The USA is a melting pot of global cultures. And this rich cultural diversity is on full display in the names of cities and towns all across the nation.
But which countries have had the most influence when naming the towns and cities across the USA?
It’s the question behind the latest study from the research team at Word Finder X. The study identified almost 1,400 locations in the USA and analysed the data to find the most common country that inspired the names of towns and cities in each state.
Foreign-Inspired Cities and Town Names in Every U.S. State
We see a strong German influence in several U.S. states, including Louisiana, Missouri, and Oregon. Then there’s Ohio, where you’ll find city names with a distinctly German flavour, such as New Bremen and Germantown.
Sitting on the northeast corner of the USA, New England spans six diverse U.S. states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. And, unsurprisingly, it’s where you’ll find a host of cities and towns inspired by English counterparts. There’s New London in Connecticut, Portsmouth in New Hampshire, and Massachusetts’ Boston, named after a small market town near the English East Coast.
English and Scottish-Inspired Town Names and Cities Across the U.S.
The English influence extends well beyond the northeastern states where Pilgrims first landed.
The great state of California has two cities named after English towns and boroughs. The first is Brentwood, a city in Contra Costa County, which takes its name from a small town in the London commuter belt.
The second is Westminster, the affluent Orange County city that shares the same name as the bustling London borough where tourists flock to see world-famous landmarks like Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street.
Driving Around the World in the State of California
Did you know it’s possible to do a tour around the world without leaving the state of California?
Just follow the route in this next chart. It marks out a journey circling the state, with stops in over 15 towns and cities with names inspired by places from every corner of the globe.
It starts in New Idria, named after one of Slovenia’s biggest cities, then takes you through towns named after cities in Australia, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, and Switzerland.
There’s even a quick stop in Timbuctoo. This modern-day ghost town is one of the most interesting locations on this California global road trip. Established in the early 1850s during the California Gold Rush, it was named after the famous city of Timbuktu in Mali, West Africa, because of its remote location and the miners’ dreams of striking it rich.
Around the World in New York State
Lastly, Word Finder X plotted an “Around the World” trip in the state of New York.
It kicks off in New Rochelle, a city in Westchester County named after a French port and then cuts through 25 locations inspired by foreign places.
The last leg brings you to Newburgh, a city on the Hudson River that takes its name from the Scottish capital.