Download Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) data using the U.S. Board on Geographic Names website. Query the database for official geographic feature names, their location attributes, variant names, and other data. Display, print, and download up to 2,000 records from a query.
GNIS data can also be downloaded via The National Map Downloader. Define an area of interest on the map, then put a checkmark next to the “Names” category on the left. Click “Find Products” to get a list of downloadable products.
GNIS Map Services are also available. This provides direct access to the Names layers and includes display and download capabilities.
Learn more:
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What is the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)?
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) was developed by the U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN), which maintains cooperative working relationships with state names authorities to standardize geographic names. GNIS contains information about the official names for places, features, and areas in the 50 states, the District of Columbia...
How often is the Geographic Names Information System database updated?
Federal, state, local, and non-governmental data partners continuously submit new features and edit existing features in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) database. Changes--potentially consisting of hundreds to thousands of records per month--are validated by the staff and made available on the GNIS website and in the Web services. The downloadable files are revised every 6-12 months...
How do I report an error in the Geographic Names Information System database?
Please report possible errors in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) database to the GNIS Manager at BGNEXEC@usgs.gov. The Names data experts will investigate and validate the data, enter appropriate corrections where needed, and advise you of the results. Learn more: U.S. Board on Geographic Names: Principles, Policies, and Procedures
Does the Geographic Names Information System database contain entries for obsolete names and geographic features that no longer exist?
Yes, The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) actively seeks names of features that no longer exist. The term "historical" as used in the GNIS specifically means that the feature no longer exists on the landscape. An abandoned ghost town, for example, still exists so it is not historical. Historical features have no reference to age, size, condition, extent of habitation, type of use, or any...
How accurate is the elevation data in the Geographic Names Information System Database? How was it measured?
The elevation figures in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) are not official and do not represent precisely measured or surveyed values. Only the geographic name and locative attributes are official. Elevations are derived from data in The National Map. The data are interpolated from seamless raster elevation models for the given coordinates and might differ from elevations cited in...
Why are there no entries for caves in the Geographic Names Information System database?
Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) entries for caves are in the database but cannot be retrieved on the public website. In response to the 1988 National Cave Management Resources Act, Department of the Interior Regulation 43 (CFR Subtitle A, Part 37) forbids the release of information regarding the location of all caves on Federal lands. Currently, the GNIS database is not able to...
What location coordinates (datum) does the Geographic Names Information System use?
All coordinates in the Geographic Names Information System database are in the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). They were converted from the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD 27) in September 2005.
Related Content
- FAQ
What is the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)?
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) was developed by the U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN), which maintains cooperative working relationships with state names authorities to standardize geographic names. GNIS contains information about the official names for places, features, and areas in the 50 states, the District of Columbia...
How often is the Geographic Names Information System database updated?
Federal, state, local, and non-governmental data partners continuously submit new features and edit existing features in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) database. Changes--potentially consisting of hundreds to thousands of records per month--are validated by the staff and made available on the GNIS website and in the Web services. The downloadable files are revised every 6-12 months...
How do I report an error in the Geographic Names Information System database?
Please report possible errors in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) database to the GNIS Manager at BGNEXEC@usgs.gov. The Names data experts will investigate and validate the data, enter appropriate corrections where needed, and advise you of the results. Learn more: U.S. Board on Geographic Names: Principles, Policies, and Procedures
Does the Geographic Names Information System database contain entries for obsolete names and geographic features that no longer exist?
Yes, The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) actively seeks names of features that no longer exist. The term "historical" as used in the GNIS specifically means that the feature no longer exists on the landscape. An abandoned ghost town, for example, still exists so it is not historical. Historical features have no reference to age, size, condition, extent of habitation, type of use, or any...
How accurate is the elevation data in the Geographic Names Information System Database? How was it measured?
The elevation figures in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) are not official and do not represent precisely measured or surveyed values. Only the geographic name and locative attributes are official. Elevations are derived from data in The National Map. The data are interpolated from seamless raster elevation models for the given coordinates and might differ from elevations cited in...
Why are there no entries for caves in the Geographic Names Information System database?
Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) entries for caves are in the database but cannot be retrieved on the public website. In response to the 1988 National Cave Management Resources Act, Department of the Interior Regulation 43 (CFR Subtitle A, Part 37) forbids the release of information regarding the location of all caves on Federal lands. Currently, the GNIS database is not able to...
What location coordinates (datum) does the Geographic Names Information System use?
All coordinates in the Geographic Names Information System database are in the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). They were converted from the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD 27) in September 2005.
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