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Etymology of place names in Los Angeles County, California

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

The names of places in Los Angeles County, California, have interesting stories behind them. Many of these names come from different languages and cultures, showing the history of the people who lived there. For example, some names are from Spanish or Native American languages, reflecting the area's rich past.

Learning about where place names come from helps us understand more about the history and culture of Los Angeles. It shows how different groups of people have influenced the area over time. By studying these names, we can discover fascinating facts about the people and events that shaped the region.

This list gives just a few examples of how places in Los Angeles got their names. Each name is a piece of the puzzle that tells us about the community's past. Exploring these names can be a fun way to learn more about the interesting history of Los Angeles County.

A-K

Many place names in Los Angeles County have interesting origins. The names often come from history, nature, or important people. For example, some names might come from rivers, mountains, or early settlers who lived in the area.

Place NameSource
Abbot Kinney BoulevardAbbot Kinney, founder of Venice, California
Aliso StreetNamed after the aliso, the old sycamore that stood at the entrance of Jean-Louis Vignes' winery
Alvarado StreetJuan Bautista Alvarado, Mexican Governor of Alta California
Baldwin Hills neighborhoodE. J. "Lucky" Baldwin, mining and real estate investor
Beaudry AvenuePrudent Beaudry, Los Angeles mayor
Bel-Air neighborhoodAlphonzo E. Bell, Sr., owner of the "Buenos Aires Ranch"
Brooklyn AvenueAfter Brooklyn, New York, in honor of the many Jewish Americans living in Boyle Heights at the time
Cahuenga Boulevard
Cahuenga Pass
Cahuenga, the Spanish name for the Tongva village of Kawengna, meaning place of the mountain
César E. Chávez AvenueCésar Chávez Mexican-American farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist
Crenshaw neighborhood
Crenshaw Boulevard
George Crenshaw, banker and real estate developer
Figueroa Avenue
Figueroa Street
José Figueroa, Mexican Governor of Alta California
Glassell Park neighborhoodAndrew Glassell real estate lawyer and owner
Griffith Park and Griffith ObservatoryGriffith J. Griffith, Welsh-American industrialist and philanthropist
Huntington DriveHenry E. Huntington, railroad magnate and business man

L-Z

This section lists the origins of place names in Los Angeles County from L to Z. Each name has a unique story behind it, often tied to history, nature, or culture. The details are shown in a table.

Place NameSource
La Brea AvenueLa Brea, the Spanish name for the oil fields near present-day Hancock Park, meaning tar
Lankershim BoulevardIsaac B. Lankershim, German-American landowner
Leimert ParkWalter H. "Tim" Leimert
Los Feliz neighborhood
Los Feliz Boulevard
Rancho Los Feliz, originally granted to José Vincente Feliz
Micheltorena StreetManuel Micheltorena, Mexican Governor of Alta California
Mulholland Drive
Mulholland Highway
William Mulholland, water-services pioneer in Southern California
Olvera StreetAugustín Olvera, early Los Angeles judge
Olympic BoulevardFormerly 10th Street; First referred to as Olympic Blvd in 1931 in honor of X Olympiad in 1932 (name change official in 1935)
Pico BoulevardPío Pico, last Mexican Governor of Alta California
Rosecrans AvenueWilliam Rosecrans, Civil War general and owner of Rancho San Pedro
Sepulveda Boulevard
Sepulveda Pass
Sepúlveda family
Sherman Oaks neighborhood
Sherman Way
Moses Sherman, land developer and streetcar line owner
Silver Lake neighborhood
Silver Lake Boulevard
Silver Lake Reservoir
Herman Silver
Slauson AvenueJ. S. Slauson, land developer
Tarzana neighborhoodTarzana Ranch, owned by the creator of Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tujunga neighborhood
Tujunga Avenue
From the Tongva term Tuyunga, meaning mountain range
from tu'xuu = old woman tu'xuunga = place of the old woman
Van Nuys neighborhood
Van Nuys Boulevard
Isaac Newton Van Nuys, businessman, banker and real estate developer
Vignes StreetJean Louis Vignes, French settler in Los Angeles who planted European grapes
Watts neighborhoodCharles H. Watts, real estate developer
Wilmington neighborhoodWilmington, Delaware, birthplace of founder Phineas Banning
Wilshire BoulevardGaylord Wilshire, land developer, publisher and outspoken socialist
Workman Street, Lincoln HeightsWilliam H. Workman, Los Angeles mayor

Related articles

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Etymology of place names in Los Angeles County, California, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.