Gazetteers and Place Name Locators

Lloyd Reeds Map Collection

Gazetteers and Place Name Locators

This page contains information about gazetteers for:

CANADA

Canadian Geographical Names Data Base: Current and historical names can be searched in English or French for physical features as well as populated places and undersea features. The database is maintained by the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names. Queries can be limited by province. A search will return the latitude/longitude, feature type, region and NTS map reference. The location can be displayed on a national, regional or larger scale map. Queries can also be submitted for point-to-point distances and places within a user-specified radius of any location. (A full collection of National Topographic System (NTS) maps is available in the Map Collection.)
B.C. Geographical Names Information System: Includes both names of populated places and geographical features. The database is maintained by British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Geographical Data Branch. A search will return the latitude/longitude, feature type, NTS map reference and a description of the relative location. Can display location on regional map or a list of other place names within a 5 km radius. Can specify Soundex search for phonetically similar names. (A full collection of National Topographic System (NTS) maps is available in the Map Collection.)
Northwest Territories Geographic Names: Includes 11,000 names of populated places and geographical features in the Northwest Territories. The database is maintained by the NWT Geographic Names Program. A search will return the latitude/longitude, feature type, NTS map reference and information about the origin or history of the name. Searching is keyword within the full record, so some non-relevant records may result.
Northern Ontario Toponymy Site: This website was created during the summer of 1997 by Michael Pacey, undergraduate geography student, under the supervision of Dr. J. Roger Pitblado (Laurentian University Department of Geography) and Ms. Helen Kerfoot, Executive Secretary of the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names (Natural Resources Canada). An irreverent and lively look at the names, geography and history of Northern Ontario towns. Links to maps.
Toponymic References: Comprehensive bibliography of books about Canadian placenames. Site maintained by the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographic Names. (Many of these books are available in the Map Collection.)
Postal Code Lookup: Site maintained by Canada Post Corporation. Can search by street address or by rural code and post office box number. A search will return postal code. Can also search by postal code, to get a list of address ranges within that code zone.

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UNITED STATES

Geographical Names Information System (GNIS): Contains information about almost 2 million physical features and populated places in the United States. The database is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Board on Geographical Names. A search will return feature type, elevation, estimated population, county and latitude/longitude. Can delimit search by feature type, population range, elevation or map name. Can display location on a national map, and also identify the local watershed.
U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer: Contains information on populated (incorporated) places only. The database is maintained by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Can search by place name or zip code. A search will return population, latitude/longitude, zip codes, and links to 1990 demographic data tables. Can display the location on map (based on Tiger Map Server). Excellent map making tool, with many options for user to select, and maps can be zoomed in/out or downloaded.
EtakGuide - Show Me the Chart!: Contiguous U.S. only. Site maintained by Etak Digital Map Co. Allows search by city/state, address or latitude/longitude. A search will return a map of the appropriate region, labelled with adjacent place names and highways. Can zoom in/out or query map for latitude/longitude.
Zip Code Lookup and Address Information: Site maintained by U.S. Postal Service. Can search by city/state and street address (a search will return zip code). Or by zip code (a search will return associated city names). Can also specify company name and address.

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WORLD WIDE

GEOnet Names Server (GNS): Database of 3.3 million names of foreign places and physical features is maintained by the U.S. National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), and updated monthly with information approved by the US Board on Geographic Names. Geographic names for a particular country are current to the date displayed after the country name in the Database Query Form. A search will return designation, latitude/longitude, UTM zone and JOG chart number. Search can be delimited by country, feature type (many options) or bounding coordinates. (Joint Operational Graphics (JOG) charts for some areas of the world are available in the Map Collection).
Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names: A global listing of over 1 million names representing approximately 900,000 places and geographic features of the modern world. Maintained by the Getty Information Institute. Organized hierarchically from continents at the broadest level, to nations, states, regions and cities at narrower levels. Provides latitude/longitude, vernacular and English names, and source of information. Historical names and notes are provided for most major inhabited places.
How Far Is It?: Distance finder for straight line distances between cities world wide. Maintained by Bali Online, using University of Michigan Geographic Names Server (U.S.) plus an additional list of 500 world cities. A search results in distance in kilometres and nautical miles, plus latitude/longitude for each city. U.S. cities list also population and elevation.

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UNITED KINGDOM

Get-a-map - Place Names for the United Kingdom: Includes place names for populated places which appear on 1:250,000 scale Ordnance Survey maps (does not include house or farm names, or physical features). Covers England, Scotland and Wales only. This database is maintained by the Ordnance Survey. A search will return the county and a section of map on which the place appears. Map may be displayed at various scales from 1:35,000 to 1:2,000,000.

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EUROPE

The JewishGen Shtetl Seeker: Site is maintained by JewishGen Inc. Database is based on gazetteers of the U.S. Defence Mapping Agency and the Geographic Names Data Base. Covers 24 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Uses Soundex system to return place names that are phonetically similar, as well as names that are alphabetically similar. A search returns latitude/longitude and distance from nearest capital or specified city. Can display location on regional maps (from Encarta Atlas). The paper gazetteer equivalent to this site ("Where Once We Walked") is available in the Map Collection.)

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AUSTRALIA

Australian Geographic Place Names: Official Australian gazetteer, as compiled by Committee for Geographic Names in Australia. Can limit search by type of place (eg. Bay or Mountain. Returns latitude/longitude and map sheet numbers for 1:100,000 and 1:250,000 map series. Can display a basic location map for each place, and also a more detailed map which allows some zoom and editing features. (A full set of 1:250,000 series maps of Australia is available in the Map Collection.)

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Last revised February 22, 2000. This page is maintained by Cathy Moulder, Lloyd Reeds Map Collection, McMaster University Library.