Ever Wonder Where Our Northwest Suburb Names Came From?

Last week, we looked at the local history hiding in some of our road names. This week, we’re taking it one step further and looking at the names of the suburbs themselves.

Some are named after early settlers. Others came from rivers, railroads, old towns, Native American words, European hometowns and even a ship.

Here’s the story behind the Northwest Suburbs names.

Algonquin had several possible early names, including Denny’s Ferry, Cornish Ferry, Cornishville and Osceola. The name Algonquin was suggested by Samuel Edwards, reportedly from the name of a ship he once owned, and became official in 1847.

Before it became Arlington Heights, the community was known as Dunton, after early settler Asa Dunton and the Dunton family. The village name changed several times before officially becoming Arlington Heights in 1874.

Barrington’s name is tied to early settlers from the East Coast. Local history connects the name to Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and to other Barrington-named communities linked to early settlers who moved west.

Bartlett is named after Luther Bartlett, an early landowner who helped bring the railroad depot to the area. In 1873, he contributed land and money toward the depot, which helped establish the community that took his name.

Buffalo Grove’s name comes from Buffalo Creek, which runs through the area. The name is considered an English translation of a Potawatomi name connected to the creek.

Crystal Lake gets its name from the lake itself. In 1835, early settler Ziba S. Beardsley reportedly saw the water and said it looked “clear as crystal,” giving the lake, and later the community, its name.

Des Plaines takes its name from the Des Plaines River. French explorers referred to the waterway as La Rivière des Plaines, often translated as “river of the plains” or connected to plane trees along the river.

Elgin was founded in 1835 by brothers James and Hezekiah Gifford, who were drawn to the Fox River area while heading west. The city was named after the Scottish hymn “The Song of Elgin.”

Elk Grove Village is named for the elk that once roamed the forests and grasslands of northern Illinois. The village still keeps that connection alive today with its well-known elk pasture.

Hanover Park has roots tied to the older community of Ontarioville. The “Hanover” name comes from Hanover Township, which itself was named for the Kingdom of Hanover in Germany, where many early township residents had roots.

Hoffman Estates is named after Sam and Jack Hoffman, owners of the Father and Son Construction Company. In the 1950s, they purchased farmland and began developing homes in what became the village.

Lake Zurich was originally known as Cedar Lake. Early settler Seth Paine later renamed it Lake Zurich, giving both the lake and the village their current name.

McHenry is named after Major William McHenry, who led an expedition through northern Illinois during the Black Hawk War. The settlement of McHenry was established along the Fox River in the 1830s.

Morton Grove was named for Levi Parsons Morton, a railroad financier who later became Vice President of the United States under President Benjamin Harrison. The name was tied to the railroad stop that helped the community grow.

Mount Prospect was named by Ezra Eggleston, who bought land in the area in the 1870s and helped develop the town around the railroad. “Mount” referred to the land being among the higher points in Cook County, while “Prospect” reflected the promising future he saw for the area.

Niles was once known as Dutchman’s Point, a reference to the area’s early German settlers. The exact origin of the name Niles is debated, but one common explanation connects it to the nationally known Niles’ Register newspaper.

Palatine was built around a Chicago and North Western Railway station and was officially founded in the 1800s. The name is believed to have been adopted from Palatine, New York, even though some early residents reportedly wanted to call the community “Yankton.”

Park Ridge had two earlier names: Pennyville, after brickyard owner George Penny, and later Brickton, because of the area’s clay deposits and brickmaking history. The community became Park Ridge in 1873.

Prospect Heights began as a planned community in the 1930s. According to local lore, the name may have been inspired by its neighboring communities, Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights.

Rolling Meadows was named by developer Kimball Hill, who began building homes there in the early 1950s. The name fits the area’s gently rolling terrain and the suburban community that soon grew there.

Schaumburg has strong German roots. The township name was chosen in 1850 and traces back to the Schaumburg region of Germany, where many early settlers came from. Local history says Friedrich Heinrich Nerge strongly pushed for the name during a township meeting.

Skokie was originally incorporated as Niles Centre in 1888. The village changed its name to Skokie in 1940. The name comes from a Potawatomi word meaning “marsh,” a nod to the area’s early landscape.

Streamwood is a newer suburb compared to many others on this list. The village was incorporated in 1957 as part of a large postwar housing development. The name appears to have been chosen as part of the planned community branding, which promoted Streamwood as a modern “Town of Tomorrow.”

Vernon Hills began as a small subdivision in the late 1950s. The name combines Vernon, from Vernon Township, with Hills, a reference to a mound created by the developers.

Wheeling began as an overnight stop for travelers heading from Chicago to the Wisconsin Territory along what is now Milwaukee Avenue. Local folklore says the name came from wagon wheels, but historical sources say the village was actually named after Wheeling, West Virginia.

A Little Local History in Every Name

A lot of these names are easy to say without thinking twice. But behind them are old rail stops, family names, rivers, Native American words, German roots, farming communities and ambitious developers trying to build the next great suburban town.

So the next time you drive through Palatine, Schaumburg, Skokie, Wheeling or Crystal Lake, you’ll know there’s a little more history behind the name on the sign.