Pictou County Books and Literature

Nova Scotia Place Names

“Names of places form an important part of our history. They stand as memorials of men and events in the past. They throw light on the scenes and movements of former ages, and therefore cannot be neglected in our study of the development of our country.” … extract from an unpublished manuscript on Place Names, by the late Rev. Dr. Patterson, of Pictou

Nova Scotia Towns, Villages, communities, valleys, rivers, lakes, and harbours, have many strange and beautiful names. Almost all with a unique history or story to accompany it.

Many were named by Indigenous people; others, by the Spanish, French, Norse or English explorers; and others by the Scotch, Irish and English emigrants who traveled across the Atlantic at a later date, to eventually call Nova Scotia their home.

This book contains some great information about how some of the many places in Pictou County (as well as many other places in Nova Scotia) got their names.