List of place names of Spanish origin in the United States
As a consequence 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. There are also several places in the United States with Spanish names as a result to other factors. Some of these names preserved ancient writing.
Authenticity and origin
Not all Spanish place names in the United States originate from the Spanish colonial period. And in fact, not all Spanish-sounding place names in the country are really Spanish. Spanish-sounding place names can be classified into three categories:
• Colonial: Spanish names that were given in the Spanish colonial period, or adaptations of names originally given in the colonial period to the same place or to nearby related places. Example: Los Angeles, California, shortened from the original Spanish name of the settlement, El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula.
• Post-colonial: Spanish place names that have no history of being used during the colonial period for the place in question or for nearby related places. Example: Lake Buena Vista, Florida, named in 1969 after a street in Burbank, California.
• Non-colonial: Spanish place names in areas that were never under Spanish control adopted due to other processes. Salamanca, New York, named for a Spaniard connected with the railroad company that built the town, and Toledo, Ohio, named after the city in Spain because the Anglo settlers wanted to do so, are prominent examples.
• Fake: place names that look like they're Spanish, but are in fact grammatically incorrect modern inventions given by people who do not speak or understand Spanish, but who wanted a Spanish-sounding name. Example: Sierra Vista, Arizona, named in 1956, with the intended meaning of "mountain view." Idiomatic Spanish names with that meaning would be "Mirasierra" or "Miramonte." This is not to be confused with grammatically incorrect adaptations of colonial names, where a name that was used in the Spanish colonial period is adapted to English without regard for Spanish grammar.
• Non-Spanish in origin: A good example of this is Eldorado, Illinois, where it comes from two Anglo last names being run together.
States
- Arizona (either from árida zona, meaning "Arid Zone", or from a Spanish word of Basque origin meaning "The Good Oak")
- California (from the name of a fictional island country in Las sergas de Esplandián, a popular Spanish chivalric romance by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo)
- Colorado (meaning "Red [colored]" or "Ruddy". Named after the Colorado River, whose waters were of that color.)
- Florida Meaning "Flowery" or "Florid", because it was discovered by Ponce de León on Easter Sunday, called Pascua Florida to distinguish this holiday, which occurs in springtime when flowers are abundant, from other Christian holidays called Pascua in Spanish, such as Christmas and Epiphany.
- Montana (from montaña, meaning "Mountain")
- Nevada (meaning "Snowy", from Sierra Nevada, meaning "snow-capped range of mountains". Sierra means "a range of mountains,", literally "a saw," from Latin serra.
- New Mexico (Calqued from Nuevo México)
- Texas (based on the Caddo word teshas, meaning "friends" or "allies", which was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in East Texas). The letter x had a "sh" sound in 16th-century Spanish which gradually evolved to an "h" sound, which under later spelling reforms was assigned to the letter j (which originally also had a "zh", "j" or "y" sound). Thus the modern Spanish spelling Tejas, which sounds like "Tehas".
- Utah (Spanish word of Nahuatl origin, first used by friar Gerónimo Salmerón as Yuta or Uta in Spanish[1])
Territories
- Northern Mariana Islands (after queen Mariana, regent at the time)
- Puerto Rico (Spanish for "Rich Port")
- Virgin Islands of the United States (Christopher Columbus named the Virgin Islands after Saint Ursula y las Once mil Virgenes (in Spanish: Santa Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins), shortened to las Vírgenes (the Virgins))
Counties and parishes
This is not an exhaustive list.
- Alameda County, California ("Boulevard with Poplars")
- Alamosa County, Colorado ("Shaded with Poplars or Cottonwoods")
- Amador County, California (named for Jose Maria Amador, amador is the Spanish word for "lover")
- Angelina County, Texas (Spanish given name)
- Archuleta County, Colorado (Spanish surname)
- Atascosa County, Texas ("Boggy")
- Bandera County, Texas ("Flag")
- Bernalillo County, New Mexico
- Bexar County, Texas (Bexar is an ancient form for Béjar)
- Bosque County, Texas ("Forest")
- Brazos County, Texas ("Arms")
- Buena Vista County, Iowa
- Calaveras County, California (named after the Calaveras River; Spanish word for "Skulls")
- Chaves County, New Mexico
- Colusa County, California (from two Mexican land grants; Coluses (1844) and Colus (1845))
- Conejos County, Colorado (named after the Conejos River meaning "Rabbits")
- Contra Costa County, California ("Opposite Coast" in Spanish; in reference to its location in the San Francisco Bay Area)
- Costilla County, Colorado (named after the Costilla River, meaning "Little Coast" or "Rib")
- DeSoto County, Florida (named after the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto)
- De Soto County, Mississippi (named after the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto)
- De Soto Parish, Louisiana (named after the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto)
- Del Norte County, California ("Northern" in Spanish, also the northernmost county in California)
- Dolores County, Colorado (derived from "Nuestra Señora de los Dolores", Spanish name for Our Lady of Sorrows)
- Doña Ana County, New Mexico (Mrs. Anne)
- El Dorado County, California (From the mythical El Dorado, The Gilded One, significant to El Dorado County's importance in the California Gold Rush)
- Escambia County, Florida (named for the Escambia River, whose name comes from a Spanish word for "barter" or "exchange")
- Esmeralda County, Nevada ("Emerald")
- Fresno County, California (From Fresno Creek. In Spanish, fresno means "ash tree".)
- Hernando County, Florida (named after Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto)
- Hidalgo County, New Mexico ("Nobleman of the lowest grade")
- Hidalgo County, Texas
- La Paz County, Arizona ("Peace")
- La Plata County, Colorado (Called so for La Plata River (San Juan River), in Colorado. "The Silver Country")
- Las Animas County, Colorado (named after the Animas River, derived from Río de las Ánimas Perdidas, which means "River of the Lost Souls")
- Leon County, Florida (named for Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León; it is his surname, which means lion)
- Los Alamos County, New Mexico
- Los Angeles County, California (Spanish for "the Angels", from one of the 28 misiones founded by Fray Junipero Serra, Nuestra Señora de los Angeles)
- Madera County, California ("Wood" or "Timber")
- Maricopa County, Arizona
- Mariposa County, California ("Butterfly")
- Mendocino County, California (from Cape Mendocino, named probably for either Antonio de Mendoza or Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, viceroys of New Spain)
- Merced County, California (from the Merced River, a shortened version of the original name El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (River of Our Lady of Mercy); named in 1806 by an expedition headed by Gabriel Moraga)
- Monterey County, California (from Monterey Bay—the name is composed of the Spanish words Monte ("Hill") and Rey ("King"), historically because the viceroy of New Spain (Mexico) that supported the expedition of California, was from Monterey, Galicia, Spain)
- Mora County, New Mexico (Blackberry or Moor woman)
- Napa County, California
- Natrona County, Wyoming ("Natron")
- Nevada County, California ("Snowfall")
- New Madrid County, Missouri (called so after the Spanish capital Madrid)
- Nueces County, Texas (named after the Nueces River, meaning "nuts", derived from pecan nuts)
- Palo Alto County, Iowa - (of Spanish "tall stick"; It is named for the first battlefield victory in the Mexican-American War).
- Palo Pinto County, Texas ("Colored stick")
- Pinellas County, Florida (named after "La Punta de Piñal de Jimenez", which means "Jimenez's Point of Pines", after the entrance to Tampa Bay by Spanish explorers in 1757)
- Plumas County, California (for the Feather River. Plumas is the Spanish word for feathers.)
- Presidio County, Texas ("Presidio")
- Refugio County, Texas ("Shelter")
- Rio Arriba County, New Mexico ("Upstream", referring to the stream of a river)
- Rio Grande County, Colorado ("Big River")
- Sacramento County, California (from the Sacramento River, itself named for the Santisimo Sacramento (Spanish for Most Holy Sacrament), a reference to the Eucharist)
- San Benito County, California (in honor of San Benedicto (Saint Benedict); "Benito" is the diminutive of Benedicto)
- San Bernardino County, California (Saint Bernardino of Siena)
- St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana (called so after St. Bernard, the patron saint of Spanish colonial governor of Louisiana in 1780s Bernardo de Galvez).
- San Diego County, California (from the city of San Diego, itself named after Saint Didacus of Alcalá, or San Diego de Alcalá in Spanish)
- Sandoval County, New Mexico
- San Francisco County, California (from the city of San Francisco, itself named after Francis of Assisi (1181–1226), a Roman Catholic saint and founder of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans))
- San Jacinto County, Texas (for Saint Hyacinth)
- San Joaquin County, California (for Saint Joachim)
- San Juan County, Colorado
- San Juan County, New Mexico
- San Juan County, Utah (named after the San Juan River, meaning "St. John")
- San Juan County, Washington (named for Juan Vicente de Güemes, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo, Viceroy of New Spain)
- San Luis Obispo County, California (for St. Louis, the Bishop)
- San Mateo County, California (for Saint Matthew)
- San Miguel County, Colorado (from the San Miguel River in Colorado)
- San Miguel County, New Mexico
- San Patricio County, Texas (for Saint Patrick)
- Santa Ana, California
- Santa Barbara County, California (for Saint Barbara)
- Santa Clara County, California (for Saint Clare, for the Santa Clara Valley and the mission town of Santa Clara)
- Santa Fe County, New Mexico (Saint Faith)
- Santa Cruz County, Arizona
- Santa Cruz County, California (Spanish for "Holy/Sacred Cross")
- Santa Rosa County, Florida (named after Santa Rosa Island, which means "Saint Rose")
- Sierra County, California ("Mountain range")
- Solano County, California (the county derives its name directly from an Amerindian Chief, Chief Solano of the Suisun people, a Native American tribe of the region and Vallejo's close ally. The Chief was given the Spanish name Francisco Solano during baptism at the Catholic Mission, and is named after the Spanish Franciscan missionary, Father Francisco Solano. "Solano" is a common surname in the north of Spain, especially in Navarra, Zaragoza and La Rioja)
- Uvalde County, Texas
- Valencia County, New Mexico (Spanish city of Valencia)
- Val Verde County, Texas
- Ventura County, California (named after the county seat, the city of Ventura which is named after "Saint Bonaventure," a Catholic medieval mystic)
- Victoria County, Texas (Spanish family name, meaning "victory")
- Ysleta Mission, Texas ("Little Island")
- Zapata County, Texas (Spanish family name, "Espadrille")
Cities
This is not an exhaustive list.
A
- Agua Dulce, California (Literally "Sweet Water"; means "Freshwater")
- Alamosa, Colorado ("Of Cottonwood")
- Alba, Missouri ("Dawn")
- Albuquerque, New Mexico (after Alburquerque, Badajoz)
- Alhambra, Illinois (named after the Spanish palace of la Alhambra)
- Alhambra Valley, California
- Alameda, California ("Poplar Grove")
- Alamo, California ("Poplar")
- Alisal, California ("The Sycamores")
- Aliso Viejo, California ("Old alder")
- Alta, Iowa, a city in Buena Vista County, Iowa
- Altamont, California
- Altamonte Springs, Florida ("High Mountain" Springs)
- Alvarado, California (possibly named for the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado)
- Amador City, California (named for Jose Maria Amador; amador means "lover" in Spanish)
- Amarillo, Texas ("Yellow")
- Andalusia, Alabama (named after the Spanish region of Andalucia)
- Andalusia, Illinois ("Andalucia")
- Anna Maria, Florida (Juan Ponce de León was said to have named the island for the queen of Charles II of Spain)
- Arroyo Grande, California ("Large Creek")
- Atascadero, California ("Mudhole")
- Aventura, Florida ("Adventure")
B
- Bahia, California ("Bay")
- Bandera, Texas ("Flag")
- Bayo Vista, California
- Bexar, Alabama (after Béjar, Salamanca)
- Boca Del Mar, Florida ("Mouth of the Sea")
- Boca Pointe, Florida ("Mouth [inlet]")
- Boca Raton, Florida (from Boca Ratón: derives from the Spanish word boca [mouth], which was often used to describe an inlet/mouth of a river, while ratón (literally mouse) was used by Spanish sailors to describe rocks that gnawed at a ship's cable, or mouse was a term for a cowardly thief)
- Bonita, California (feminine form of "Beautiful" or "Pretty")
- Bonita, Louisiana
- Bonita Springs, Florida
- Brea, California ("Tar")
- Buena Park, California ("Good")
- Buena Vista, California ("Good view")
- Buena Vista, Michigan - named for the place where Zachary Taylor had recently won a victory in the Mexican–American War.[2]
- Buena Vista, Virginia
C
- Cadiz, Kentucky (named after the Spanish city Cadiz)
- Cadiz, Illinois
- Calabasas, California (from calabaza, "Squash")
- Calera, Alabama ("Limestone")
- Camarillo, California (way)
- Camino Tassajara, California (from camino "Road, Path")
- Canyon, California (taken from "cañón")
- Cape Canaveral, Florida (the name Cañaveral in Spanish means canebrake and was given to the area by Spanish explorers for the cane vegetation, or canebrake on the cape. The name translates as "Cape of Canes", or "Cabo Cañaveral")
- Carpinteria, California ("Carpentry")
- Casa Grande, Arizona ("Big House")
- Casas Adobes, Arizona ("Adobe Houses")
- Cerritos, California ("Little Hills")
- Cerro Gordo, Illinois ("Fat Hill")
- César Chávez Park, a city park named after César Chávez
- Chaparral Hill, California ("The place of dwarf oaks")
- Chico, California ("Small", derived from "Rancho del Arroyo Chico", meaning "Small Stream Ranch")
- Chino Valley, Arizona ("Curvy Valley")
- Chula Vista, California ("Beautiful View")
- Cinco Bayou, Florida ("Five Bayou")
- Colyell, Louisiana (received its name after of Francisco Collell, Spanish sub-lieutenant and Commandant of Galvez, Louisiana (in 1779). Probably was the mispronunciation of name which changed the spelling from "Collell" to "Colyell")
- Conejos, Colorado ("Rabbits")
- Contra Costa Centre, California (Opposite Coast)
- Cordova, Alaska (named after the Spanish city of Córdoba)
- Cortez, California
- Cortez, Colorado
- Coronado, California (crowned)
- Corona, California ("Crown")
- Corte Madera, California ("Cut Wood")
- Costa Mesa, California ("Mesa Coast")
- Coto de Caza, California ("Wildlife preserve")
- Cuba, Alabama
- Cuba, Missouri
D
- De Soto, Missouri (the city, organized in 1857, was named for the explorer Hernando De Soto, who claimed the Louisiana Territory for Spain)
- Delray, Michigan (from Del Rey, "of the King", Mexico)
- Delray Beach, Florida (named most immediately from Delray, Michigan)
- Dos Palos, California ("Two Sticks")
- Durango, Colorado (the city was named after Durango, Mexico)
E
- Ebro, Florida (named after the Ebro River area in Spain)
- El Cajon, California ("Drawer")
- El Capitan (Texas) (the captain)
- El Cajon, California ("The Big Box")
- El Centro, California ("The Center")
- El Cerrito, California ("Little Hill")
- El Dorado, Arkansas ("The Golden One")
- El Dorado, California (the Golden)
- El Dorado, Kansas
- El Monte, California ("The Mountain" or "The Meadow")
- El Nido, California ("The Nest")
- El Paso, Texas ("The Pass")
- El Paso, Illinois
- El Portal, Florida ("The big Gate", also can mean "The Portal")
- El Reno, Oklahoma ("The Reindeer")
- El Segundo, California ("The Second", second Standard Oil refinery on the West Coast located here)
- El Sobrante, California ("The surplus")
- Escalante, Utah (in honor of Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, Spanish missionary that explored Utah)
- Escondido, California ("Hidden")
- Española, New Mexico ("Spanish Woman")
- Estral Beach, Michigan ("Star")[3] (from (d)estral, "Small Hatchet")
F
- Fernandina, Florida (founded by Florida Spanish governor Enrique White in honor of the Catholic monarch Ferdinand VII of Spain).
- Fresno, California ("Ash Tree")
G
- Galvez, Louisiana (named after governor Bernardo de Gálvez)
- Galveston, Texas (named after governor Bernardo de Gálvez)
- Gaviota, California ("Seagull")
- Goleta, California ("Schooner")
- Gonzales, California
- Gonzales, Louisiana (named so after of mayor of this municipally, Joseph Gonzales)
- Gonzales, Texas (named so after of Rafael Gonzales, Governor of Mexican Texas between 1824 and 1826)
- Gordo, Alabama ("Fat, Big, Huge")
- Granada, Colorado (named after the city of Granada, Spain, itself Spanish for "pomegranate")
- Granada, Minnesota
- Guadalupe Mountains (named after Guadalupe, Cáceres, Spain)
- Guadalupe, Arizona
- Guadalupe, California
H
- Hacienda, California ("[Big] Farm")
- Havana, Arkansas (named after Havana, Cuba)
- Havana, Florida
- Havana, Illinois
- Havana, Kansas
- Havana, North Dakota
- Hermosa Beach, California ("Beautiful Beach")
- Hidalgo, Texas ("Nobleman of the lowest grade")
- Huachuca City, Arizona
I
- Iberia, Missouri (after Latin name of Iberian Peninsula (Spain & Portugal))
- Indio, California ("Indian")
J
- Jacinto, Nebraska
- Jacinto City, Texas (derived from a Spanish given name)
L
- La Blanca, Texas ("The White One")
- La Branza, California ("The Shackles")
- La Grulla, Texas
- La Habra, California
- La Homa, Texas
- La Jolla, California (a combination of a Spanish and a Luiseno word)
- La Jara, Colorado ("The Rockrose")
- La Joya, Texas ("The Jewel")
- Laguna Seca, Texas ("Dry Lake")
- Lajitas, Texas ("Little Flat Rocks")
- Lake Buena Vista, Florida
- La Mesa, California ("The Table")
- La Mirada, California ("The Look")
- La Plata, Missouri ("Silver")
- La Puente, California ("The Bridge")
- La Quinta, California ("The Farm")
- La Palma, California
- La Villa, Texas ("The Village")
- Laredo, Texas (named after the Spanish city of Laredo)
- Las Cruces, New Mexico ("The Crosses")
- Las Flores, California ("The Flowers")
- Laguna Woods, California ("small lake woods")
- Las Juntas, California ("Togetherness", "The Juntas of the community")
- Las Vegas, Nevada ("The Meadows")
- Las Vegas, New Mexico
- Lima, Ohio
- Llano Grande, Texas ("Great Plain")
- Lopezville, Texas
- Los Alamitos, California ("The Cottonwoods")
- Los Angeles, California ("The Angels", a shortened version of the original name Nuestra Señora Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncola, "Our Lady Queen of Angels of Porziuncola")
- Los Banos, California (from Los Baños, "The baths", as in hot springs)
- Los Ebanos, Texas ("The Ebony trees")
- Los Gatos, California ("The Cats", referring to the cougars that are indigenous to the foothills in which the town is located)
- Los Medanos, California ("The Sand Dunes")
- Los Osos, California ("The Bears")
M
- Madera, California ("Wood")
- Madrid, Alabama (named after the Spanish capital city Madrid)
- Madrid, Colorado
- Madrid, Iowa
- Madrid, Maine
- Madrid, Nebraska
- Madrid, New Mexico
- Madrid, New York
- Madrid, Virginia
- Manteca, California ("Lard")
- Marana, Arizona (derived from maraña, meaning "thicket")
- Maricopa, Arizona
- Maricopa, California
- Marina del Rey, California ("King's Navy")
- Mariposa, California ("Butterfly")
- Marrero, Louisiana (called in honor to Spanish American politician Louis H. Marrero)
- Martinez, California
- Matamoras, Indiana (named after the Mexican town of Matamoros ("kill the Moors"), which was the first to be occupied by U.S. troops during the Mexican–American War)
- Matamoras, Ohio
- Matamoras, Pennsylvania
- Mattos, California
- Mendocino, California (adjectival form of the family name of Mendoza)
- Merced, California ("Mercy")
- Mesa, Arizona ("Table")
- Mesa Vista, California ("Table view")
- Mexico, Missouri
- Miramar, Florida (named after a town in Granma Province, Cuba, it means "sea view" or "sea-sight". There is a village called Miramar in Valencia, Spain, where could lie the origins of all the cities in America with that name, as there are registries of the town before the year 1527.)
- Modesto, California ("Modest")
- Modesto, Illinois
- Monsanto, California
- Monte Alto, Texas ("High Mountain")
- Montecito, California ("Little Mountain")
- Monterey, California ("King's Mountain")
- Montevallo, Alabama
- Montevideo, Virginia, a city in the United States
- Montevideo, Minnesota, a city in the United States
- Mora, Minnesota (Blackberry or Moor woman)
- Moro, Oregon (Blackberry or Moor man)
- Moraga, California
- Moreno Valley, California
- Morro Bay, California (Morro Rock was named in 1542 by Portuguese navigator Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, who explored the Pacific Coast for Spain. Cabrillo called the rock "El Moro" because it resembled the head of a Moor, the people from North Africa known for the turbans they wore. However, the dictionary definition for the Spanish word morro ("pebble") is also consistent with the butte-like shape of the rock, and so the term morro is frequently used wherever such a distinctive rock-like mountain is found within the Spanish speaking world.)
- Murrieta, California (derived from a Spanish family name)
N
- Napa, California
- Nevada, Texas ("Snow-covered")
- New Iberia, Louisiana (named after Iberian Peninsula)
- New Madrid, Missouri (named after the Spanish capital, Madrid)
- Nogales, Arizona ("Walnut Trees")
O
- Ola, Arkansas (Wave)
- Oviedo, Florida (named after the Spanish city of Oviedo)
P
- Pacheco, California
- Palacios, Texas ("The Palace")
- Palo Alto, California ("Tall Tree")
- Palo Pinto, Texas
- Palos Verdes Estates, California
- Panama City, Florida
- Panama City Beach, Florida
- Panama, Iowa
- Paso Robles, California (shortened version of El Paso de Robles, which means "pass of the oaks"; named for the abundance of oak trees in the area)
- Perdido Beach, Alabama ("Lost")
- Pinellas Park (derived from Pinellas, meaning "pine forest")
- Plano, Texas ("Flat")
- Ponce de Leon, Florida (named after Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León)
- Ponce Inlet, Florida
- Port Angeles, Washington (from Puerto de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles)
- Portola, California (named after Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolà)
- Presidio, Texas ("Fort", "Penitentiary")
- Progreso, Texas ("Progress")
- Pueblo, Colorado ("Village")
- Punta Gorda, Florida ("Fat Point" or "Fat Tip")
R
- Rancho Cucamonga, California
- Rancho Palos Verdes, California (a shortened version of the Mexican land grant Rancho de los Palos Verdes which means "range of green trees")
- Rancho Santa Margarita, California
- Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego (a shortened version of the Mexican land grant Rancho Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos, which means "Saint Mary of the Little Cliffs")
- Rancho San Diego, California (named after San Diego de Alcalá, a Spanish Franciscan)
- Rancho Viejo, Texas (of Spanish old ranch)
- Raton, New Mexico (mouse)
- Refugio, Texas ("Shelter")
- Relampago, Texas ("Lightning flash")
- Rio Rancho, New Mexico ("Ranch River")
- Rio Vista, California ("River View")
- Rio Vista, Texas
S
- Sacramento, California ("Sacrament")
- Salinas, California ("Salt Ponds")
- Salamanca, New York (named for the Spanish executive of the railroad that built the place)
- San Antonio, Florida ("Saint Anthony")
- San Antonio, Texas
- Saint Augustine, Florida (originally San Agustín: Augustine of Hippo)
- Saint Augustine Beach, Florida
- San Juan Bautista, California
- San Bernardino, California ("Saint Bernardine")
- San Buenaventura, California (named after "Saint Bonaventure," a Catholic medieval mystic. The city is commonly known as "Ventura".)
- San Carlos, California, city in San Mateo County
- San Clemente, California ("Saint Clement")
- San Diego, California (named after San Diego de Alcalá, a Spanish Franciscan)
- San Fernando, California
- San Francisco, California ("Saint Francis")
- San Gregorio, California ("Saint Gregory")
- San Jacinto, California ("Saint Hyacinth")
- San Jose, California ("Saint Joseph")
- San Jose, Illinois
- San Juan, Texas
- San Juan Bautista, California ("Saint John the Baptist")
- San Juan Capistrano, California ("Saint John of Capistrano")
- San Leandro, California ("Saint Leonard")
- San Lorenzo, California ("Saint Lawrence")
- San Luis, Arizona ("Saint Louis")
- San Luis Obispo, California ("Saint Louis the Bishop")
- San Marcos, California ("Saint Mark")
- San Marcos, Texas
- San Martin Park, Lakewood, California, a city park
- San Mateo, California
- San Miguel, California ("Saint Michael")
- San Pablo, California ("Saint Paul")
- San Rafael, California ("Saint Raphael")
- San Ramon, California ("Saint Raymond")
- San Ramon Village, California
- San Simeon, California ("Saint Simeon")
- Santa Ana, California ("Saint Anne")
- Santa Barbara, California ("Saint Barbara")
- Santa Clara, California ("Saint Claire")
- Santa Clara, Texas, a city in Guadalupe County, Texas
- Santa Clara, Utah, a city in Washington County, Utah
- Santa Clarita, California ("Saint Claire")
- Santa Cruz, California ("Holy Cross")
- Santa Fe, New Mexico (Holy Faith)
- Santa Fe, Texas
- Santa Fe Springs, California
- Santa Nella, California
- Santa Margarita, California ("Saint Margaret")
- Santa Maria, California ("Saint Mary")
- Santa Monica, California ("Saint Monica")
- Santa Monica, Florida
- Santa Rita Park, California ("Saint Rita")
- Santa Rosa, California ("Saint Rose")
- Santa Rosa, Arizona
- Santa Rosa, New Mexico
- Santa Rosa, Texas
- Santo, Texas
- Sausalito, California (derived from Spanish word sauzalito, meaning "small willow grove")
- Secreta, California ("secret")
- Seville, Ohio (named after the Spanish city of Seville)
- Sierra Madre, California (after the mountain range dividing California and Nevada)
- Sierra Vista, Arizona ("Mountain View")
- Sobrante, California ("wealthy")
- Soledad, California ("Solitude")
- South El Monte, California
- Sunol, California (derived from a Spanish surname, Suñol)
T
- Tassajara, California (probably from tasajera or tasajara a kind of "slaughterhouse")
- Terlingua, Texas ("Three Tongues")
- Tiburon, California (of Spanish "Shark")
- Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico ("Yellow Land")
- Todos Santos, California ("All Saints", original name for Concord, California)
- Toledo, Ohio (named after the Spanish city of Toledo)
- Tucson, Arizona (derived from the Spanish word Tucsón)[4]
U
- Uvalde, Texas (called so after Spanish governor Juan de Ugalde)
V
- Vacaville, California ("Cow tow", called so after Juan Manuel Cabeza Vaca (1782-1856), who with Juan Felipe Pena received in 1843 the Rancho Los Putos Mexican land grant, which included the peak that now bears Vaca's name)
- Valdez, Alaska (derived from a Spanish family name)
- Valdez, Florida
- Vallejo, California (derived from a Spanish family name "Little Valley")
- Ventura, California ("Venture", "Luck", "Fortune", or "Happiness". Common name of San Buenaventura, California; Saint Bonaventure)
- Valle Vista, California (Valley view)
- Valparaiso, Florida ("Paradise Valley")
- Valparaiso, Indiana
- Valparaiso, Nebraska
- Victoria, Texas ("Victory", named after the first Mexican President Guadalupe Victoria)
Y
- Yorba Linda, California (hierba linda, "lovely grass")
Z
- Zapata, Texas (derived from a Spanish family name)
Amerindian Reservation
- San Felipe Pueblo, New Mexico
- San Felipe/Santa Ana joint use area, New Mexico
- San Felipe/Santo Domingo joint use area, New Mexico
- San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico (partly in Santa Fe County)
- Sandia Pueblo, New Mexico (partly in Bernalillo County)
- Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
- Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico (partly in Rio Arriba and Santa Fe Counties)
- Santo Domingo Pueblo (partly in Santa Fe County)
- San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, Arizona
- Santa Clara Indian Reservation, New Mexico
Bays and inlets
- Bodega Bay, California ("Wine Cellar")
- Castro Cove, an embayment of the San Pablo in Richmond, California
- Matanzas Bay, in St. Johns County, Florida
- Perdido Bay, in Perdido River, a designated Outstanding Florida Waters river, in Baldwin County, Alabama and Escambia County, Florida, United States ("Lost")
- San Carlos Bay (Florida)
- San Francisco Bay, California
- San Pablo Bay, California
- San Pedro Bay (California)
- Strait of Juan de Fuca, in the northwest
- Carquinez Strait, northern California
- Haro Strait, between the Strait of Georgia and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, in the northwest.
- Rosario Strait, in northern Washington state
- Santa Rosa Sound, Florida
Census-designated places and unincorporated community
- Aguila, Arizona, a Census-designated place in Maricopa County, Arizona (eagle)
- Almeria, Nebraska, an unincorporated community in Loup County, Nebraska
- Alta, California, small unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Placer County, California (tall in female)
- Alta, Indiana, a town in Vermillion County, Indiana
- Alta, Fayette County, West Virginia, an unincorporated community in Fayette County, West Virginia
- Alta, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, an unincorporated community in Greenbrier County, West Virginia
- Alta, Wyoming, a Census-designated place in Teton County, Wyoming
- Alto, California, census-designated place adjacent to Mill Valley in Marin County, California (tall in male)
- Alto, New Mexico, an unincorporated community in Lincoln County, New Mexico
- Arboles, Colorado, a Census-designated place in Archuleta County, Colorado (trees)
- Arena, California, an unincorporated community in Merced County, California (sand)
- Asuncion, California, an unincorporated community in San Luis Obispo County, California
- Cadiz, California, an unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California
- Camino, California, a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California
- Castro Valley, California, a census-designated place (CDP) in Alameda County (Valley of Castles. Named after soldier and rancher Guillermo Castro)
- Cedro, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Bernalillo County, New Mexico (Cedar)
- Cesar Chavez, Texas, census-designated place (CDP) in Hidalgo County, Texas
- Colonia, New Jersey, a census-designated place and unincorporated community within Woodbridge Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey
- Conejo, California, an unincorporated community in Fresno County, California
- El Rancho, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Santa Fe County, New Mexico (of Spanish The Ranch)
- Gallina, New Mexico, census-designated place in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico (hen)
- Gardnerville Ranchos, Nevada, a Census-designated place in Douglas County, Nevada
- Golondrinas, New Mexico, an unincorporated community in Mora County, New Mexico (the Swallows)
- Havana, Alabama, an unincorporated community in Hale County, Alabama
- Havana, Ohio, an unincorporated community in Huron County, Ohio
- Havana, Oregon, an unincorporated community in Umatilla County, Oregon
- Havana, Texas, a Census-designated place in Hidalgo County, Texas
- Havana, West Virginia, an unincorporated community in Boone County, West Virginia
- Isleta Village Proper, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Bernalillo County, New Mexico ("Little Island")
- La Blanca, Texas, a census-designated place in Hidalgo County, Texas (The white)
- Las Palmas-Juarez, Texas, a census-designated place in Cameron County, Texas
- Las Palmas, Stanislaus County, California, a small unincorporated town in Stanislaus County, California
- Las Trampas, New Mexico, or Trampas, is a small unincorporated town in Taos County, New Mexico (the traps)
- Laguna, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Cibola County, New Mexico (Small lake)
- Laguna Beach, Florida, a Census-designated place in Bay County, Florida
- Lagunitas, California, an unincorporated community in Marin County, California
- Lagunitas-Forest Knolls, California, a Census-designated place in the western half of the San Geronimo Valley in Marin County, California
- Lima, Pennsylvania, census-designated place (CDP) in Delaware County, Pennsylvania
- Lima (community), Wisconsin, an unincorporated community in Lima, Pepin County, Wisconsin
- Lima Center, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community in Lima, Rock County, Wisconsin
- Linda, California, a census-designated place in Yuba County, California
- Manzano Springs, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Torrance and Bernalillo counties, New Mexico (of Spanish Appletree Spring)
- Mariposa, California, an unincorporated area in California in and the county seat of Mariposa County, California (butterfly)
- Miranda, California, an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California
- Mora, Louisiana, unincorporated community in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana (Blackberry or Moor woman)
- Mora, New Mexico (also called Santa Gertrudis de lo de Mora), is a census-designated place in, and the county seat of, Mora County, New Mexico
- Mosca, Colorado, an unincorporated community in Alamosa County, Colorado (it was named for the nearby Mosca Pass, which was named for the Spanish explorer, Luis de Moscoso Alvarado).
- Naranja, Florida, census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida (orange)
- New Santa Fe, Indiana, an unincorporated community in Butler Township, Miami County, Indiana
- North Lima, Ohio, is an unincorporated community in central Mahoning County, Ohio
- North San Juan, California, a Census-designated place in Nevada County, California
- Ola, Georgia, an unincorporated community in Henry County, Georgia (Wave)
- Ola, Idaho, an unincorporated town in Gem County, Idaho
- Ola, South Dakota, an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Brule County, South Dakota
- Oso, Washington, a census-designated place in Snohomish County, Washington
- Pajaro, California, a Census-designated place in Monterey County, California (bird)
- Pajaro Dunes, California, a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, California
- Pajarito Mesa, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Bernalillo County, New Mexico (Little bird Mesa)
- Panama, California (formerly named Rio Bravo after the Spanish name for the Kern River, Rio Bravo de San Felipe), is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California
- Plumas Eureka, census-designated place in Plumas County, California
- Plumas Lake, California, master-planned exurb and census-designated place in Yuba County, California
- Plumas, Lassen County, California, an unincorporated community in Lassen County, California
- Ponderosa Pine, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Bernalillo County, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Sandia Village, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Sandoval County, New Mexico
- Quito, Mississippi,unincorporated community located in Leflore County, Mississippi
- Rancho Alegre, Texas, a Census-designated place in Jim Wells County, Texas (of Spanish cheerful ranch)
- Rancho Banquete, Texas, a Census-designated place in Nueces County, Texas (of Spanish Banquet ranch)
- Rancho Chico, Texas, a Census-designated place in San Patricio County, Texas (of Spanish Little ranch)
- Rancho de la Parita, Texas, a small unincorporated community in northwestern Jim Wells County, Texas
- Ranchos Penitas West, Texas, a Census-designated place in Webb County, Texas
- Rancho Santa Fe, California, a census-designated place in San Diego County, California
- Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Taos County, New Mexico
- Rio Rico, Arizona, a Census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, Arizona ("Rich River")
- Rio Verde, Arizona, a census-designated place in Maricopa County, Arizona (green river)
- Rodeo, California, a census-designated place in Contra Costa County, California (round up)
- Rodeo, New Mexico, an unincorporated community in Hidalgo County, New Mexico
- San Antonito, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Bernalillo County, New Mexico
- San Carlos, Arizona, an Census-designated place in Gila County, Arizona ("Saint Charles")
- San Carlos, Texas, community and census-designated place in Hidalgo County, Texas
- San Carlos Park, Florida, a Census-designated place in Lee County, Florida
- San Juan, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico
- San Martin, California, a census-designated place and an unincorporated town in Santa Clara County, California
- San Miguel, Contra Costa County, California, a census designated place of California
- San Miguel, San Luis Obispo County, California, a census designated place of California
- San Pablo, Colorado, an unincorporated community in Costilla County, Colorado
- Sandia, California, a Census-designated place in Imperial County, California (of Spanish watermelon)
- Sandia Park, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in in Bernalillo County, New Mexico
- Sandia, Texas, a Census-designated place in Jim Wells County, Texas
- Sangre de Cristo Ranches, Colorado, an unincorporated community located near Fort Garland in Costilla County, Colorado
- Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, a Census-designated place Sandoval County, New Mexico
- Santa Fe, Missouri, an unincorporated community in southeastern Monroe County, Missouri
- Santa Fe, Ohio, an unincorporated community located on the border of Clay Township in Auglaize County and Stokes Township in Logan County, in the west central part of the U.S. state of Ohio
- Santa Fe, Indiana, an unincorporated community in Butler Township, Miami County, Indiana.
- Santa Fe, Tennessee, an unincorporated community in Maury County, Tennessee
- Santa Maria, Texas, a Census-designated place, in Cameron County, Texas
- Seville, Florida, a unincorporated community in Volusia County, Florida
- Sierra Blanca, Texas, a census-designated place in and the county seat of Hudspeth County, Texas
- Toro Canyon, California, a census-designated place in Santa Barbara County, California ("Bull")
- Tortuga, California, a unincorporated community in Imperial County, California (turtle)
- Uvalde Estates, Texas, a census-designated place in Uvalde County, Texas
- Valencia West, Arizona, a Census-designated place in Pima County, Arizona
- Valencia, New Mexico, a Census-designated place in Valencia County, New Mexico
- Val Verde, California, a census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California
- Val Verde Park, Texas, census-designated place (CDP) in Val Verde County, Texas
- Vera Cruz, Missouri, an unincorporated community in central Douglas County, Missouri (called so after Veracruz, Mexico) .
- Villas, Florida, census-designated place in Lee County, Florida
- West Lima, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community in Bloom, Richland County, Wisconsin
- Yucatan Landing, Louisiana, unincorporated community in Tensas Parish, Louisiana
- Yucatan, Minnesota, an incorporated community in Yucatan Township, Houston County, Minnesota
- Yucatan, Missouri, an unincorporated community in Callaway County, Missouri
Forest
- San Juan National Forest, Colorado
- Santa Fe National Forest (part), New Mexico
- Sierra National Forest, in California, United States
- Plumas National Forest, California
- Rio Grande National Forest, Colorado (Big River)
- San Bernardino National Forest, in San Bernardino County, California
Former settlements
- Laguna, Imperial County, California, a former settlement in California, United States
- Oso, California, former settlement in Yuba County, California (bear)
- Plumas, Yuba County, California, former settlement in Yuba County, California (feathers)
- Rio Bravo (former settlement), California, former settlement in Kern County, California
- San Carlos, Inyo County, California, former settlement in Inyo County, California
- San Miguel de los Noches, California, former settlement in Kern County (Saint Michael of the Nights)
Historic places (still standing)
Forts
- Castillo de San Marcos, in Saint Augustine, Florida
- Fort Barrancas, Florida
- Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida
- Los Adaes, Texas
Missions
- Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas
- Diego Sepúlveda Adobe, California
- Las Flores Estancia, California
- La Purisima Mission, California
- Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, California
- Mission San Antonio de Padua, California
- Mission San Cayetano de Calabazas, Arizona
- Mission Santa Clara de Asís, California
- Mission Concepcion, Texas
- Mission Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi, Arizona
- Mission Santa Barbara, California
- Mission San Buenaventura, California
- Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, California
- Mission San Fernando Rey de España, California
- Mission San Francisco de Asís, California
- Mission San Francisco de la Espada, Texas
- Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, California
- Mission Santa Inés, California
- Mission San José (California)
- Mission San José (Texas)
- Mission San José de Tumacácori, Arizona
- Mission San Juan Bautista, California
- Mission San Juan Capistrano (Texas)
- Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, California
- Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, California
- Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia, California
- Mission San Miguel Arcángel, California
- Mission San Xavier del Bac, Arizona
- Nombre de Dios (mission), Florida
- San Antonio de Pala Asistencia, California
- San Estevan Del Rey Mission Church, New Mexico
- San Pedro y San Pablo Asistencia, California
- Socorro Mission, Texas
Presidios
- Presidio La Bahía, in Goliad, Texas
- Presidio San Antonio de Bexar, San Antonio, Texas
- Presidio of Santa Barbara, California
- Presidio of Monterey, California
- Presidio of San Diego, California
- Presidio of San Sabá, Texas
- Presidio of Sonoma, California
Ranchos
- Rancho El Alisal, in Salinas, Monterey, California
- Rancho San Antonio (Lugo), in San Antonio, Texas
- Rancho Calleguas, in Ventura, California
- La Habra, in Orange, California
- Rancho Posa de los Ositos, in Monterey, California
- Rancho San Rafael, in Los Angeles, California
- Rancho San Vicente, in Soledad, Monterey, California
Islands
- Alameda Island, California ("Poplar Grove")
- Alcatraz Island, California ("Pelican")
- Angel Island (California) (derived of his original Spanish name Isla de los Ángeles)
- Año Nuevo Island, Northern California ("New Year" Island)
- Asuncion Island, one of the Northern Mariana Islands
- Boca Chica Key, Florida ("Small Mouth" Key)
- Farallon Islands, in San Francisco, California (from Farallones: "High Cliffs")
- Farallon de Medinilla, an uninhabited small island in the Northern Mariana Islands (Medinilla ´s Rock)
- Farallon de Pajaros, also known as Urracas, a small uninhabited volcanic island, the northernmost island in the Northern Mariana Islands chain (Birds´ Rock or Magpies)
- Key West, Florida (Anglicized from Cayo Hueso: "Bone Cay")
- Key Largo, Florida ("Wide Key")
- Perdido Key, Florida ("Lost Key")
- Revillagigedo Island, Alaska (after Juan Vicente de Güemes, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo)
- San Juan Islands (Alaska)
- San Juan Islands, in the Washington state
- San Juan Island, the second-largest and most populous of the San Juan Islands, in Washington
- San Miguel Island, the westernmost of California's Channel Islands
- Santa Catalina Island, California
- Santa Cruz Island, California
- Santa Rosa Island, California
- Santa Rosa Island, Florida ("St. Rose" Island)
- Dry Tortugas, a group of islands in the Florida Keys in the United States (Dry turtle)
Mountains, hills, rock and volcanos
- Blanca Peak, a mountain in Colorado (White Peak)
- Dos Cabezas Mountains, in southeasternmost Arizona (Two heads)
- Caballo Mountains, New Mexico (Horse Mountains)
- Caja del Rio, a dissected plateau, of volcanic origin, which covers approximately 84,000 acres of land in northern Santa Fe County, New Mexico (box of the river)
- Canelo Hills, a range of low mountains or hills in eastern Santa Cruz County, Arizona (Brown Hills)
- Ciervo Hills, low mountain range in west Fresno County, California (Deer Hills)
- El Capitan, California, a rock formation (the Captain)
- Jemez Mountains, a volcanic group of mountains in New Mexico
- La Plata Mountains, small subrange of the San Juan Mountains in the southwestern part of Colorado (silver)
- La Sal Mountains, in Grand and San Juan County counties, Utah along the Utah/Colorado border (The Salt Mountains)
- Little Rincon Mountains, small range of mountains, lying to the east of the Rincon Mountains, at Tucson, Arizona ("Corner")
- Little San Bernardino Mountains, in California
- Mogollon Mountains, of the San Francisco River in Grant and Catron counties of southwestern New Mexico
- Mosquito Range, Rocky Mountains range in central Colorado
- Mosquito Pass, a high mountain pass in the Mosquito Range
- Mount Vaca, located in northern California (was named so for Juan Manuel Cabeza Vaca (1782-1856), who with Juan Felipe Pena received in 1843 the Rancho Los Putos Mexican land grant, which included the peak that now bears Vaca's name)
- Nacimiento Mountains, New Mexico, also called San Pedro Mountains (Birth Mountains or Saint Peter Mountains)
- Negro Mountain, Pennsylvania and Maryland, United States (Black Mountain)
- Palos Verdes Hills, California (Green Stick)
- Patagonia Mountains, a 15 mile long mountain range south of the Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona.
- Raton Pass - mountain pass on the Santa Fe Trail along the Colorado-New Mexico border in the United States (Mouse Pass)
- Rincon Mountains, mountain range east of Tucson, Arizona ("Corner", "Nook")
- Robledo Mountains, a mountain range in Doña Ana County, New Mexico just northwest of Las Cruces
- San Bernardino Mountains, high mountain range in Southern California
- San Emigdio Mountains, part of the Transverse Ranges in Southern California
- San Gorgonio Mountain, also known locally as Mount San Gorgonio, or Old Greyback, is the highest peak in Southern California and the Transverse Ranges (Spanish missionaries in the area during the early 17th century named the peak after Saint Gorgonius)
- San Jacinto Mountains, a mountain range east of Los Angeles in southern California
- San Juan Mountains, in southwestern Colorado
- San Luis Mountains, in Pima County, Arizona
- Sandia Mountains, New Mexico (watermelon)
- Sangre de Cristo Mountains , the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains. They are located in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico in the United States (Blood of Christ).
- Sangre de Cristo Range, called also the East Range locally in the San Luis Valley, is mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in southern Colorado.
- Santa Ana Mountains, a short mountain range near Santa Ana, California
- Santa Catalina Mountains, north, and northeast of Tucson, Arizona
- Santa Clara Volcano, a volcanic field and lava flow in southwest Utah.
- Santa Rosa Range, in northern Nevada
- Santa Rita Mountains, southeast of Tucson, Arizona
- Santa Rosa Mountains (California)
- Santa Ynez Mountains, west coast of North America
- Sierra Blanca (Colorado), a mountain range
- Sierra Blanca (New Mexico), a mountain range (White Mountain saw)
- Sierra Nevada, between the Central Valley of California and the Basin and Range Province
- Sierra Valley, in Plumas and Sierra counties, California
- Tejon Pass, a mountain pass, between the southwest end of the Tehachapi Mountains and northeastern San Emigdio Mountains (badger)
- Vaca Mountains, a mountain range in Napa County, California (was named so for Juan Manuel Cabeza Vaca (1782-1856))
- Valles Caldera National Preserve (part), volcanic caldera in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico (Boiler Valley)
Vacaville
Neighborhood
- Andalusia, Pennsylvania, historican neighborhood in Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Casa Linda Estates, Dallas, Texas (Cute house)
- Colonia, Oxnard, California (colony)
- Granada Hills, Los Angeles, California
- Laguna Honda (also called Forest Hill), San Francisco, California
- Las Palmas, Fresno, California, neighborhood (and former unincorporated community) in Fresno County, California
- Little Havana, neighborhood of Miami, Florida
- Little Mexico, neighborhood of Dallas, Texas
- San Carlos, San Diego, neighborhood in San Diego, California
- San Pedro, Los Angeles, neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles, California
- San Roque, California, residential neighborhood in Santa Barbara, California
- Santa Clara, Eugene, Oregon, a neighborhood in Eugene, Oregon
- Santa Fe, Oakland, California, a small neighborhood in North Oakland, California.
- Spanish Town, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, neighborhood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- The Castro, San Francisco, a neighborhood in San Francisco, California
- Valencia, California, neighborhood of Santa Clarita in Los Angeles County, California
- Valverde, Denver, a neighborhood in the City and Denver County, Colorado
Parks
- Alta Lake State Park, a park in the northwest interior of the state of Washington
- Dry Tortugas National Park - National park localized west of Key West, Florida
- Fort Verde State Historic Park, in Camp Verde, Arizona
- Louis H Marrero Park, in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana (founded in honor to Spanish American politician Louis H. Marrero).
- Mesa Verde National Park, in Montezuma County, Colorado
- Plumas-Eureka State Park, California state park located in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range in Plumas County, California
- Presidio of San Francisco, California (former Presidio and, at present, a park)
- San Juan Island National Historical Park, on San Juan Island in the state of in Washington
- San Pedro Springs Park, in San Antonio, Texas
Peninsulas
- Palos Verdes Peninsula, California
- San Francisco Peninsula, California
- Tiburon Peninsula, California (of Spanish "Shark")
Regions
This is not an exhaustive list.
- Cape Canaveral, Florida (Anglicized from Cabo Cañaveral)
- Gulf of Santa Catalina, between California and Baja California (Mexico)
- High Sierra Trail, in California, United States
- Llano Estacado, Southwestern United States, between the East of New Mexico and Northern Texas ("Staked Plain")
- Raton Basin, Colorado (mouse basin)
- San Andreas Fault, continental transform fault that extends roughly 810 miles (1,300 km) through California
- San Gorgonio Pass, a gap on the rim of the Great Basin between the San Bernardino Mountains to the north and the San Jacinto Mountains to the south
- San Gorgonio Wilderness, in the San Bernardino Mountains
- San Juan Basin, in the Southwestern United States
- Sangre de Cristo Formation, a geologic formation in Colorado.
- Santa Ana Canyon, California
- Santa Clara Valley AVA, California wine region in Santa Clara County
- Santa Maria Valley AVA, California wine region
- South San Juan Wilderness, Wilderness area located east of Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Rivers and Lakes
- Arroyo de la Laguna, California (Creek of the little Lake)
- Blanca Lake, Washington state (white)
- Bosque River, Texas (forest)
- Brazos River, localized between New Mexico and Texas (called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers (translated as "The River of the Arms of God")) (Arms River)
- Cadiz Dry Lake, nearby of Cadiz, California
- Caballo Lake, New Mexico (horse)
- Castro Creek, a creek in Richmond, California
- Green River (Utah) (the Spanish friars Escalante and Dominguez had originally named this river "Río Buenaventura" (Buenaventura River) in his expedition in Utah in 1775, but in the early nineteenth century, the Spanish and Mexicans named it "Río Verde", or Green River)
- Guadalupe River (California)
- Key Vaca, an island in the middle Florida Keys (cow)
- Laguna Blanca (California) (white little lake)
- Laguna Creek, Elk Grove, California (little lake)
- Laguna Creek (San Mateo County), a tributary of San Mateo Creek in San Mateo County, California
- Laguna Creek (Santa Cruz County), California
- Laguna Lake (California), a lake in northern California
- La Plata River (San Juan River), in Colorado (silver)
- Lobos Creek, a stream in San Francisco, California (wolves Creek)
- Matanzas River, Florida
- Maravillas Creek, Texas (wonders creek)
- Mora River, a river in northeastern New Mexico, tributary of the Canadian River (BlackBerry)
- Mosquito Lagoon, Florida
- Pajaro River, in California (Bird River)
- Patagonia Lake, between southwest of Patagonia, Arizona, and northeast of Nogales, Arizona
- Perdido River, localized between the states of Alabama and Florida (Lost River)
- Rio Grande, localized between the southwest of United States and Mexico (Big River)
- Salinas River (California) ("Salt mines")
- San Carlos Lake, Arizona
- San Fernando Creek, Texas
- San Juan River (California)
- San Miguel River (Colorado)
- San Pedro River (Arizona)
- San Sebastian River, a tidal channel which flows into Matanzas Bay, Florida
- Santa Ana River, the largest river in Southern California, flows through Santa Ana
- Santa Clara River (California), north of Los Angeles
- Santa Clara River (Utah)
- Santa Cruz River (Arizona), river in southern Arizona, and northern Sonora, Mexico, ("Holy Cross River")
- Spanish Lake (Ascension Parish), Louisiana
- Spanish Lake (Iberia Parish), Louisiana
- Spanish Lake, Missouri
- Tabasco Creek, Alaska
- Uvas Creek, river of California (grapes creek)
- Verde River, Arizona (Green River)
Springs
- San Marcos Springs, Texas
- San Pedro Springs, Texas
Streets and roads
This is not an exhaustive list.
- Avenida de loca Pulgas ("Avenue of the Fleas")
- Avenida de las Tiendas, San Diego, California ("Avenue of Shops")
- Camino Pablo ("Path of [Saint] Paul")
- El Camino Real (California) ("The Royal Road" or "The King's Highway")
- Marrero Road, localized between Ames Boulevard and Barataria Boulevard, Louisiana (named after Isleño American politician Louis H. Marrero)
- Rodeo Drive, famous shopping street in Beverly Hills, California (round up)
- San Fernando Road, a road that passes through San Fernando and the San Fernando Valley, California
- San Pablo Avenue, California ("Saint Paul Avenue")
- San Pedro Street, a major north-south thoroughfare in Los Angeles, California
- Santa Ana Freeway, a major freeway from Los Angeles to Santa Ana, California
- Santa Monica Boulevard, California (from Santa Mónica: "Saint Monica")
Town and Township
- Alta, Utah, a town in Salt Lake County, Utah (tall)
- Alto, Georgia, town in Banks, Habersham, and Hall counties in the U.S. state of Georgia
- Alto, Texas, a town in Cherokee County, Texas
- Armada Township, Buffalo County, Nebraska (Army)
- Blanca, Colorado, a Statutory Town in Costilla County, Colorado
- Camp Verde, Arizona, town in Yavapai County, Arizona
- Casa, Arkansas, town in Perry County, Arkansas
- Cadiz, Indiana, town in Harrison Township, Henry County, Indiana
- Canelo, ghost town in eastern Santa Cruz County, Arizona (brown)
- Castile (town), in Wyoming County, New York
- Del Norte, Colorado, a Statutory Town in and the county seat of Rio Grande County, Colorado (From North)
- Dolores, Colorado, Statutory Town in Montezuma County, Colorado
- Granada, Colorado, a Statutory town in Prowers County, Colorado
- Lima, New York, town in Livingston County, New York
- Lima, Montana, town in Beaverhead County, Montana
- Lima, Grant County, Wisconsin, a town in Wisconsin
- Lima, Pepin County, Wisconsin, a town in Wisconsin
- Lima, Rock County, Wisconsin, a town in Wisconsin
- Lima, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, a town
- Limon, Colorado, Statutory Town that is the most populous town in Lincoln County, Colorado (Lemon)
- Lobo, Texas, a ghost town in Culberson County, Texas (wolf)
- Mariposa Township, Saunders County, Nebraska (butterfly)
- Mexico, New York, town in the northeast part of Oswego County, New York
- Moro Township, Madison County, Illinois (Blackberry of Moor man Township)
- Panama, Oklahoma, town in Le Flore County, Oklahoma
- Patagonia, Arizona, a town in Santa Cruz County, Arizona
- Perla, Arkansas, town in Hot Spring County, Arkansas (Pearl)
- Rosa, Alabama, town in Blount County, Alabama (rose)
- Sandoval Township, Marion County, Illinois
- Santa Anna, Texas, a town in Coleman County, Texas
- Santa Clara, New York, a town in Franklin County, New York
- Santa Fe Township, Clinton County, Illinois
- Salamanca (town), New York, in Cattaraugus County, New York
- Seville Township, Michigan, in Gratiot County, Michigan
- Yucatan Township, Houston County, Minnesota
Valleys
- Conejo Valley, in region spanning both southeastern Ventura County and northwestern Los Angeles County, Southern California
- Sacramento Valley, portion of the Central Valley (California)
- Sacramento Valley (Arizona), between north-south trending valley west and southwest of Kingman in Mohave County.
- Salinas Valley, west of the San Joaquin Valley and south of San Francisco Bay and the Santa Clara Valley—Silicon Valley, California
- San Fernando Valley, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California
- San Jacinto Valley, in south western Riverside County, California
- San Joaquin Valley, area of the Central Valley (California)
- San Luis Valley, extensive high-altitude basin in Colorado with a small portion overlapping into New Mexico
- San Pedro Valley (Arizona), in western Cochise County, Arizona
- San Rafael Valley, in eastern Santa Cruz County, Arizona
- Santa Clara Valley, runs south-southeast from the southern end of San Francisco Bay in Northern California
- Santa Clarita Valley, part of the upper watershed of Santa Clara River in Southern California.
- Verde Valley, in central Arizona
Villages
- Armada, Michigan, a small village in Macomb County, Michigan
- Cadiz, Ohio
- Castile (village), Wyoming County, New York
- Hidalgo, Illinois, village in Jasper County, Illinois ("Nobleman of the lowest grade")
- Lima, Illinois, village in Adams County, Illinois
- Lima (village), New York, village in Livingston County, New York
- Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Panama, Illinois, village in Montgomery and Bond counties, Illinois
- Panama, Nebraska, village in Lancaster County, Nebraska
- Panama, New York, village in Chautauqua County, New York
- Roca, Nebraska (rock)
- San Pedro, New Mexico, a former village across the Rio Grande from San Antonio, New Mexico
- San Cristobal, a village in Taos County, New Mexico
- Sandoval, Illinois
- Santa Clara, New Mexico, a village in Grant County
- Seville, Ohio
- Spanish Lake community, Louisiana
- Tijeras, New Mexico (scissors)
Institutions and buildings
- Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, in Alcatraz Island, California
- Arizona Rancho, former hotel in Holbrook, Arizona
- Atalaya Castle (US), winter home of industrialist and philanthropist Archer M. Huntington and his wife, the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington, near the Atlantic coast in Murrells Inlet, Georgetown County, South Carolina (watchtower)
- Canelo Ranger Station, near Canelo, Arizona
- Conquistador Council, a Boy Scouts of America local council in New Mexico
- Granada War Relocation Center, a Japanese American internment camp during World War II, in Granada, Colorado
- Lagunitas Brewing Company, in California
- Palo Alto Plantation (Donaldsonville, Louisiana)
- Palo Alto Plantation (Palopato, North Carolina)
- Pajaro Valley Historical Association (PVHA) is a historical association of Pajaro Valley in Central California
- PARC (company) (Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated)
- Rancho Joaquina House, Mission Revival/Spanish Colonial Revival mansion in the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix, Arizona
- Santa Ana Star Center, New Mexico
- Santa Maria (building), a skyscraper in Miami, Florida
- Valencia (Ridgeway, South Carolina), historic plantation home. This is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in Fairfield County, South Carolina
Railroads and Metro station
- Camino, Placerville and Lake Tahoe Railroad, an 8-mile (13 km) Class III shortline railroad operating in the Sierra Nevada Mountains east of Sacramento, California
- Castro Street Station, a Metro station in San Francisco, California
- Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge heritage railroad
- Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad
- San Fernando (Pacific Electric), railroad from San Fernando to downtown Los Angeles
- San Pedro Street (Los Angeles Metro station)
Airport
- Laguna Army Airfield, a military airport in Arizona, United States
- Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County
- Sierra Sky Park Airport in Fresno, California
Churches
- El Santuario de Chimayó, Church in New Mexico
- San Francisco de Asis Mission Church, church located in the historic district of Ranchos de Taos.
- Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, church located in New Mexico
Theatres
- Castro Theatre, a movie theater in San Francisco, California
- Granada Theatre (Chicago), a Chicago-area theater
- Granada Theater (Emporia, Kansas)
- Granada Theater (Kansas City, Kansas)
- Granada Theater (Lawrence, Kansas)
- Granada Theater (Dallas, Texas)
- Granada Theater (Ontario, California)
- Granada Theater (The Dalles, Oregon)
- Granada Theatre (Chicago)
- Granada Theatre (Sherbrooke)
- Granada Theatre (Santa Barbara, California)
- Granada Theatre (Racine, Wisconsin), designed by J. Mandor Matson
Schools and Academies
- Bosque School, a preparatory school in Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Granada Hills Charter High School in California
- Granada Middle School in Whittier, California
- Ola High School (Arkansas), Ola, Arkansas (closed)
- Ola High School (Georgia), McDonough, Georgia
- Pajaro Valley Unified School District, in Watsonville, California
- Sandia Preparatory School, in Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Sandia View Academy, in Corrales, New Mexico
- Sangre de Cristo Seminary and School for Biblical Studies was incorporated in 1976 as a non-profit organization* Santa Catalina School, Monterey, California
- Santa Clara University, a private, co-educational Roman Catholic university on the grounds of Mission Santa Clara de Asís
- Val Verde Unified School District, in Moreno Valley, California and Perris, California
- Val Verde High School, in Perris, California
- Villa Maria is a former college in Erie, Pennsylvania.
- Villa Maria College is a college in Cheektowaga, New York
Others
- Acequia Madre de Valero (San Antonio) ("Irrigation canal «Mother of Valero»")
- Andalusia (Milledgeville, Georgia), estate
- Andalusia (estate), also known as the Nicholas Biddle Estate, in Pennsylvania
- Armada Road Multi-Family District, a U.S. historic district in Venice, Florida
- Blanca Wetlands, Area of Critical Environmental Concern, or Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area, is an area of the San Luis Valley in Colorado, United States, that serves as a refuge for birds, fish and other wildlife.
- Bogota, New Jersey, a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey
- Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
- Caballo, New Mexico (Horse)
- Canelo Hills Cienega Reserve, a protected area in Canelo Hills, Arizona
- Castillo, Texas (Castle)
- El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, New Mexico (part)
- Havana on the Hudson, nickname derived from the capital of Cuba, Havana, and the geographic proximity to the Hudson River to describe the northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey.
- Hidalgo, Kentucky
- Laguna Honda (Catron County, New Mexico)
- Laguna Honda (Cibola County, New Mexico)
- Las Palomas, a 501(c)(3) women's organization, based in Scottsdale, Arizona (The Pigeons)
- Mariposa, Rio Rancho, New Mexico, a master-planned community (butterfly)
- Miranda, South Dakota
- Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, in Colorado
- Raton Downtown Historic District, a Registered Historic District in Raton, New Mexico (mouse)
- Tabasco, New York, a hamlet in Ulster County, New York
- Valencia, Pennsylvania, a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania
- Valverde, New Mexico, the site of the Battle of Valverde during the American Civil War
- Villa Maria (Long Island), a landmark estate in Water Mill, New York.
See also
- List of English words of Spanish origin
- List of U.S. state name etymologies
- Lists of U.S. county name etymologies
- List of U.S. place names of French origin
References
- ^ What is a Ute?
- ^ Walter Romig, Michigan Place Names, p. 86
- ^ Walter Romig, Michigan Place Names, p. 187
- ^ Native American placenames of the ... - William Bright - Google Libros. Books.google.es. Retrieved 2011-11-12.