List of places in South Africa named after people

There are many places in South Africa named after people.

Western Cape Place NameNamed AfterAlbertiniaJohannes Rudolph AlbertynAthloneAlexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of AthloneBeaufort WestHenry Somerset, 5th Duke of BeaufortBellvilleCharles Davidson BellBredasdorpMichiel van BredaCaledonDu Pré Alexander, 2nd Earl of CaledonCalitzdorpCalitz familySA Association of Municipal Employees (1983). 1983 Official South African Municipal YearbookCamps BayFriedrich von KamptzClanwilliamJohn Meade, 1st Earl of ClanwilliamDarlingCharles Henry Darling, lieutenant-governor of Cape ColonyDurbanville Sir Benjamin d'UrbanGeorge King George III of the United KingdomGordon's BayRobert Jacob GordonHermanusHermanus PietersHopefield Col William Hope and William FieldLadismithLady Smith, wife of Sir Harry SmithLaingsburgJohn LaingLamberts BayAdmiral Sir Robert LambertMaitland, Cape TownSir Peregrine Maitland, governor of Cape ColonyMalmesburyJames Harris, 1st Earl of MalmesburyMcGregorRev Andrew McGregorMilnertonSir Alfred MilnerMontaguJohn MontaguMoorreesburgRev Johannes MoorreesMurraysburgReverend Andrew Murray SnrNapier Sir George Napier, governor of Cape ColonyOudtshoornBaron Pieter van Reede van Oudtshoorn, governor of Cape ColonyParow Johann Heinrich ParowPlettenberg BayBaron Joachim van Plettenberg, governor of Cape ColonyPortervilleWilliam Porter, attorney-general of Cape ColonyPrince AlbertPrince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Queen Victoria's HusbandPrince Alfred HamletThe Prince Alfred, second son of Queen VictoriaRiebeeck KasteelJan van RiebeeckRiebeeck WestJan van RiebeeckRiversdaleHarry RiversRobertson Rev Dr William RobertsonSaldanhaAntonio de SaldanhaSimon's Town Simon van der StelSomerset WestLord Charles Henry Somerset, governor of Cape ColonyStellenboschSimon van der Stel, governor of Cape ColonySwellendamHendrik Swellengrebel and his wife Helena Ten DammeTulbaghRyk Tulbagh, governor of Cape ColonyVanrhynsdorp Petrus Benjamin van RhynWellingtonDuke of WellingtonWolseleyViscount WolseleyWorcesterHenry Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort

Eastern Cape Place NameNamed AfterAdelaideAdelaide of Saxe-MeiningenAlexandriaRev Alexander SmitAlfred Nzo District MunicipalityAlfred Baphethuxolo NzoAlicePrincess Alice, second daughter of Queen VictoriaAliwal NorthSir Harry Smith, 1st Baronet of AliwalBalfour, Eastern Cape Robert Balfour, secretary of the Glasgow Missionary SocietyBarkly EastSir Henry BarklyBedfordDuke of BedfordButterworthJoseph ButterworthChris Hani District MunicipalityChris HaniCradockJohn Cradock, 1st Baron HowdenDias DivisionBartolommeo DiasElliotHenry George ElliotFort BeaufortHenry Somerset, 5th Duke of BeaufortGraaff-ReinetCornelis van der Graaff and his wife Hester ReynetGrahamstownJohn GrahamHumansdorpJohannes J. Human and Matthys G. HumanJansenvilleJan Willem JanssensJoe Gqabi District MunicipalityJoe Nzingo GqabiJoubertinaRev W. A. JoubertKing William's TownKing William IVKirkwoodJames Somers KirkwoodLady GreyLady Eliza Lucy GreyMaclearThomas MaclearNelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan MunicipalityNelson MandelaOR Tambo District MunicipalityOliver TamboPhilipstownSir Philip Wodehouse, governor of Cape ColonyPort AlfredThe Prince Alfred, second son of Queen VictoriaPort ElizabethElizabeth Donkin, the wife of Sir Rufane Shaw DonkinQueenstownQueen VictoriaRichmondDuke of RichmondSarah Baartman District MunicipalitySarah BaartmanSeymourColonel SeymourSomerset EastLord Charles Somerset, governor of Cape ColonySteynsburgAndries SteynSteytlervilleAbraham Isaac SteytlerStutterheimBaron von StutterheimUitenhageJacob Uitenhage de Mist

Northern Cape Place NameNamed AfterBarkly WestSir Henry BarklyCalviniaJohn Calvin, from its church dedicated to himCarnarvonHenry Herbert, 4th Earl of CarnarvonCathcartSir George CathcartColesbergSir Galbraith Lowry ColeDouglasLieutenant-General Sir Percy DouglasFrances Baard District MunicipalityFrances BaardJan KempdorpGen Jan KempJohn Taolo Gaetsewe District MunicipalityJohn Taolo GaetseweKimberleyJohn Wodehouse, 1st Earl of KimberleyLoxtonA.E. LoxtonMoltenoJohn Charles Molteno, first prime minister of Cape ColonyPort NollothCaptain M. S. NollothPixley ka Seme District MunicipalityDr. Pixley ka Isaka Seme, one of the founders of African National CongressReiviloRev A.J. OlivierSutherlandHenry Sutherland, pastor who established the church around which the settlement grewUpingtonThomas UpingtonVictoria WestQueen VictoriaWarrentonSir Charles WarrenWillistonColonel WillisZF Mgcawu District MunicipalityZ. F. Mgcawu

Free State Place NameNamed AfterAllanridgeAllan RobertsBrandfortJohannes Brand, state president of the Orange Free StateCorneliaCornelia Mulder, wife of Francis William Reitz, president of the Orange Free StateDealesvilleJohn Henry DealeDeneysvilleDeneys ReitzDewetsdorpJacobus de Wet, father of General Christiaan de WetFauresmithReverend Phillip Faure and Sir Harry Smith, 1st BaronetFezile Dabi District MunicipalityFezile Abram DabiHarrismithSir Harry Smith, 1st BaronetHennenmanP.F. HennenmanHertzogvilleJames Barry Munnik HertzogHobhouseEmily HobhouseKestellRev Dr J.D. KestellLindleyRev Daniel LindleyPaul RouxDr Paul RouxPhilippolisRev Dr John PhilipRouxvilleRev Pieter RouxThabo Mofutsanyana District MunicipalityThabo Edwin MofutsanyanaViljoenskroonHans Viljoen and his horse 'Kroon'VilliersLourens de VilliersWardenCharles Warden, administrator of the Orange River SovereigntyZastronJohanns Sibella Zastron, wife of president Johannes Brand

Gauteng Place NameNamed AfterAlexandraAlexandra Papenfus (wife of farmer)Benonithe original name of the Biblical BenjaminBoksburgW.E. Bok, state secretary of the South African RepublicCarletonvilleGuy Carleton JonesJohannesburgJohannes Rissik; Johannes MeyerKrugersdorpPaul KrugerPretoriaAndries PretoriusSharpevilleJohn SharpeVanderbijlparkHendrik van der Bijl

KwaZulu-Natal Place NameNamed AfterCato RidgeGeorge Christopher Cato, the first mayor of DurbanColensoBishop John ColensoDurbanSir Benjamin d'UrbanEstcourtThomas EstcourtGreytownGeorge Edward GreyHarry Gwala District MunicipalityHarry GwalaHibberdeneC. Maxwell-HibberdKing Cetshwayo District MunicipalityCetshwayo kaMpandeLa LuciaLucia MichelLadysmithLady Smith, wife of Sir Harry SmithMelmothSir Melmoth Osborne, governor of ZululandNewcastleDuke of NewcastlePaulpietersburgPaul Kruger and Petrus Jacobus JoubertPietermaritzburgTwo theories exist. In the theory officially accepted today by the city, it bears the name of Voortrekker leaders Piet Retief and Gert Maritz. In another theory, the city was originally named after Retief alone, initially "Pieter Mouriets Burg" (after his given names) and transformed to its current form.PinetownSir Benjamin Pine, governor of NatalPort EdwardEdward VIIIPort ShepstoneTheophilus ShepstoneRichard's BayFrederick RichardsScottburghJohn Scott, lieutenant-governor of NatalWestvilleMartin West, the first British lieutenant-governor of Natal

Limpopo Place NameNamed AfterLouis TrichardtLouis Tregardt

Mpumalanga Place NameNamed AfterBalfourArthur James BalfourBarbertonHarry and Fred Barber, pioneer gold prospectorsBreytenNicolaas BreytenbachCarolinaCarolina Coetzee, wife of the owner of the land on which the town was developedEvanderEvelyn AndersonGert Sibande District MunicipalityANC activist Gert SibandeGroblersdalW.J. GroblerMachadodorpGeneral Jose MachadoNelspruitAndries, Gert and Louis NelPiet RetiefPiet RetiefStandertonA.J. Stander, owner of the farm on which the town was developedTrichardtCarolus Johannes Trichardt, son of Louis Trichardt

North West Place NameNamed AfterBritsGert Brits, owner of the farm on which the town was developedChristianaChristiana Pretorius, daughter of president Marthinus Wessel PretoriusColignyAdmiral Gaspard II de ColignyDelareyvilleGeneral Jacobus de la ReyDr Kenneth Kaunda District MunicipalityKenneth Kaunda, First President of ZambiaDr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District MunicipalityRuth MompatiKlerksdorpJacob de ClerqNgaka Modiri Molema District MunicipalityDr Silas MolemaPotchefstroomthe first syllable comes from the town's founder Andries Hendrik PotgieterSchweizer RenekeCaptain Schweizer and Field Cornet RenekeVentersdorpJohannes Venter, owner of the farm on which the town was developedWolmaransstadJ.M.A. WolmaransZeerustDiederick Coetzee (the town was originally named 'Coetzee-Rust')

Former Former NameCurrent NameNamed AfterEllisras (Limpopo)LephalalePatrick Ellis and Piet Erasmus (farm owners)Pietersburg (Limpopo)PolokwanePetrus Jacobus JoubertPotgietersrus (Limpopo) MokopanePiet PotgieterStanger (KwaZulu-Natal)KwaDukuzaWilliam Stanger (Surveyor-General of Natal)Verwoerdburg (Gauteng)CenturionHendrik Verwoerd

References