Have you ever realized that many places, including cities and counties, in the United States are named after Founding Fathers? Think about it, how many places are named after Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin?
While exploring this subject, I found this list which contains the three most common city names in the United States, according to the United States Postal Service. Apparently, Franklin is the most common city name with 31 Franklins across the United States; Washington is tied with Clinton for second place with 29 locations existing throughout the US.
Here is a list of several Founding Fathers and the number places in the United States that are named after them.
George Washington (358 locations)
- Cities: 88
- Townships: 238
- Counties: 31
- States: 1
It is no surprise that the leader of the Continental Army and first President of the United States would be given the honor of having many places named after him. Some of the most notable places named after George Washington are the state of Washington and the city of Washington, which is the capital of the United States.
Benjamin Franklin (173 locations)
- Cities: 35
- Townships: 114
- Counties: 24
- Unrecognized States: 1
Some of the most notable places named after Benjamin Franklin are Franklin, Tennessee, and the former and unrecognized state of Franklin.
Thomas Jefferson (172 locations)
- Cities: 14
- Townships: 135
- Counties: 23
One of the most notable places named after Tomas Jefferson is Jefferson City, which is also the capital of Missouri.
Abraham Lincoln (141 locations)
- Cities: 3
- Townships: 122
- Counties: 16
Abraham Lincoln wasn’t around for the 18th century, and therefore he wasn’t technically a Founding Father, but Lincoln is undoubtedly one of the greatest Americans to have lived. Many locations across the United States decided to honor him by naming themselves after him for his tireless struggle to hold the Union together; one of these locations is the city of Lincoln, the capital of Nebraska.
James Madison (116 locations)
- Cities: 24
- Townships: 74
- Counties: 18
One of the most notable locations named after James Madison is the city of Madison, which is also the capital of Wisconsin.
John Hancock (25 locations)
- Cities: 10
- Townships: 5
- Counties: 10
There are several locations that are named in honor of the first signer of the Declaration of Independence, John Hancock.
Which is your favorite location that is named after a Founding Father?
Onward American 