Kill

Why is this word in so many place names in Upstate New York?

By Deane Barker

“Kill” is a borrowed word from Dutch. In that language it means “body of water” or, more often, “creek.”

Thus, names like Fresh Kills, West Kill, Peeksill, Fishkill, usually refer to a nearby body of water. This usage is common in Upstate New York.

Oddly, the Catskill Mountains might be a significant exception. It doesn’t correspond to a body of water. It could be referring to mountain lions in the area, but then it would be using the English definition of “kill,” not the Dutch. Some sources claim the name is Dutch for “wildcat creek,” but there is no such-named body of water.

Why I Looked It Up

I was driving around the Catskills in October 2024. I saw a lot of road signs for places named “[something] Kill.”

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