Indigenous Geographical Names Data

The Indigenous Geographical Names dataset contains over 20,000 official place names with origins in First Nations, Inuit and Métis world-views, extracted from the Canadian Geographical Names Database, Canada's authoritative national database of place names. The dataset includes the names of populated places and administrative areas, water features such as lakes, rivers and bays, and terrain features like mountains, capes and valleys. The data are provided by federal, provincial and territorial naming authorities.

The Indigenous language of origin is identified where known, and over 60 Indigenous languages are identified in this dataset. Many other Indigenous place names exist in Canada and will be added to this dataset over time.

This map illustrates data from the Indigenous Geographical Names Web Map Service (WMS).

Geographical naming is a continuous work in progress. Place names are not static, landscapes evolve, and so too will the data presented here. As more Indigenous names in the Canadian Geographical Names Database are identified, and as more Indigenous names are officially recognized and adopted, the dataset will continue to grow. This dataset is available in CSV, SHP, and KML formats, and as a Web Map Service (WMS). This dataset is re-generated on a weekly basis to include the most recent updates. Use of the data is subject to the Open Government Licence - Canada.

For more information, please contact the GNBC Secretariat at Natural Resources Canada.

Learn more about Indigenous place names

• Stories from the Land: Indigenous Place Names in Canada
• Geographical Names Board of Canada’s Indigenous Place Names
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and geographical names