was previously known as Queensborough or Queenborough.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #16  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 10:31 PM
Laceoflight's Avatar
Laceoflight Laceoflight is offline
Montérégien
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Montréal, QC <> Paris, FR
Posts: 1,230
Quote:
Originally Posted by Architype View Post
It seems more than half of the places in Quebec are named after saints. Those of us who aren't Catholic never even realised there were so many saints. Is there a possibility of such names being changed in future, as the religious influence fades?

https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.49506...4,10.37z?hl=en
Yep. 516 municipalities have "Saint(e)" somewhere in their name. There are 1287 municipalities in QC. Add to that the numerous : Notre-Dame (of-Something), Sacré-Coeur (of-Something), Assomptions, Ascensions, Annonciations, Presentations... Which all refer to events in the Bible... Then it gets out of proportion.

The worst of them all would probably be : Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Coeur-d'Issoudun. Why not only rename it Issoudun ? For example, the village where most of my family lives used to be Saint-Georges-d'Henryville. Today (and since 1991), it's only Henryville. Chartierville in Estrie is another example. I guess you'll see that a lot in the future.

Anecdote : there are so many villages named St-Something, that when I a kid, I thought the word "Saint" was necessary to name a village. I thought of it as a geographical mark of some sort.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #17  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 10:32 PM
geotag277 geotag277 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,091
New Westminster is also the rightful capital of British Columbia, and indeed, New Westminster should have annexed Vancouver a long time ago. It's almost a fluke that what we now today call "Vancouver" is not actually called "the New West metro area".
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #18  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 10:35 PM
Architype's Avatar
Architype Architype is offline
♒︎ Empirically Canadian
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: 🍁 Canada
Posts: 11,902
Quote:
Originally Posted by Laceoflight View Post
Yep. 516 municipalities have "Saint(e)" somewhere in their name. There are 1287 municipalities in QC. Add to that the numerous : Notre-Dame (of-Something), Sacré-Coeur (of-Something), Assomptions, Ascensions, Annonciations, Presentations... Which all refer to events in the Bible... Then it gets out of proportion.

The worst of them all would probably be : Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Coeur-d'Issoudun. Why not only rename it Issoudun ? For example, the village where most of my family lives used to be Saint-Georges-d'Henryville. Today (and since 1991), it's only Henryville. Chartierville in Estrie is another example. I guess you'll see that a lot in the future.

Anecdote : there are so many villages named St-Something, that when I a kid, I thought the word "Saint" was necessary to name a village. I thought of it as a geographical mark of some sort.
By the same token, I propose St. John's NL be renamed "Johnsville".
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #19  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 10:40 PM
SignalHillHiker's Avatar
SignalHillHiker SignalHillHiker is online now
I ♣ Baby Seals
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Sin Jaaawnz, Newf'nland
Posts: 34,641
Quote:
Originally Posted by Architype View Post
By the same token, I propose St. John's NL be renamed "Johnsville".
Yech.

I do wish we had kept Terra Nova, like on our first flag, as Nova Scotia did. But meh.
__________________
Note to self: "The plural of anecdote is not evidence."
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #20  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2018, 10:55 PM
Marty_Mcfly's Avatar
Marty_Mcfly Marty_Mcfly is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: St. John's, NL
Posts: 7,165
Quote:
Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker View Post
Yech.

I do wish we had kept Terra Nova, like on our first flag, as Nova Scotia did. But meh.
*Terra Nova and Labrador
Reply With Quote
     
     
This discussion thread continues

Use the page links to the lower-right to go to the next page for additional posts
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > Canada
Forum Jump


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 9:45 AM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.