Stay
up-to-date with all that's new at My-Island-Jamaica,
Click Here to subscribe for my updates and don't miss a thing!
Spanish Names of Places in Jamaica
by Denny
(Manchester, Jamaica)
spanish names of places
Places in Jamaica with Spanish names
QUESTION:
Can you tell me some places in Jamaica with Spanish names - and there meanings?
ANSWER: Feb-28-2009 by Wellesley Gayle
Hi Denny,
The following Spanish place names have been found with short notes on each place.
These were taken from Frank Cundall’s text "Jamaica Place Names" (pages 4-7) published in 1909.
Thanks to Burnadette and Nicole at the National Library.
Some of the place names are:
- Auracabeza.
Aura, air or breeze. Cabeza, head or high
land. (This is now Oracabessa in St. Mary. Others derive it from Oro Cabeza, the golden head.)
- Alta Mela.
Deep Gap (Alta MEla Savanna, St. James.)
- Agua Alta Bahia.
Deep Water Bay, corruptly Wag Water. Still known as Wag Water, probably the name is Arawak,
Guayguata.
- Los Angelos.
The Angels. (Angels in St. Catherine was the first terminus of the railway.)
- Rio Bonito.
The Pretty River.
- Cabo Bonito.
The Pretty Cape. (In St. Catherine.)
- Cabarita Punta
Kid or goat point. (In Westmoreland, where there is a river of the same name: there is another
Cabarita point in Old Harbour Bay, and a Cabarita Island in Port Maria Harbour.)
- Rio de Camarones.
Perhaps from Gambaro, a crab, from the abundance of black crabs hereabouts.
- Cobre Rio.
Copper River or Cobra Port, Snake River. (Still known as Rio Cobre.)
- Caborido.
Quasi Caba Arido, the dry or withered cape. Part of Healthshire highlands.
- Carvil or Caravel Bahia.
Carvela signifies a light round kind of a ship fornmerly used by the Spaniards.
- Diablo Monte.
Devil’s Mount. Now called Mount Diablo.
- Flora Ria.
Flower River.
- Fortaleza Punta.
Fort Point.
- Gallina Punta.
Hen Point. Galina Point St. Mary.
- Guada Bocco.
Guada- brook of water, bocca- mouth.
- Hoja Rio.
River of leaves, now corruptly called Rio Hoe.
- Jarisse Punta.
Cross-bow or arrow, probably refers to some action with the Indians.
- Lacovia. Quasi Lago-Via, or the way by the lake? (A village in St. Elizabeth.)
- Liguanea.
Lia-white-guana, the name of an animal, probably one
frequent in that part of the island. (That
part of Lower St. Andrew, bordered by the Long Mountain, St. Andrew Mountains and the Red Hills.)
- Moneque, or Monesca Savannah.
Savannah of monkeys. (Now confined to the village of Moneague. This word is Arawak but was perhaps brought by the Spaniards from Cuba where manique’ still means ‘thicket’.
Spanish documents have ‘manegua’ for 'Moneague’.)
- Mario bona.
Maria-buena, Mary the good. (Maria Buena Bay is in Trelawny.)
- Mantica Bahia.
Butter (now Montego Bay.)
- Ocho Rios
Oor ‘Tehi Rios’, said to mean eight rivers.
(In St. Ann, it was more commonly called Chareira. As late as 1841 William Rob wrote "Ocho
Rios, called to this day by the old inhabitants ‘Cheireras’ its early and appropriate name ‘the Bay of Waterfalls’, but has now gone back to Ocho Rios".
- Perexil Insula.
Samphire Island, now known as Tower Isle.
- Sombro Rio.
Shady River. (Now called the Sambre.)
- Yalos.
Frosts (whence, perhaps corruptly, Yallahs) the high white cliffs having the appearance of a
frosty covering. (Now called Yallahs.)
- Luidas.
Perhaps from Luzida; gay, fine or from Lluvias rains? (Lluidas Vale is in St. Catherine.)
- Martha Brea.
Martha- a woman’s name; Brea, tar; perhaps a nickname of some Spanish sailor’s Dulcinea like
the English vulgar appellation of Jack Tar. (Martha Brea Village and river are in Trelawny.)
- Bog Walk is supposed to be the Spanish Boca de Agua, for which there is no early authority.
The old English name was Sixteen Mile Walk and the Walk of Bog Walk must have been suggested by
the older Spanish name which may have been bogua and the same name as Bogue.
- Porus
...is probably called after some well sunk there, or from the porus nature of the soul "pitted with holes".
By the way, the Spaniards called the Black River, el Caovana, meaning the Mahogany River.
I hope that helped. Stay in touch Denny
Related Pages:
Famous Places in JamaicaThe Colonial History of JamaicaThe Jamaican Maroons.
Sharing IS Caring... Its now YOUR turn to...
If you found this page useful, please consider subscribing to my weekly newsletter, My Island Jamaica Digest here.
It tells you each week about the new information that I have added, including new developments and great stories from lovers of Jamaica!
Back To The Top Of This Page
New! Talk To Me
Was the information helpful? Something needs changing? I welcome your feedback here.
Recommended For You ...
Other Great Articles You Might Have Missed
data-matched-content-rows-num="2"
data-matched-content-columns-num="3"
Please help me get the message out by sharing this article with your friends on social media (links below). Thnx ;-)
Also connect with My-Island-Jamaica.com on Social Media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
Thank You!
P.S. Didn't find what you were looking for? Still need help?
Click Here to try our dependable and effective Site Search tool. It works!
Or, simply click here and here, to browse my library of over 500 questions and answers! Chances are someone already asked (and got an answer to) your question.
About The Author
A patriotic Jamaican who adore its culture, Wellesley has been using this medium to share what he calls 'the uniqueness of Jamaica with the world' since April 2007.
To date, he serves over 9,300 unique readers / viewers per day.
His
efforts have earned this site featured positions in local publications,
including the Jamaica Gleaner's Hospitality Jamaica, Carlong Publishers,
as well as recognition from numerous prestigious international agencies
and universities. Read more about him here.
He invites you to subscribe to this site to stay updated on all the latest and check out his unique Jamaican products on his Etsy store.
If you are on social media, here are the links to follow his latest posts
You are also invited to join his exclusive JAMHearts community where like-minded Jamaican enthusiasts discuss all things Jamaican.
Back To The Top Of This Page