Lenape NEW YORK PLACE NAMES
APAUQUE – IPIS – INK – place by the water, where there is a lodge covered with rushes –
now called Poughkeepsie
CANARSIE – a place fenced in by the ocean or KONOH – bear
CROTON – Ki – WIGH – TIG – NOCK or QUA – TUCK – ON or QUA – TU – ON – the boundary stream (stream that forms a boundary), now called Brooklyn
GOUWANE – SAKIMA (Chief) GOUWANE – sleep little – wakeful one
GOWANUS – GAUWIN – to sleep & ES- little – little sleep
KOWE – pine tree – now called Cow Bay
KAU – OMPSK – IC or KAU – P – SI – place where there are sharp rocks – now called Kapsee
MASPAETCHES – MECHT – PE – ES – IT – MASPETH – at the place of bad water (stagnant swamps)
MOSHOLU – MUSQUETANY – place of reeds/rushes (basis for the modern word mosquito)
MAHATTAN – MINNA – ATN – islands of hills, now called Manhattan
MAHIKANITUK – MASSA – great – MA & HIKAN – ocean (ebbing & flowing tide) ITTUK- river or like a river (means great river of ebb & flow) – GREAT OCEAN
MANACHAWIK – the home fenced in (WIK – wikwam)
N’AGHTONCK – L’ECKWA – sand & AUKE – place sand place – now called Rechtauk
(site of the Dutch slaughter of 1643)
NEPERHAM – NI – IPI – AN – the place where the land is between the waters,
now called Yonkers
ONGH – beyond the long point
PAPARINEMIN – making a false start (the tides ebb & flow twice as often as elsewhere) –
now called Spuyten Duyvil (Dutch)
QUINNAHUNG – QUINNE – long
RANACHQU – WANACHQUA or WANACHQUIWI – auke – end place, peninsula
RECHEWANIS – place near the sand, named after Sakima (Sachem) (Chief) Rechewac
RECHOUWACKIE – place of sands – now called ROCKAWAY
RECHQUAAKIE – the place of sands, now called Queens
SNAKAPINS –- SEAN – AUKE – PE – ING – river, land water place, land that is between
the river & water
SAPPOHANIKAN – HOBOKEN or HOBOKAN – place of the tobacco pipes
SAPOHANIKAN SAPPO – tobacco & HANIKAN – “plantation”
SHEPMOES – SEPUNK – to or into the river & ES – little brook into the river
SHORAKAPPOK – N’ASHAUE – KUPPI – OK – closed between place (land & winding water between the hills)
SHORA – KAP – OK – now called Inwood
WANAQUA – the end place-peninsula, now called Bronx
WIPOCHK – a bushy place – now called Werpoes
PATHWAYS
MECHAWANIEK – MECHAWA – ancient, ANI – pathway, ENK – place, now Kings Highway
SACK – ER – AH – SAHAIK – AHIK – the seashore, ANI – path (shore path) WECK – QUAES – GEEK– now Boston Post Road
Native American Heritage Programs© Carla J. S. Messinger, Director, Cultural Educator
E: lenapeprograms@gmail.com W: www.lenapeprograms.info V: 610.434.6819
Wm. Tooker – Indian Place Names of New York, 1911