How Chicagoland towns got their names

Town names around Chicago record who settled there, where they came from and who lived on the land before them.

Town	Where the name comes from
Naperville	Joseph Naper, who founded the settlement in 1831
Evanston	John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University
Joliet	The French-Canadian explorer Louis Jolliet. The town was first called Juliet
Elgin	A Scottish hymn tune called "Elgin," chosen by founder James Gifford
Wheaton	Brothers Warren and Jesse Wheaton, early settlers
Schaumburg	Schaumburg-Lippe in Germany, home of many early settlers
Barrington	Great Barrington, Massachusetts, where a number of settlers came from
Waukegan	A Potawatomi word usually translated as "fort" or "trading post." The town was earlier called Little Fort
Des Plaines	The Des Plaines River, whose French name is thought to refer to the trees along it
Aurora	The Roman goddess of the dawn

Researching your own town

Local historical societies and public libraries usually keep the best records, including early maps, plat books and newspapers. Accounts of name origins sometimes differ between sources, so check more than one.

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