List of Mapudungun placenames
The following is a listing of placenames from the Mapudungun language, generally from Chile and southwestern Argentina .
Note: this list includes only currently used placenames that have a Mapudungun etymology for at least part of their name
A
B
C
Placename
Meaning
Region (Chile) or Province (Argentina)
Type
Comments
Caburgua
dug with a spoon
Araucanía
lake, waterfall
Calafquén
lake like a sea
Araucanía , Los Ríos
lake
Calbuco
blue waters[ 4]
Los Lagos
channel, city/town, peninsula, volcano
Caleufú
Neuquén
river
Callaqui
Bío-Bío
volcano
Calle-Calle
lot of Iridaceaes
Los Ríos
river
once called Guadalfquén
Carahue
the city that was
Araucanía
city/town
Carelmapu
green territory[ 4]
Los Lagos
headland
Carirriñe
green chusquea coleou cane
Los Ríos , Neuquén
mountain pass, river
Carrenleufú
Chubut
city/town
Catirai
callyíi , to cut, and raigheii , the flower of the trees, meaning short flowers[ 5]
Bío-Bío
valley
Cau-Cau
kawkaw 'seagull'
Los Ríos
river
Chacay
Discaria serratifolia [ 6]
Atacama
valley
Chacao
protected harbour
Los Lagos
bay, channel, village
Chapelco
chapel (a local bush) water
Neuquén
mountain, river
Chiguayante
"chiguay" fog "antu" sun
Bío-Bío
city
-
Chillán
Bío-Bío
city
Chiloé
chille 'small seagull' and -we 'place'
Los Lagos
archipelago, island
Chimbarongo
crooked head or place between fogs
O'Higgins
city/town
Choshuenco
yellow water
Los Ríos
city/town, volcano
Cochamó
confluence/estuary[ 4]
Los Lagos
bay, river, village
Conguillío
water with Araucaria araucana pine nuts
Araucanía
lake
Copahue
Bío-Bío
volcano
Colhué Huapi
red island
Chubut
lake
Concón
place of owls
Valparaíso
city/town
Coñaripe
way of the warrior
Los Ríos
city/town
Cucao
Pteroptochus [ 4]
Los Lagos
bay, lake, river
Curarrehue
Araucanía
city/town
Curicó
kurü 'black' and ko 'water'
Maule
city/town
Curimón
kurü 'black' and man (abbreviation of mañke) 'black condor'
Valparaíso
town, village
Curiñanco
kurü 'black' and ñamko 'red-backed hawk'
Los Ríos
beach, village
D
F
G
Placename
Meaning
Region (Chile) or Province (Argentina)
Type
Comments
Guafo
from Wafün : tusk
Los Lagos
island
H
L
M
N
P
Q
R
T
V
Placename
Meaning
Region (Chile) or Province (Argentina)
Type
Comments
Vitacura
big stone
Santiago
city/town
Y
Placename
Meaning
Region (Chile) or Province (Argentina)
Type
Comments
Yelcho
carry foam
Los Lagos
lake, river
See also
References
^ Ramirez Sanchez, Carlos. 1988. Toponimia indígena de las provincias de Osorno, Llanquihue y Chiloé. Valdivia, Chile: Universidad Austral de Chile, Dirección de Investigación.
^ Ibar Bruce, Jorge (1960). "Ensayo sobre los indios chonos e interpretación de sus tiponimias" . Anales de la Universidad de Chile (117).
^ Latorre, Guillermo (1998). "Sustrato y superestrato multilingües en la toponimia del extremo sur de Chile" . Estudios Filológicos (in Spanish). 33 : 55–67.
^ a b c d e f g h i j Nombres de lugar indigena de Osorno, Llanquihue y Chiloé Archived 2006-07-03 at the Wayback Machine
^ Francisco Solano Asta-Buruaga y Cienfuegos , Diccionario geográfico de la República de Chile (Geographic dictionary of the Republic of Chile), SEGUNDA EDICIÓN CORREGIDA Y AUMENTADA, NUEVA YORK, D. APPLETON Y COMPAÑÍA, 1899. pg. 135
^ Algunos topónimos indígenas de la zona de Copiapó Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
^ Francisco Solano Asta-Buruaga y Cienfuegos, Diccionario geográfico de la República de Chile , p. 613-14
Sources
Language Culture Related groups History