How Toronto's Streets Got Their Names: A Hub of Stories

Simcoe named the road after Sir George Yonge, secretary of war in the British Cabinet and a family friend. It is pronounced “young,” and it divides the city into east and west. Numbering on both sides begins at Yonge and increases in either direction, which is why 100 Queen St. W. and 100 Queen St. E. are different locations. The full story is in our piece on how Yonge Street got its name.

The City says Ishpadinaa, from which the name Spadina is derived, means “high hill” or “ridge.” Pronunciation is its own conversation, which we settle in how Spadina got its name.

Street signs at intersections such as Spadina/Davenport and Spadina/Dupont honour the placenames in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe). The City says Gete-Onigaming, for Davenport Road, means “the old portage.” A City heritage study explains that the route of that ancient trail was incorporated into, and replaced by, the layout of Davenport Road.

In 1834, when the town was incorporated as the City of Toronto, a portion of Garrison Common was surveyed and divided into lots for sale. The street names assigned then keep the area tied to its military history and the nearby fort. Bathurst honours Henry, 3rd Earl of Bathurst and Secretary for War and the Colonies from 1812 to 1827. The Canadian Encyclopedia confirms he became Secretary of State for War and the Colonies in June 1812 and served until 1827.

Same survey, same theme. Wellington is named for Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington who defeated Napoleon.

The third name in that military trio honours the Shawnee chief who was an ally of Brock. The City report gives the street name as Tecumseth, with Tecumseh as the alternate spelling.

Jarvis Street is named for Sheriff William Jarvis, who, together with Joseph Bloor, founded the village of Yorkville. That makes the next entry a natural neighbour: the two names share a founding story.

Joseph Bloor was an innkeeper and brewer in the early half of the 19th century, and he is the namesake of Bloor Street. The road began as a dirt path that surveyors called the Second Concession Line, then went by Tollgate Road and St. Paul’s Road. After Bloor built a large house just east of Yonge Street, the road took his name. Even his surname has options: both Bloor and Bloore have been used.

This is the one where sources differ. A City planning historic context statement says that by 1799 the Executive Council of Upper Canada had commissioned Asa Danforth, an American contractor, to open a street between York and the Trent River to the east. A separate City walking-tour map says Danforth Avenue was named after him. The planning statement notes that the avenue shares his name, then adds that he never actually had anything to do with the road’s construction. Its footnote says the Broadview Danforth BIA claims the avenue was named after Asa Danforth, while a 2020 timeline by Barbara Myrvold states that he had nothing to do with the construction. We will let you pick a side over a coffee on the Danforth, and our history of East York is a good companion read.