After looking at towns with unusual names in “Most People Don’t Know The Meaning Behind These 15 Mississippi Towns,” we decided to take a look at the state’s counties. Of the 82 counties in Mississippi, there are several with names that are a bit on the strange side; here are 11 of the most bizarre.
- Issaquena County
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr Like many places in Mississippi, this county’s name has Native American roots. Issaquena is a Choctaw word that translates to “deer river.” Present-day Issaquena was occupied by the Choctaw people until 1820, when they were forcibly removed from the area.
- Itawamba County
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr This county was named after the Chickasaw chief, Itawamba Mingo. Known as Levi Colbert to English-speaking settlers, the influential leader acted as an interpreter and negotiator during the Indian Removal period in the early 19th century.
- Noxubee County
Jimmy Emerson, DVM.Flickr According to the Encyclopedia of Mississippi History, this county’s name is derived from the Choctaw word “nakshobi,” which means “stinking water.”
- Oktibbeha County
Jimmy Emerson, DVM.Flickr In the early 1800s, Choctaw Indians inhabited the land that is now Oktibbeha County. At the time, a creek formed a boundary between them and a nearby Chickasaw tribe. The creek was eventually named Oktibbeha, which in the Choctaw language means “icy water.”
- Sunflower County
WBUR Boston’s NPR News Station You’d probably assume this county’s name came about because of an abundance of sunflowers in the area, but that’s simply not the case. The county is actually named after the Sunflower River, which runs through it.
- Yalobusha County
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr Long ago, the area that is now Yalobusha County was inhabited by both the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes, so it should come as no surprise that its name is a Native American word. The meaning of Yalobusha is “tadpole place.”
- Tippah County
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr This county is named after the Tippah Creek, which runs through it. Tippah is a Chickasaw word, and it translates to “cut off.” The name most likely came about because the creek separated, or “cut off,” the western part of the region from the eastern portion.
- Tallahatchie County
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr Located in the Delta, Tallahatchie County was founded in 1833. It’s named after the Tallahatchie River, which is Choctaw for “river of the rock.”
- Tishomingo County
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr This county, which can be found in the northeastern portion of the state, is named after an early leader of the Chickasaw nation, Chief Tishomingo. And he didn’t get the name by chance; the literal meaning of Tishomingo is “warrior chief.”
- Yazoo County
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr Obviously, this county is named after the Yazoo River, but where did the river get its moniker? Well, according to legend, the name is an Indian word that translates to “river of death,” and it was chosen because members of the Yazoo Indian tribe marched into the river to their deaths after being defeated by the French.
- Amite County
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr Another county that shares a moniker with a body of water, Amite County is named after the, you guessed it, Amite River. So, where did the name Amite come from? It’s actually derived from the French word “amitiè,” which means “friendship.”
Were you aware of the meanings behind the towns listed above? What other oddly-named counties would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments section!
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
Like many places in Mississippi, this county’s name has Native American roots. Issaquena is a Choctaw word that translates to “deer river.” Present-day Issaquena was occupied by the Choctaw people until 1820, when they were forcibly removed from the area.
This county was named after the Chickasaw chief, Itawamba Mingo. Known as Levi Colbert to English-speaking settlers, the influential leader acted as an interpreter and negotiator during the Indian Removal period in the early 19th century.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM.Flickr
According to the Encyclopedia of Mississippi History, this county’s name is derived from the Choctaw word “nakshobi,” which means “stinking water.”
In the early 1800s, Choctaw Indians inhabited the land that is now Oktibbeha County. At the time, a creek formed a boundary between them and a nearby Chickasaw tribe. The creek was eventually named Oktibbeha, which in the Choctaw language means “icy water.”
WBUR Boston’s NPR News Station
You’d probably assume this county’s name came about because of an abundance of sunflowers in the area, but that’s simply not the case. The county is actually named after the Sunflower River, which runs through it.
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr
Long ago, the area that is now Yalobusha County was inhabited by both the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes, so it should come as no surprise that its name is a Native American word. The meaning of Yalobusha is “tadpole place.”
This county is named after the Tippah Creek, which runs through it. Tippah is a Chickasaw word, and it translates to “cut off.” The name most likely came about because the creek separated, or “cut off,” the western part of the region from the eastern portion.
Located in the Delta, Tallahatchie County was founded in 1833. It’s named after the Tallahatchie River, which is Choctaw for “river of the rock.”
This county, which can be found in the northeastern portion of the state, is named after an early leader of the Chickasaw nation, Chief Tishomingo. And he didn’t get the name by chance; the literal meaning of Tishomingo is “warrior chief.”
Obviously, this county is named after the Yazoo River, but where did the river get its moniker? Well, according to legend, the name is an Indian word that translates to “river of death,” and it was chosen because members of the Yazoo Indian tribe marched into the river to their deaths after being defeated by the French.
Another county that shares a moniker with a body of water, Amite County is named after the, you guessed it, Amite River. So, where did the name Amite come from? It’s actually derived from the French word “amitiè,” which means “friendship.”
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