GeoNames Ontario
Geographic names
Geographic names are the names of locations and places in Ontario, including:
- counties
- townships
- municipalities
- parks
- rivers
- lakes
The GeoNames Ontario database is the official registry of all Ontario geographic names, with approximately 57,000 entries in English and French.
Searching the database
Each entry in the GeoNames Ontario database refers to a single, separate geographic entity. An entry in the database is also called a record.
Some geographic names have two or more database entries. They may have different names in English and French, or use the same translation but refer to separate entities with different geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude). For example, the name "Thunder Bay" appears on seven records, with various French equivalents.
The GeoNames Ontario database includes the following fields:
| Field name | Description |
|---|---|
| Record | Unique numeric identifier which may be used for searching by record number |
| Entity | Type of geographic entity (for example, lake, provincial park, geographic township, etc.) |
| Municipal unit | Name of the municipal unit where the geographic entity is located (for example, county, district, regional municipality, or district municipality) |
| Normative status | Code indicating the status of the geographic name:
|
| Latitude/longitude | Geographic coordinate location at the centre of the geographic feature or place |
| English | English name |
| French | French name |
Normative status codes for geographic names
Normative status codes indicate how geographic names should be used in different settings, such as:
- on maps
- in writing (prose text)
- on road signs
The following codes are used as part of the normative status field:
- A7 indicates a dual official name in English and in French
- Q1 indicates an alternate name
- Q2 indicates a French-text equivalent
Dual geographic names (A7) on maps
As a general rule, only official geographic names should be used on Ontario government maps. These are the names listed under the English field.
Names listed under the English field can be used in one of two ways:
- if the recommended map form of the name does not change in English or French, use the name in either language on any map, for example: Ottawa, Hamilton or Moosonee
- if the recommended map form of the name is different in English and French, use the name listed under the English field for general Government of Ontario maps, for example: Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury
- For maps addressed to the Francophone community, including bilingual maps, use the name appearing under the French field, for example: Grand Sudbury/Greater Sudbury
Dual geographic names (A7) in writing (prose text)
In Ontario government publications produced in French, use the geographic name listed under the French field, regardless of the code.
Dual geographic names (A7) on road signs
In the 25 designated areas of the French Language Services Act, only names listed under the English field, or alternate names (coded Q1) approved by the Ontario Geographic Naming Board may be used on G.I-3 (Hamlets) and G. I-6 (Rivers or Lakes) highway signs.
French-text equivalents (coded Q2) should not be used.
Learn more
To learn more about the history of geographic names in Ontario, please visit the Ontario Geographic Naming Board’s guiding principles and recommendations for the use of geographic names in Ontario.
For questions and comments on geographic names, please contact:
Parcel Mapping and Georeferencing Unit
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Robinson Place, 2nd floor N
300 Water Street
Peterborough, Ontario
geographicnames@ontario.ca