[Note:
Father Verwyst is a Franciscan missionary among the Chippewas of Wisconsin
and Minnesota. He is the author of Missionary Labors of Fathers Marquette,
Menard, and Allouez in the Lake Superior region (Milwaukee and Chicago,
1886), a valuable monograph. In a letter to me, dated Superior. WI, June
19, 1892, he says: "Please give due credit, in your introduction
to this list of names, to Vincent Roy, a Chippewa merchant of Superior;
to Antoine Gordon (Gaudin), of Gordon; and to M. Gurnoe, of Courte Oreilles,
a very intelligent Chippewa scholar, and for many years government Indian
interpreter, who kindly assisted me in this matter."--Ed.]
In
Bishop Baraga's system of Chippewa orthography, the letter a is pronounced
as in "father," or approximately as au in auger; e, as a in
"name;" i(short), as in win; i (long), as e in "seen;"
o, as in "lone;" j, as s in "sure;" g, as in "go"--never
hard, as in "general:" kw, as qu in "queen." There
is no u in Chippewa.
The
following list of geographical names in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan,
having a Chippewa origin, is by no means exhaustive: it might largely
be added to. Having no atlas or other work of geographical reference at
hand, I give only such as occur to me.
Ahnapee |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
- |
Corruption
of anin api (when), contracted into anipi (pr. ah-nah-pee). |
Aminicon |
- |
(river,
WI)
|
- |
Corruption
of aminikan (spawning ground). The syllable ing or ng is added to
such words, to designate the locative case, or locality. Thus, aminikaning
means to, at, or from the spawning ground. |
Aniwa |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
- |
Corruption
of aniwi (those). Aniwi (pr. au-nee-wee) or aniwa refers, as a prefix,
to superiority; e.g., aniwigabawi, he is taller than the rest; aniwakiso
aw mitag, that tree is taller than the rest. |
Ashippun |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
- |
Corruption
of ajiopan (decayed lungs). Aji (pr. ashee), means decayed; opan,
his lungs. |
Ashwaubenon |
- |
(creek,
WI)
|
- |
From
ashiwabiwining (place where they watch, or keep a lookout,--as for
enemies). [Note: See WI Hist. Coll., xi., p. 234, for Vieau's tradition
of the origin of the name.Ed.] |
Askeaton |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
- |
Corruption
of ashkiodon (raw mouth). Ashki (pr. ash-kee), raw; odon, his mouth.
Perhaps the place is named after some Indian of the locality, who
had a raw, or sore mouth. |
Bakagama |
- |
(lake,
WI)
|
-
|
Bakegama
(branch lake; i.e., a lake which is a branch or part of another, generally
of a larger, lake). Pr. bau-kai-gau-mau. |
Checagon |
- |
(lake,
MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of jigagong (skunk place), pr. shee-gah-gong. It is the locative case
of jigag (skunk), and means at, to, or from the place of skunks. |
Chequamegon |
- |
(bay,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of chagaouamigoung, the French method of spelling jagawamikong (pr.
shau gau-wau-me-kong), which mean s, a long, narrow strip of land
running into a body of water, such as a lake or bay. A legendary explanation
of the name will be found in my Missionary Labors, p. 18. |
Chippewa |
- |
(river
and county, WI)
|
-
|
Abbreviation
of the old Ojibway. The Chippewas call themselves Odjibweg.
Escanaba (river and town, MI)--Mr. Gurnoe says that the Indians of
the vicinity call the place Misconabe (pr. mis-co-nau-bai), from misko
(red), and nabe (man). |
Gogebic |
- |
(lake,
MI)
|
-
|
From
gogibic (diving place), pr. go-gee-beek. Gogi or kogi means, he dives
down; bic refers to a body of water. Some pronounce the word, Agogebic,
which means, a body of water hanging on high, --agosi or agode meaning,
he or it hangs. The lake in question is situated on a considerable
plateau, or elevation. |
Ishpeming |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Means
above, on high. |
Kalamazoo |
- |
(river,
county, and town, MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of kikanamoso (it smokes, or he is troubled with smoke e.g., in his
wigwam), pr. kee-kah-nah-mo-zo, or kee-kau-nau-mo-zo. |
Kanabec |
- |
(county,
MN)
|
-
|
Corruption
of ginebic (snake), pr. gee-na-bik. |
Kaukauna |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of okakaning, often shortened into kakaning (where they fish for pike,
or pike fishing grounds), pr. kau-kau-ning. |
Kegonsa |
- |
(lake,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of gigosensag (lake of small fishes), pr. gee-gosen-saug. Gigo is
fish; gigosens, a small fish; gigosensag, small fishes. |
Kenockee |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
From
ginok (he is long-legged), pr. kee-no-kee. |
Kenosha |
- |
(county
and town, WI)
|
-
|
Baraga
gives it as kinoje (pickerel or pike). Doubtless they were plentiful
in the waters there. |
Kewaskum |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Either
from washkamo (the road is crooked), pr. wash-cum-o; from giweskam
(his tracks are toward home), pr. kee-wai-skum; giwe means, he goes
home. |
Kewaunee |
- |
(county
and town, WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of kakiweonan (I cross a point of land by boat), pr. kah kee wai-onan.
Such a point of land is the peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan,
which is almost cut through by Sturgeon Bay. From kakiweonan we also
have Kewenaw (MI) and Keweena (WI), similarly situated on peninsulas
almost severed by water. |
Koshkonong |
- |
(lake
and town, WI)
|
-
|
Probably
a corruption of gwaskwaning (jumping), pr. gwash-kwau-ning. Some Indians
pronounce the syllable wa like o, so they might have pronounced the
word goshkoning. |
Mackinac |
- |
(island,
MI)
|
-
|
From
mikinak (a turtle), pr. mik-ee-nak. Refers to the general contour
of the island. Mackinaw is another form of Mackinac. |
Manawa
|
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
From
either minawa (adverb, meaning again); manea (it is scarce), pr. mau-na-au;
or manepwa (he has no tobacco, or, scarce of tobacco), pt. mau-naip-wau.
|
Manistique |
- |
(river,
lake, and town, MI)
|
-
|
From
manitigweia (crooked river), pr. mau-nee-teeg-wai-a. |
Manitowoc |
- |
(county
and town, WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of manitowag (spirit spawn). Pagan Indians imagined that spirits spawn
like fish. |
Mattawan |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of mittawang (sand). |
Mazomanie |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
From
mosominan (mooseberries), pr. mo-zom-ee-nan. |
Meeme |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Means
pigeon, or dove. |
Menominee |
- |
(river,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of manominig, or oumanominig, meaning wild-rice people; manomin means
wild rice, and manominike, he gathers wild rice. |
Mequon |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
From
miquan (a feather), pr. mee-gwaun. |
Michigamme |
- |
(lake
and town, MI)
|
-
|
From
michagami (a large body of water), pr mich-ah-gau-mee. |
Michigan |
- |
(lake
and state)
|
-
|
Probably
a corruption of the above. The Chippewas gave the name kitchigami
(pr. kee-chee-gau-mee) to Lake Superior, or other large bodies of
water. |
Milwaukee |
- |
(river
and town, WI)
|
-
|
M.
Gaudin says it is from minwaki (good land). In Chippewa, the letter
n is used instead of l, which latter is not found in pure Chippewa
words. Mr. Gurnoe derives Milwaukee from minewaki (a promontory),
pr. mee-nai-wau-kee. Such a promontory does project into the river
there, being known of old as Walker's Point. |
Minong |
- |
(Isle
Royale, Lake Superior)
|
-
|
The
Chippewa name for this island is pr. mee-nong, and means a good, high
place. |
Misha
Mokwa |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Means,
great bear. The word is used to designate a bear of extraordinary
size--the patriarch, as it were, of all bears. |
Missaukee |
- |
(county,
MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of missisaging (at the large mouth of a river), pr. mis-si-saug-ing.
Mishi or missi refers, in compound words, to largeness; and sauging
means, at the mouth of a river. |
Mississippi |
- |
(river)
|
-
|
Corrupt
form of mishisibi (large river), pr. mee-shee-see-bee. Misi, or michi,
is large, and sibi, river. The Chippewa also call it missisibi (pr.
mee-see-see-bee), and messisibi (pr. mes-sis-see-bee). They also say,
michisagaigan (large inland lake), pr. mee-shee-sau-gie-gan. |
Mosinee |
- |
(falls
and town, WI)
|
-
|
From
mosinig (moose), pr. mo-see-neeg. There were probably Indians at these
falls, in olden times, who were thus called from their tribal totem.
|
Mukwanago |
- |
(lake
and town, WI)
|
-
|
Perhaps
from mak-wanagong (bear-lair, or place where the bear lies), pt. mauk-wau-na
gong. |
Muscoda
|
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of mashkodeng (prairie). The French applied this name, corrupted into
Mascoutin, to a tribe of Indians on the upper Fox river, in Wisconsin,
because they lived in a prairie country. Muscatine, Iowa, is another
corruption. |
Muskego
and
Muskegon |
- |
(town,
WI)
(town, MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of mashkigong (the locative case of mashkig, and means at, to, or
from a swamp), pt. mush-kee-gong. |
Nahma |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
From
namé (sturgeon), pt. na mai. |
Namekagon |
- |
(river,
WI)
|
-
|
From
namekagan (sturgeon ground, or place of the sturgeons). |
Nashotah |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of nijode (a twin), pr. nee-sho-da. |
Nebagamain |
- |
(lake,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of nibegomowin (watching for game at night, in a boat). |
Necedah |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of nissida (let there be three of us), pr. nis-see-dah. |
Neebish |
- |
(island
and town, MI)
|
-
|
From
nibish (bad water). In the Ottawa, an inland lake is called nibish.
|
Negaunee |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of nigani (he walks ahead), pr. nee-gau-nee. |
Nekimi |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Mr.
Gurnoe thinks this a corruption of nikimin (wild-goose berry), pr.
nee-kee-min. Nika is goose, and min berry. These berries grow along
the shores of rivers and lakes, and wild geese feed on them. |
Nemadji |
- |
(Indian
name for Left Hand river, MN)
|
-
|
It
is generally supposed that nemadji means left hand, hence the English
name of the river, which is to the left as you enter Superior bay
through the eastern channel. Thus: namandji means left; namandjinik,
left arm; and namandjinindj, left hand. But Mr. Gurnoe says nemadji
comes from nemadjitigweiag (a river falling perpendicularly from a
considerable elevation). |
Noquet,
Bay de |
- |
(bay,
MI)
|
-
|
From
noke (bear totem), pr. no-ka. Indians lived on its shores, having
the bear as their totem. |
Oconomowoc |
- |
(lake
and town, WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of okonimawag (beaver-dam), pr. o-con-ee-mau-wag. There were probably
several beaver dams in the neighborhood. |
Ogema |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
From
ogima (a chief), pr. o-gee mau. |
Ogemaw |
- |
(county,
MI)
|
-
|
Also
from ogima. |
Okee |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
From
aki (land), pr. au-kee. |
Okemos |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of ogemans (little chief), pr. o-kee-mauns. |
Omena |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of o minan (he gives to him), pr. o-mee-nan. |
Onekama |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
From
onikama (an arm). |
Ontonagon |
- |
(river,
county, and town, MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of nandonagon (place where game is shot by guess--that is, not by
seeing it, but judging of its location from some noise or movement
in the brush). An incident of this kind, happening a few times to
an Indian, might induce him to give the locality this name. This seems
to be the true explanation of the name. In maps of the seventeenth
century, it is called Nantonagan. Bishop Baraga derives the word from
nind onagan (my dish), but I think the first explanation, given me
by Antoine Gaudin, of Gordon, WI, a smart half-breed, is the more
correct. |
Opechee |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Baraga's
orthography is opitchi (the American robin). |
Ossinike |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of assinike (he gathers stones). |
Ottawa |
- |
(towns,
MN, WI, and IL)
|
-
|
From
the name of the Indian tribe, which is derived from an obsolete word,
adattawag (trading people). Atawe, or attawe means, he trades, he
sells. In Bishop Baraga's Dictionary of the Otchipwe Language (Cincinnati,
1853), p. 332, other derivations are given. I give that of William
Whipple Warren, in his History of the Ojibways (MN Hist. Coll.,
v., p. 2l). Warren was a very intelligent half-breed Indian, and his
interpretation of Indian words is generally reliable. |
Outagamie |
- |
(county,
WI)
|
-
|
The
name given by the Chippewas to their ancient enemies, the Foxes. Baraga's
orthography is, odagamig, an adverb meaning, people living on the
other shore--of a river, or a lake. |
Ozaukee
and
Sauk |
- |
(county,
WI)
(county, WI)
|
-
|
Both
of them corruptions of ozagig (people living at a river mouth), pr.
o-zau-kee. |
Packwaukee |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of bagwaki (forest opening). pr. baug-wau-kee. |
Paw
Paw |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Chippewa
for papa, or father. |
Penokee |
- |
(range
of hills, and town, WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of opinikan (wild potato ground), pr. o pee-nee-kan. Corruption
of opinikan (wild potato ground), pr. o pee-nee-kan. |
Pensaukee |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of pindjsagi (inside the mouth of a river), pr. pindj-sau-gee. |
Petoskey |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
From
pitoskig (between two swamps), pr. pee tos-keeg. This is Mr. Gurnoe's
explanation. |
Pewamo |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
From
biwamo (the trail diverges). |
Pewaukee |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of nibiwaki (swampy), pr. nee-bee-wau-kee. The Indians frequently
swallow, as it were, the first syllable of a word, so that whites
often do not recognize that it has been sounded. So also, the former
use p and b, k and g, and t and d, indifferently. This leads to much
confusion in attempts at English phonetic spelling of Indian words.
|
Poygan |
- |
(lake
and town, WI)
|
-
|
Vincent
Roy, an intelligent Chippewa of Superior, WI, thinks the word a corruption
of opwagan (pipe), pr. op-wau-gan. Perhaps Lake Poygan may have some
resemblance to a pipe, of which the river is, as it were, the stem
and the lake the head. Indians are quick to notice such peculiarities.
|
Poy
Sippi |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of Bwan sibi (Sioux river), pr. bwaun-see-bee. Bwan is Chippewa for
Sioux, and sibi for river. |
Puckaway |
- |
(lake,
WI)
|
-
|
From
Bokawe (pr. bo-kau-wai), an Indian supposed to have formerly lived
on its shores. |
Saginaw |
- |
(bay
and town, MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of osaginang (place where the Sacs used to live). Osagig is Chippewa
for Sacs. |
Saugatuck |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
From
sagatagan (spunk or punk, used by Indians as tinder), pr. sau-gau-tau-gan.
|
Shawano |
- |
(lake,
county, and town, WI)
|
-
|
Baraga's
orthography is, jawanong (in the south). The French Chiouaonan, and
the English Shawnee, were corrupt forms of the same Indian word. meaning
southern people. |
Sheboygan |
- |
(county
and town, in WI; and river, county, and town. in MI)
|
-
|
From
jibaigan (any perforated object, as a pipe stem). |
Shiocton |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of ajeatan (it floats up stream,--by force of wind), pr. au-shai-au-taun.
|
Siskowit |
- |
(lake,
WI)
|
-
|
From
siskawit (very fat lake trout). |
Skanes |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of eshkani (horn river), pr. ai-shkan-ee. |
Suamico
and
Little Suamico |
- |
(town,
WI)
(river, WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of ossawamigong (place of the yellow beaver). |
Tawas |
- |
(lake,
MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of Ottawas. Tawas was the name of an Indian chief. |
Tekonsha |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of attikonsan (little caribou, or rein-deer), pr. at-tik-on-saun.
Attik is reindeer; attikon is the diminutive form; attikonsan is plural.
|
Totogatic |
- |
(river,
WI)
|
-
|
Means
boggy river. Totogan is a bog. |
Wahjamega |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Baraga
gives the original as wajamika (fish-hole, a depression in a lake
or river, where fish collect), pr. wau-jau-mee-ka. |
Waneka |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
-
|
Means,
he digs a hole. |
Waubesa |
- |
(lake,
WI)
|
-
|
Corruption
of wabisi (swan lake), pr. wau-bee-see. |
Waucedah |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
-
|
Perhaps
derived from wassiti, (it reflects light), pr. wau-see-dai. |
Waugoshance |
- |
(island,
MI)
|
-
|
Means,
a small fox. |
Waukegan |
- |
(town,
IL)
|
|
From
waukaigan (house). |
Waukesha |
- |
(county
and town, WI)
|
|
Corruption
of wagoshag (foxes), pr. wah-go-shag. Either there were many
foxes there, or the Indians of the district had the fox for their
totem. |
Waunakee |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
|
Baraga's
orthography is wanaki, the pronunciation being the same. It means,
he has peace, or he lives in peace. |
Waupun |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
|
Corruption
of waban (east), pr. wan-ban. |
Wausau |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
|
Corruption
of wassa (far away), pr. waus-sau. |
Wausaukee |
- |
(river,
WI)
|
|
Corruption
of awassaki (over, or beyond the hill), from au-waus-sau-kee. |
Wauwatosa |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
|
Corruption
of wewatessi (firefly), pr. wai-wau-tais-see. |
We-que-ton-sing |
- |
(town,
MI)
|
|
From
wikwedonsing (at the little bay), pr. wee-que-don-sing. Wikwed means
bay; wikwedons is the diminutive. |
Weyauwega |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
|
Corruption
of ouiawikan (he embodies it. or makes it his body), pt. o-wee-au-wee-kan.
Probably some Indian legend is attached to the place, which gave it
the name. Menabosho, the great Algonkin demigod, used to assume different
shapes. |
Winnebago |
- |
(lake.
WI)
|
|
Named
from the Indian tribe. A corruption of winnibigoug (dirty-water people).
Winnipeg, in Manitoba, is the same word, modified. In Chippewa, winnibi
(pr. wee-nee-bee), is dirty water. |
Winneconne |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
|
From
winikaning (a dirty place), pr. wee-nee-kau-ning. The syllable win
refers to any thing unclean. There is a deal of mud on the fiats around
Winneconne. |
Winnibigoshish |
- |
(lake,
MN)
|
|
Means
bad, dirty-water lake. Win, is dirty; nibi, water; big or bic, refers
to bodies of water; oshish is a term of contempt--miserable, bad.
|
Wisconsin |
- |
(river
and state)
|
|
A.
Gaudin says it means, muskrat house. But this is doubtful. I have
not found two Indians to agree on the meaning of this word. |
Wonewoc |
- |
(town,
WI)
|
|
Corruption
of wonowag (they howl,--e. g., wolves). pr. wo.no-waug. |
|