This is a list of the etymology of street names in the London district of Westminster. The Westminster area (as distinct from the Council area) has no formally defined boundaries - those utilised here are the generally accepted boundaries of: The Mall and Northumberland Avenue to the north, the river Thames and Victoria Embankment/Millbank to the east, Vauxhall Bridge Road to the south and Buckingham Gate, Buckingham Palace Road and Bressenden Place to the west. For convenience Constitution Hill and Spur Road in the Royal Parks, and the area around the Wellington Arch, are included here, as are the streets in the Leicester Square area.
Westminster
Abbey Orchard Street – after a former orchard here attached to St Peter's AbbeyFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p1 Abingdon Street – after James Bertie, 1st Earl of Abingdon who owned a house on Dean's Yard in the 17th centuryFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p2 Ambrosden Avenue – unknown Apsley Way – after the adjacent Apsley House, originally built for Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst (Lord Apsley), later the residence of the Dukes of Wellington Arneway Street – after Thomas Arneway, former benefactor to the local parish's poorFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p12 Artillery Place and Artillery Row – after a former nearby artillery practice ground of the 19th century Ashley Place – thought to be after Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, Victorian politician and philanthropist Atterbury Street – after Francis Atterbury, Dean of Westminster in 1713Fairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p15 Barton Street – after 18th century actor Barton Booth, who also attended Westminster SchoolFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p22 Bennett's Yard – after Thomas Bennett, 17th century local resident Bessborough Gardens – after John Ponsonby, 5th Earl of Bessborough and later Baron Duncannon of BessboroughFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p29 Birdcage Walk – after the aviaries that were formerly part of St James's ParkFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p31 Bloomburg Street – after Dr Blomberg, Domestic Chaplain to George IV Bressenden Place – this street was built in 1962, replacing a small line of shops called Bressenden Row; the origin of the name is unknown Brewer's Green – after William Brewer, 17th century gardener here Bridge Street – presumably as it leads to Westminster Bridge Broad Sanctuary, Little Sanctuary and The Sanctuary – after the former nearby St Peter's Sanctuary which offered refuge for those accused of crimeFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p43 Broadway – self-explanatory; it was formerly Broad Place Buckingham Gate, Buckingham Mews, Buckingham Place, Buckingham Palace Road, Palace Place and Palace Street – all named by association with Buckingham Palace, originally built for John Sheffield, Duke of BuckinghamFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p46 Bulinga Street – after Bulinga Fen, formerly here in Saxon timesFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p48 Butler Place – after Nicholas Butler, who built (now demolished) almshouses here in 1675Fairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p52 Canon Row – after the canons of St Stephen's, the chapel in the former Palace of Westminster, founded in the 12th centuryFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p56 Cardinal Walk – presumably by association with the adjacent Westminster Cathedral Carey Place – after William Carey, headmaster of Westminster School 1803-14Fairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p58 Carlisle Place – after George William Frederick Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle, Viscount Morpeth, who was chiefly responsible for local development in the 1850s Carteret Street – after Sir Edward de Carteret, local 17th century landownerFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p59 Castle Lane – after a former inn of this name that stood hereFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p60 Cathedral Walk – as it leads to Westminster Cathedral Catherine Place – unknown Causton Street – after Thomas Causton, Canon at Westminster Caxton Street – after William Caxton, creator of the first English printing press in 1476Fairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p62 Chadwick Street – after Hannah Chadwick, who left money to local schools in her willFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p63 Chapter Street – as the land belonged to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey Charing Cross – after the Eleanor cross at Charing, from the Old English word "cierring", referring to a bend in the River ThamesFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p65 Coburg Place Cockpit Steps – after a former cock fighting ring on this siteFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p76 Constitutional Hill – obtained its name in the 17th century from King Charles II's habit of taking "constitutional" walks there. In Strype's Map, 1720, it is marked "Road to Kensington". In John Smith's map of 1724, it is called "Constitution Hill"Wheatley, Henry Benjamin. London Past and Present: Its History, Associations, and Traditions. 1891, p. 452. Cowley Street – after 18th century actor Barton Booth, who also owned land at Cowley in Middlesex Craig's Court – after Joseph Craig, who built this Court in the 1600s Cureton Street – after William Cureton, noted Orientalist and canon of Westminster 1849-64Fairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p89 Dacre Street – after Joan Dacre, 7th Baroness Dacre, who lived in a house on this site in the 15th centuryFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p91 Dartmouth Street – after William Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmouth, Lord Privy Seal in the 1710s and local residentFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p93 Dean Bradley Street – after George Granville Bradley, Dean of Westminster 1881-1902 Dean Farrar Street – after Frederick William Farrar, rector of St Margaret's, Westminster and a canon at Westminster in the late 19th century Dean Ryle Street – after Sir Herbert Edward Ryle, Dean of Westminster 1911-25 Dean Stanley Street – after Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, Dean of Westminster 1864-81 Dean Trench Street – after Richard Chenevix Trench, Dean of Westminster 1856-64Fairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p94 Dean's Yard and Little Dean's Yard – location of the Dean of Westminster's house Derby Gate – after William, Lord Derby, who built a mansion on this site in the early 17th centuryFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p96 Douglas Street – after William Douglas, Canon at Westminster Downing Street – after Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet, local landowner of the 17th centuryFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p101 Duke of Wellington Place – after the adjacent Apsley House, originally built for Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst (Lord Apsley), later the residence of the Dukes of Wellington Elizabeth Court Elverton Street – unknown Emery Hill Street – after Emery Hill, benefactor to local charitiesFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p111 Erasmus Street – after Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus, who moved to London in 1498Fairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p112 Esterbrooke Street – unknown Francis Street – after Francis Wilcox, local 19th century landowner; formerly Francis PlaceFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p125 Fynes Street – after Charles John Fynes Clinton, who was educated at Westminster School Gayfere Street – after Thomas Gayfere, mason, who worked on Westminster Abbey in the early 19th centuryFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p130 Great College Street, College Mews and Little College Street – after Westminster School, formerly known as St Peter's College, WestminsterFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p141 Great George Street and Little George Street – after either George II, reigning king when the street was built in 1750 or a former inn here called The George Great Peter Street – after St Peter, patron of Westminster AbbeyFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p142 Great Scotland Yard and Scotland Place – site of a house used by visiting monarchs of Scotland until the 13th century Great Smith Street and Little Smith Street – after John Smith, circa 1700 builder of these streets Greencoat Place and Greencoat Row – after the Green Coat School which formerly stood here, named for the colour of the school's uniform, demolished 1877Fairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p143 Greycoat Place and Greycoat Street – after the Grey Coat School for Children which moved here in 1701Fairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p145 Hatherley Street – after William Page Wood, 1st Baron Hatherley, Victorian era politician and local residentFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p155 Herrick Street – after Robert Herrick, 17th century poetFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p159 Hide Place – unknown Horseferry Road – after a ferry that carries passengers and their horses over to the Thames near here, prior to the construction of Lambeth BridgeFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p164 Horse Guards Avenue and Horse Guards Road – after the quarters of the Horse Guards, established on Whitehall in 1663 Howick Place – thought to be named for Howick Cross, Lancashire John Islip Street – after John Islip, Abbot of Westminster in Tudor timesFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p172 King Charles Street – after Charles II reigning monarch when the street was built in 1682 King's Scholars’ Passage – after the King's Scholars of Westminster SchoolFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p182 Lewisham Street – after William Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmouth, Viscount Lewisham, Lord Privy Seal in the 1710s and local resident Lord North Street – originally just North Street, as led north from Smith Square, however this was altered in 1936 to commemorate Lord North, Prime Minister 1770–82, so as to avoid confusion with similarly name streets The Mall – built as a course for playing the game pall mall, fashionable in the 17th centuryFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p204 Marsham Street – after Sir Robert Marsham, who inherited this land from Sir Richard Tufton in the 17th centuryFairfield, S. The Streets of London – A dictionary of the names and their origins, p208