FAMILIAR INDIAN PLACE NAMES IN RHODE ISLAND

By County and Town, City & Place

Source: T. W. Bicknell, LL.D. ~ History of the State of Rhode Island, 1920

BRISTOL COUNTY
BARRINGTON:
AnnawomscutBay side of West Barrington.
ChachacustNew Meadow Neck; Hampden Meadows.
ChachapacassettRumstick.
MosskituashA creek flowing southerly into Bullock's Cove.
MouscochuckA creek, north of Nayatt, flowing west into Bay.
NayattAt S. W. point of town, projecting into Bay.
NockumA little hill west of Hundred Acre Cove.
PopanamscuttPeninsula between Sowams or Barrington river on the east and the Bay on the west; also
called Peebe's Neck.
ScamscammuckA spring at Rumstick.
SowamsName of town; home of Massasoit, 1620; also name of north end of bay.
WannainoisettName of N. W. part of Barrington, 1717-1747, on Providence river.

BRISTOL:
Consumpsit NeckIndian name of Bristol.
ChessawannockHog Island in Bristol harbor.
MontaupMount Hope.
PoppasquashThe land between Bristol harbor and Narragansett Bay.

WARREN:
KickemuitRiver and spring in East Warren.
TouissettA neck of land, part in Warren, part in Swansea.

KENT COUNTY
COVENTRY:
MishnockA tributary of the Pawtuxet; also a swamp.
MoosupA tributary of the Thames in Conn.
PawtuxetA river flowing east into Providence river.
QuidnickA factory village, a river and a pond.
TiogueA reservoir.

EAST GREENWICH:
MaskacaugA small river.
PotowomutA peninsula at mouth of Potowomut river, and south of Greenwich Bay.

WEST GREENWICH:
EscoheagA hill, 541 feet, west part of town; the source of three rivers.
MishnockA pond and swamp.

WARWICK:
ApponaugA village in Warwick.
ChepiwanoxetAn island in Greenwich Bay.
ChoppaquansettA point in Bay.
ConimicutA point in Bay, opposite Nayatt.
CowesettName of a small family of Indians; also of lands south of Apponaug on Greenwich Bay.
Kickamuit, Aponakee, Weeweonk, and MasquachugAre brooks in Warwick, tributary to Pawtuxet river.

NamquidIndian name of Gaspee Point

NausocketA beach at Buttonwoods.
OccupassuatuxetA cove opening into Bay.
PasseconquisA cove north of Gaspee Point.
PawtuxetA village and river.
Pontiac and NatickVillages on the Pawtuxet.
PotowomutA peninsula or neck extending east into Bay; also a rock and river.
ShawometIndian name of the town.
TuskatucketA small stream flowing into Greenwich Bay.

NEWPORT COUNTY
JAMESTOWN:
ConanicutJamestown.
LITTLE COMPTON:
SakonetA point projecting S. W. into the Ocean; also the river separating Little Compton from the island of
Rhode Island.
TunipusA small pond.
MIDDLETOWN:
SachuestA neck point and beach on the Atlantic S. E. part of town.
NEWPORT:
AquidneckIndian name of the island of Rhode Island.
Wonametonomy or MiantonomiA hill in north part of city.
WoonchassetCoasters' Harbor Island.
NEW SHOREHAM:
Chagum or SachemA pond on the Island
ManissesIndian name of Block Island

PORTSMOUTH:
ChibachuesetIndian name of Prudence Island.
Pocasset Indian name of the town.
TIVERTON:
NanaquackctA neck of land in Tiverton; also a cove.
Seapowit, Packet and PuncatestNames of minor localities in the town.
PocassetIndian name of a tribe of the Wampanoags; also their tribal home, under Queen
Weetamoo.

PROVIDENCE COUNTY
BURRILLVILLE:
ChepachetA river.
MehunganupA swamp.
MoheganA manufacturing village.
NipmuckA stream tributary to the Blackstone; also a tribe tributary to the Narragansetts, located
in N.W. Rhode Island.
PascoagA manufacturing village; also a tribe tributary to the Narragansetts.
WallumA pond named for a Quinebaug captain.
CRANSTON:
AntashantuckRandall's Pond.
MashantatuckA tract of about 4,000 acres ; also called Paquabuck; also a river on the western

boundary of the land. Present spelling Meshanticut.

MashapaugAn Indian village; also a pond and brook.
MishantatuckA river.
PapaquinapaugFenner's Pond and land around it.
PesaumkamesquesitBlackmore Pond.
PocassettA river and a village.
SockanossetA village, now Howard; also a hill ; also a reservoir.
TabamapaugDyer's Pond.
EAST PROVIDENCE:
PomhamA rock in Providence river; site of Pomham light.
SeekonkIndian name of town.
SowamsSouthern part of East Providence, from Silver Spring east to Palmer's river.
SquantumA point, a rocky ledge and headquarters of Squantum Club.
WannamoisettS. W. part of town, beginning near Pomham.
WatchemokctA thickly settled section near Providence.
FOSTER:
MoosupName of river and village; also name of brother of Miantonomi, often
called Pessicus.
Westconnaug or WestquodnoidA reservoir.
GLOCESTER:
ChepachetA river and village.
MatonyA hill.
PonagansettA pond, stream and ledge, head of the Pawtuxet; also spelled Punhangansett.
PoquanituckA small stream.
WoonasquatucketA pond and stream.
JOHNSTONS:
MoswansicutReservoir.
NeutakonkanutA high hill.
OssapimsuckA brook.
PocassetA river.
SekesakutA hill and land around it.
SuckatunkanuckA hill east of Almy's Reservoir.
SutamachuteA hill N. W. of Simmonsville.
LINCOLN:
LouisquissctVillage turnpike and brook.
MoshassuckRiver and village in valley.
QuinsnicketHill, pond and cliffs. This is an English made name. The true Indian
word is Caucaunjawatchuck, meaning a place of crows, as the first two syllables suggest.
ScockanoxetThe land at Hackleton's Lime Rocks.
NORTH PROVIDENCE:
WanskuckReservoir.
WoonasquatucketRiver.
NORTH SMITHFIELD:
Mattity and Nipsachet or NipsachuckSwamps.

WoonsocketHill, 588 ft. high.

PAWTUCKET:
PawtuckctIndian name of river and falls.
PROVIDENCE:
MashapaugA pond.
MoshassuckIndian name of Providence; also present name of river.
PomecansettNeck of land between Field's Point and Sassafrax Point.
TockwottonA hill at Indian Point.
Wapwaysit Location of first bridge over the Moshassuck, at what is now Stevens St., leading into
Charles St.
WauskuckA pond and village.
WeybossctPeninsula on west side of Providence river.
WoonasquatucketName of river, uniting with the Moshassuck at Providence to form the Providence
river. The Providence receives the Pawtucket at Fox Point and continues a tidal river to Bullocks
and Gaspee Points, where it receives the name of Narragansett Bay. The Indian name of the Bay
above Prudence Island and east of Warwick was Sowams Bay.
SCITUATE:
Chapamistcook, Westconnaug, MusquitohawkNames of brooks.
Chompnist or ChapompamiskockA hill range, 730 feet high.
Moswansicutt, PosnagansettPonds.
PonagansetA village.
SMITHFIELD:
PamechipskA ridge of hills extending north and south.
WeehapasacheckRegion south of Wyonkeag Hill.
WoonasquatucketA river.
WyonkeagA hill 587 feet high.
WOONSOCKET:
NipmuckA river in the section occupied by the tribe.
WoonsocketIndian name of the hill and falls.

WASHINGTON COUNTY
CHARLESTOWN:
ChemunganocA fort and pond.
MashonaugA point.
NinigretA fort and also a burial place.
Pasquesett, Gawgunsk, Poquinunk, Wecapaug, WequatuxetBrooks.
Pawaget, Watchaug, or Quonochontaug, Cocumpaug, PasquesettPonds.
PequotOld Indian trail.
QuonochontaugA neck of land.
ShannockA village.
Shumuncanuc or ChemunganocA hill.
TockwottonA cove.
WatchaugA spring.

EXETER:
AspanansuckA village; also home of Miantonomi and Wawaloam
PettaquamscuttPurchase line.
Tippecansett, Yawker and YawgooPonds.
YawgooA village.
YawkerA hill.
HOPKINTON:
Ashaway, Canonchet, NianticVillages.
Ashaway and TomaquogValleys.
Canonchet, AshawayRivers and brooks.
Pawcatuck, Ashawog, Tomaquog, Neshungansett, Yawgoo, WincheckPonds.
NORTH KINGSTOWN:
Annaquatuckett, NarragansettVillages; also reservoirs.
Annaquatuckett, Mattatuxet or Hunts, Pettaquamscutt, PotowomutRivers and ponds.
CawcumscussucHarbor at Wickford; also a brook.
Hamogansett or Kesikomick, QuidnessetHistoric places.
NamcookBoston Neck.
Pojack or Muskechug, Quenset or SeconigansettPoints.
QuidnessetA park.
SOUTH KINGSTOWN:
Pawcatuck, Pettaquamscutt, Saugatuck, Usquepaug, Schickasheen or MiskianzaRivers, brooks,
and coves.
Pesquamscot or Warden's PondLargest fresh water pond in the State.
Quahaug, PoonnockRocks.
Usquepaug, Matunuc, Narragansett PierVillages.
Yawgoo, Westquag, Matunuc, Pettaquamscutt, UsquepaugOther ponds.
RICHMOND:
Ashuniunk, ConobBrooks.
Wyoming, Shannock, UsquepaugVillages.
WESTERLY:
MisquamicutIndian name of town.
NianticA village.
PawcatuckRiver on the west, separating Rhode Island from Connecticut.
Winnapaug"A fine pond."
Other Indian names of brooks, ponds or hillsMastuxet, Aquantaug, Mushchaug, Musquataug,
Ashagomiconsett, Minnacommuck, Pascommattas, Quimnmoge, Teapanock, Tiscatuck,
Minnabaug, Muyquataug, Neshudgansett, Paspatonage, Pawtuxent, Tishcottie, Tomaquag and
Weekapaug.