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I'm not sure if this is the correct place to ask this question, but my parents grew up in Chattaroy Washington, and I'm curious what the word's origins are. I've done a little searching and I can't even determine what language it has its roots in. Any help would be appreciated.

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    This is an interesting question, as easily accessible sources such as Wikipedia just state "We don't know". Nov 9, 2017 at 17:40

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It appears to be a word in a Siouan language, though Chattaroy, WA was not founded until the early 1880's.

"CHATTAROY. The name has been recorded since 1775 (as Tatteroy, Tatterio, Chatterio, Chattarawha etc.) The term referred to the Big Sandy River as well as to the Indian group called the Tutelo, of the Siouan linguistic family....There is also a Chattaroy in Wash. (Spokane Co.), established in the early 1880's."

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  • This is another Chattaroy (in West Virginia). However, the name of the West-Virginian place may have inspired the naming of a place in Washington. Nov 9, 2017 at 17:42
  • @jknappen Yes, the source at the link discusses that: There is also a Chattaroy in Wash. (Spokane Co.), established in the early 1880's.", I'll add it to the answer. Nov 9, 2017 at 17:44
  • Thanks for the help, I'll look into the Tutelo language and see if I can track down the words meaning. Nov 15, 2017 at 0:44
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My Grandfather, Archibald Tabor, was the president of a mine in Chatteroy, WV. My mother told me he named the town after the river there.

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