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, and the territories and outlying areas of the United States, including Antarctica. GNIS is the geographic names component of The National Map.
GNIS contains records on approximately one million geographic names in the United States, including populated places, beaches, lakes, streams, valleys, and ridges.
Search the GNIS using its Query Form for the United States and Its Territories. A feature search on GNIS yields the longitude and latitude of the feature, the name of the topographic map on which the feature can be found, and feature information. There is also an interactive topographic map with optional imagery and other layers.
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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...
What is the most common city/town name in the United States?
There are no official definitions of city, town, village, hamlet, neighborhood, etc. All named entities with human habitation are classified as Populated Place, including incorporated places (20 percent of the Nation's communities), unincorporated places (the majority), housing developments not yet incorporated, and neighborhoods within incorporated places. The most frequently occurring community...
How can I acquire or download Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) data?
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...
How can I name an unnamed natural feature?
Proposals to name an unnamed natural feature can be submitted to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN). The BGN is responsible by law for standardizing geographic names throughout the Federal Government, and promulgates policies governing issues such as commemorative naming, derogatory names, and names in wilderness areas. Please note that no natural feature (and certain manmade features) can...
How can I propose a name change for a natural feature?
Proposals to change the name of a natural feature can be submitted to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. There must, however, be a compelling reason to change it. The Board is responsible by law for standardizing geographic names throughout the Federal Government and discourages name changes unless necessary. Further, changing a name merely to correct or re-establish historical usage is not in...
What is the difference between "mountain", "hill", and "peak"; "lake" and "pond"; or "river" and "creek?"
There are no official definitions for generic terms as applied to geographic features. Any existing definitions derive from the needs and applications of organizations using those geographic features. The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) database utilizes 63 broad categories of feature types defined solely to facilitate retrieval of entries with similar characteristics from the database...
Can I add new entries to the Geographic Names Information System for manmade and administrative features, such as churches, cemeteries, schools, shopping centers, etc.?
The short answer is no, not through the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). In 2020, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved the archival of all administrative features in GNIS. Effective October 1, 2014: As a result of reprioritized budgets and resources, the decision has been made to suspend the maintenance of some administrative (i.e. cultural or manmade) feature names in The...
How are U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps named?
A USGS topographic map is usually named for the most prominent feature within the bounds of the map, which is frequently a community. Most topographic maps are named for the most centrally located, well-known, and/or largest community identified on the map. If the community for which the map should be named falls on two or more maps, a directional term might be used such as East and West. An...
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- FAQ
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...
What is the most common city/town name in the United States?
There are no official definitions of city, town, village, hamlet, neighborhood, etc. All named entities with human habitation are classified as Populated Place, including incorporated places (20 percent of the Nation's communities), unincorporated places (the majority), housing developments not yet incorporated, and neighborhoods within incorporated places. The most frequently occurring community...
How can I acquire or download Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) data?
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...
How can I name an unnamed natural feature?
Proposals to name an unnamed natural feature can be submitted to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN). The BGN is responsible by law for standardizing geographic names throughout the Federal Government, and promulgates policies governing issues such as commemorative naming, derogatory names, and names in wilderness areas. Please note that no natural feature (and certain manmade features) can...
How can I propose a name change for a natural feature?
Proposals to change the name of a natural feature can be submitted to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. There must, however, be a compelling reason to change it. The Board is responsible by law for standardizing geographic names throughout the Federal Government and discourages name changes unless necessary. Further, changing a name merely to correct or re-establish historical usage is not in...
What is the difference between "mountain", "hill", and "peak"; "lake" and "pond"; or "river" and "creek?"
There are no official definitions for generic terms as applied to geographic features. Any existing definitions derive from the needs and applications of organizations using those geographic features. The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) database utilizes 63 broad categories of feature types defined solely to facilitate retrieval of entries with similar characteristics from the database...
Can I add new entries to the Geographic Names Information System for manmade and administrative features, such as churches, cemeteries, schools, shopping centers, etc.?
The short answer is no, not through the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). In 2020, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved the archival of all administrative features in GNIS. Effective October 1, 2014: As a result of reprioritized budgets and resources, the decision has been made to suspend the maintenance of some administrative (i.e. cultural or manmade) feature names in The...
How are U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps named?
A USGS topographic map is usually named for the most prominent feature within the bounds of the map, which is frequently a community. Most topographic maps are named for the most centrally located, well-known, and/or largest community identified on the map. If the community for which the map should be named falls on two or more maps, a directional term might be used such as East and West. An...
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