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Name Authority
Name Authorities are the boards responsible for the name server databases.
- U.S. Board on Geographic Names
- Council of Geographic Names Authorities (COGNA) Lists the authorities for the states, two territories, and Canada.
- U.S. Census Geography Maintains TIGER/Line files, Name files, and other resources.
- Geographical Names of Canada (English)
- Toponymie du Canada (Français)
Finding Place Names
Find names of places or geographic features using a Gazetteer or a Name Server. A gazetteer is simply a list of geographic place names and their coordinates.
A name server is a digital gazetteer. Several servers are available through the WorldWide Web. Servers maintained by government agencies are authoritative, as they are based on the official names, variants and alternate versions.
Printed gazetteers often provide additional information to describe the place or feature. The indexes of large world atlases often provide geographic coordinates, forming another version of a gazetteer, as they can be used to locate places on maps other than those in the atlases themselves.
Name Servers
Government Agency name servers, for U.S. and Canada federal governments.
- GNIS, The Geographic Names Information System
By the USGS in cooperation with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Contains information for almost 2 million physical and cultural geographic features in the United States and territories - GNIS Antarctica GNIS database for Antarctic place names
- GNS, the GeoNet Names Server By the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the BGN, is a database of foreign geographic names.
- U.S. Census Gazetteer Search for names used by U.S. Census Bureau.
- Geographic Names Board of Canada Query by name (English).
- Toponymie du Canada Recherche par nom (Français).
Gazetteers
The Columbia Gazetteer of the World - edited by Saul B. Cohen
Call Number: Sci Ready Ref G103.5 .C645 2008
Complete in 3 volumes, comprehensive coverage of the world, includes descriptive entries.
The Columbia Gazetteer of North America - edited by Saul B. Cohen
Call Number: Sci Ready Ref E35 .C65 2000; King Ref E35 .C65 2000
Based on the gazetteer of the world, but with more extensive entries on most places listed.
The Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World, 12th ed.
Call Number: King Ref G1021 .T5644 2007 ; Sci Ready Ref G1021 .T5644 2007
The index of this important atlas provides geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude), making this a useful gazetteer to places included in these excellent maps.
Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary, 3rd ed.
Call Number: Kinig Ref G103.5 .W42 1997, Sci Ready Ref G103.5 .W42 1997
Not a dictionary, but another gazetteer!- The Columbia Gazetteer of the World - edited by Saul B. Cohen
Call Number: Sci Ready Ref G103.5 .C65 1998; King Ref G103.5 .C65 1998
Earlier edition of the work listed above. - The Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer of the World - edited by Leon E. Seltzer
Call Number: King Folio G103 .L7 1952
1952 edition with supplement, 1961. This is a good reference for older versions of place names. It formed the basis for the Columbia gazetteers listed above.
Subject Guide |
Ken Grabach207 Brill Science Library
513-529-1726
grabacka@muohio.edu
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Subjects:
Geography, Geology, Mathematics, Mapping and Geospatial Imagery
GIS LibGuide |
Mike Wells |
Contact Info:
Phone: 513-529-4148
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Subjects:
Manager- Center for Information Management
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