February 18, 1850 was a momentous day for California. It was the day the region was first divided into 27 counties. Over the next 10 years, they were subdivided to add 16 more counties. Another 14 followed in the years from 1861 to 1893. And last but not least: Imperial County, California's youngest county child, was formed in 1907.
Here's a nugget: California has more counties named after saints than any other state. In case you didn't know that, or how Yolo County got its name (hint, it was named for reasons other than "The Motto" Drake taught the world in 2011), we've compiled a list for you.
It covers the origin stories of all of northern California's counties, including how Butte County got its colorful name, why Mount Shasta isn't actually in Shasta County, and how Napa County was spelled back in the day.
These origins matter: they help us understand what mattered to people almost two centuries ago. Naming a county was the immortalization of something, or someone, who achieved great honor. Together, they encapsulate what it must have been like to be a 19th century-Californian.
Check out the slideshow below to see if you know what your county was named for. Whether you happen to run into a municipal historian or all the power goes out at your next PTA meeting, some of these might make for good icebreakers.
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County seat: Oakland
Alameda County was named after the towering green and golden trees known to provide excellent shade to homes in the summer: poplar trees. “Alameda” is a derivative of the Spanish word, alamo, meaning “a grove of poplar trees,” of which the county has many. Its early use was both for the southern portion of the county (La Alameda) as well as for the river that ran through it (Rio de la Alameda). Early explorers thought the green-lined riverbanks reminded them of a road bound with trees.
Butte County was named after the Sutter Buttes, a collection of leftover lava domes from what was once a highly active volcano more than 1.4 million years ago. Sutter Buttes are often called the “smallest mountain range in the world,” and for good reason; they only rise 2,000 feet above California valley fields.
Sutter Buttes are now located in Sutter County, but laid within Butte County's territory when the county was created. As a result, the county was named after them.
Butte residents and Contra Costa-ers can rejoice: both counties were on the list of California’s original 27 counties, which were signed into law in 1850 by California’s first governor, Peter Burnett. Originally, Contra Costa was set to be called Mount Diablo County, but the name was changed. In Spanish, contra costa means “opposite coast."
Del Norte’s naming process was likely without too many frills. It means “the north,” which is accurate. “Del Norte” sits at the very northwest of the state. It’s partly home to the Klamath River, the second-largest river by average discharge in California (the first being the Sacramento River).
El Dorado’s name comes from the Spanish and means "the gilded/golden.” Those who paid particular attention in fourth grade may remember the county’s role in the 1848 gold discovery, and how it catalyzed the sprawling California Gold Rush. El Dorado County was its birthplace. A 16th-century legend claimed that a mythical Indian chief was covered with gold dust while performing religious rites in the area.
The county is also one of the original 27 California counties. Other claims to fame: Before telegraphs took over, the last parts of the historic Pony Express mail route ran through the county.
Everything started with a bay; this county takes its name from Humboldt Bay, which takes its name from the great naturalist and world explorer, Baron Alexander von Humboldt.
This county's genesis is also fairly simple. The name was derived from the impressive lakes in the area, most notably Clear Lake. Its territory was previously part of Napa County.
Ask any Marin resident and you'll quickly find the origin of Marin County's name is still disputed. The first version claims the county was named to honor a “Chief Marin,” who led the Licatuit tribe of Indians and carried out battle against early Spanish military explorers. Chief Marin was originally named Huicmuse but was given the name “Marino” during his baptism at age 20. Marin/Marino lived at Mission Dolores and worked as a baptism witness and godfather.
However, the other version of the story contends the county was named Marin because of a bay, which was situated between San Pedro and San Quentin points (the area presently known as the Canal) and was at one point named Bahia de Nuestra Senora del Rosario la Marinera (in 1775).
Like Marin, the origin story of Mendocino County has two slightly different versions. One thing is clear: the county took its name from Cape Mendocino (now located in Humboldt County) which was named either in honor of Antonio de Mendoza, the Viceroy of New Spain (who was credited for ordering the Juan Cabrillo Expedition to California’s coast), or in honor of another viceroy of New Spain, Lorenzo Suarez de Mendoza. Now, if you’re still wondering how it got to be Mendocino: it’s the adjective form of Mendoza (a family name).
Lorenzo Montezemolo/Getty Images/Getty ImagesShow MoreShow Less14of35County seat: Napa
The California wine capital’s origin story is little murky. The word “napa” is of Indian derivation, but its translation is less clear: it’s been said to mean anything from “grizzly bear” to “house” to “fish." Napa also used to be spelled with two p's, despite the fact that double p's are almost nonexistent in the Spanish language. The second p in Napa was dropped in 1848, the reason for which is still a mystery.
Placer mining, the process by which gold is extracted from the earth, was once central to this county. Historians say the name comes as a shorter version of "a place near a river where gold is found" (plaza de oro in Spanish). Makes sense.Pete Kiehart / The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less17of35
County seat: Sacramento
Captain Moraga named the county after the Sacramento River, which derived its name from the word “Sacrament,” or “Lord’s Supper.” Rivers wouldn’t be our choice for supper, but hey, to each their own.
San Francisco is an interesting case, as the city and the county were merged together to form one city-county. The city of San Francisco, and so consequently the county, was named after Mission San Francisco de Asis a la Laguna de los Dolores, which park visitors may recognize as our dear Mission Dolores. The Mission took its name from Saint Francis of Assisi, who was highly revered Roman Catholic friar in the 13th century known as the patron saint of animals.
As you may be beginning to see, most of California’s origin stories come by way of Missions. Santa Clara County is no exception. The county was named after the Mission Santa Clara de Asis, which was named in honor of Saint Clara of Assisi in Italy. Clara means “bright” or “clear,” which on good days is exactly how Mission Santa Clara looks.
Originally, the county was called Branciforte because of the old Spanish pueblo founded there in 1797. Shortly after, however, the county name was changed to Santa Cruz, which means “holy cross.” The Santa Cruz Mission was obliterated by a 1857 earthquake, but a diminished replica was built in 1931.
Like Sacramento County, San Joaquin County takes its name from the San Joaquin River. And like Sacramento, Captain Moraga also gave this county its name.
San Mateo County was formed in the wake of San Francisco County’s great split. Its territory was part of San Francisco County up until 1856, when California’s government decided the territory would be divided. The county was named after Saint Matthew, which appears as a place name as early as 1776, but was originally known as San Matheo.
Shasta County was named after Mount Shasta. Mount Shasta was originally a part of the county, but parts of the county’s territory were given to Tehama County and Siskiyou County. The name “Shasta” comes from the English word for the name of a Indian tribe that once resided in the area.
The etymology of Siskiyou is not quite clear, but several fairly persuasive origin stories persist. Some say the word derives from the Chinook Indian word for a ‘bob-tailed horse.” Another version claims it derives from the French name “Six Callieux,” or six-stones, which dates back to a urban legend describing how it was first crossed. Michel La Frambeau and a party of Hudson Bay Company trappers claimed six large rocks laid in the river as they crossed.
The county is said to be named after Chief Solano of the Suisunes, who controlled most of the tribes and territory between the Petaluma Creek and the Sacramento River. The Chief was given this name at his baptism in honor of the missionary, Father Francisco Solano. But before receiving the name Solano, the chief’s name was Sem-Yeto. In a strange twist of fate, Sem-Yeto still makes an appearance. It's the name of a "continuation high school" in Fairfield.
Like its eponymous city, Sonoma, the county was given its name from a Chocuyen Indian name which translates either to “Valley of the Moon” or “land or tribe of the Chief Nose.”
In quite rare fashion, this county is named after the city of Tehama. The city’s roots come from one of three places. One is tejamanil, the Spanish word for “shingle”. Another is the word for “high water” in local Indian dialect. The third is tehama, which means "hot low-lands" in Arabic. Take your pick.
Saving the best for last. The county gets its name neither from Drake’s "Motto" nor from Goethe’s 1774 play, "Clavigo"; It’s an Indian word believed to be a derivative of the old Indian tribal name, “Yo-lay," which means a “place abounding in rushes.” The county is also thought to have been named in honor of Yodo, a historic Indian chief of the Indian village of Yodoi.
