List of places in South Africa named after people

There are many places in South Africa named after people.

Western Cape

 * Albertinia – Johannes Rudolph Albertyn
 * Athlone – Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone
 * Beaufort West – Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort
 * Bellville – Charles Davidson Bell
 * Bredasdorp – Michiel van Breda, later first Mayor of Cape Town
 * Caledon – 2nd Earl of Caledon
 * Calitzdorp – Calitz family
 * Camps Bay (Cape Town) – Friedrich von Kamptz
 * Clanwilliam – 1st Earl of Clanwilliam
 * Darling – Charles Henry Darling, lieutenant-governor of Cape Colony
 * Durbanville – Sir Benjamin d'Urban
 * George – King George III of the United Kingdom
 * Gordon's Bay – Robert Jacob Gordon
 * Hermanus – Hermanus Pieters
 * Hopefield – Col William Hope and William Field
 * Ladismith – Lady Smith, wife of Sir Harry Smith
 * Laingsburg – John Laing
 * Lamberts Bay – Admiral Sir Robert Lambert
 * Maitland, Cape Town – Sir Peregrine Maitland, governor of Cape Colony
 * Malmesbury – 1st Earl of Malmesbury
 * McGregor – Rev Andrew McGregor
 * Milnerton – Sir Alfred Milner
 * Montagu – John Montagu
 * Moorreesburg – Rev Johannes Moorrees
 * Murraysburg – Reverend Andrew Murray Snr
 * Napier – Sir George Napier, governor of Cape Colony
 * Oudtshoorn – Baron Pieter van Reede van Oudtshoorn, governor of Cape Colony
 * Parow – Johann Heinrich Parow
 * Plettenberg Bay – Baron Joachim Ammema van Plettenberg, governor of Cape Colony
 * Porterville – William Porter, attorney-general of Cape Colony
 * Prince Albert – Prince Albert
 * Prince Alfred Hamlet – The Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria
 * Riebeeck Kasteel – Jan van Riebeeck
 * Riebeeck West – Jan van Riebeeck
 * Riversdale – Harry Rivers
 * Robertson – Rev Dr William Robertson
 * Saldanha – Antonio de Saldanha
 * Simon's Town – Simon van der Stel
 * Somerset West – Lord Charles Henry Somerset, governor of Cape Colony
 * Stellenbosch – Simon van der Stel, governor of Cape Colony
 * Swellendam – Hendrik Swellengrebel and his wife Helena Ten Damme
 * Tulbagh – Ryk Tulbagh, governor of Cape Colony
 * Vanrhynsdorp – Petrus Benjamin van Rhyn
 * Wellington – Duke of Wellington
 * Wolseley – Viscount Wolseley
 * Worcester – Marquess of Worcester

Eastern Cape

 * Adelaide – Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
 * Alexandria, Eastern Cape – Rev Alexander Smit
 * Alfred Nzo District Municipality – Alfred Baphethuxolo Nzo
 * Alice – Princess Alice, second daughter of Queen Victoria
 * Aliwal North – Sir Harry Smith, 1st Baronet of Aliwal
 * Balfour, Eastern Cape – Robert Balfour, secretary of the Glasgow Missionary Society
 * Barkly East – Sir Henry Barkly
 * Bedford – Duke of Bedford
 * Butterworth – Joseph Butterworth
 * Chris Hani District Municipality – Chris Hani
 * Cradock – John Cradock, 1st Baron Howden
 * Dias Division – Bartolommeo Dias
 * Elliot – Henry George Elliot
 * Fort Beaufort – Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort
 * Graaff-Reinet – Cornelis van der Graaff and his wife Hester Reynet
 * Grahamstown – John Graham
 * Humansdorp – Johannes Jurie Human and Matthys Gerhardus Human
 * Jansenville – Jan Willem Janssens
 * Joe Gqabi District Municipality – Joe Nzingo Gqabi (1929–1981)
 * Joubertina – Rev W. A. Joubert
 * King William's Town – King William IV
 * Kirkwood – James Somers Kirkwood
 * Lady Grey – Lady Eliza Lucy Grey
 * Maclear – Thomas Maclear
 * Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality – Nelson Mandela
 * OR Tambo District Municipality – Oliver Tambo
 * Philipstown – Sir Philip Wodehouse, governor of Cape Colony
 * Port Alfred – The Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria
 * Port Elizabeth – Elizabeth Donkin (wife of acting governor Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin)
 * Queenstown – Queen Victoria
 * Richmond, Eastern Cape – Duke of Richmond
 * Sarah Baartman District Municipality – Sarah Baartman (1789–1815)
 * Seymour – Colonel Seymour
 * Somerset East – Lord Charles Henry Somerset, governor of Cape Colony
 * Steynsburg – Andries Steyn
 * Steytlerville – Abraham Isaac Steytler
 * Stutterheim – Baron von Stutterheim
 * Uitenhage – Jacob Uitenhage de Mist

Northern Cape

 * Barkly West – Sir Henry Barkly
 * Calvinia – John Calvin, from its church dedicated to him
 * Carnarvon – Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon
 * Cathcart – Sir George Cathcart
 * Colesberg – Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole
 * Douglas – Lieutenant-General Sir Percy Douglas
 * Frances Baard District Municipality – Frances Baard
 * Jankempdorp – Gen Jan Kemp
 * John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality – John Taolo Gaetsewe
 * Kimberley – John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley
 * Loxton – A.E. Loxton
 * Molteno – John Charles Molteno, first prime minister of Cape Colony
 * Port Nolloth – Captain M. S. Nolloth
 * Pixley ka Seme District Municipality – Dr. Pixley ka Isaka Seme, one of the founders of African National Congress
 * Reivilo – Rev A.J. Olivier
 * Sutherland – Henry Sutherland, pastor who established the church around which the settlement grew
 * Upington – Thomas Upington
 * Victoria West – Queen Victoria
 * Warrenton – Sir Charles Warren
 * Williston – Colonel Willis
 * ZF Mgcawu District Municipality – Z. F. Mgcawu (1958-2001), Upington's first post-1994 democratically elected mayor

Free State

 * Allanridge – Allan Roberts
 * Brandfort – Johannes Brand, state president of the Orange Free State
 * Cornelia – Cornelia Mulder, wife of Francis William Reitz, president of the Orange Free State
 * Dealesville – John Henry Deale
 * Deneysville – Deneys Reitz
 * Dewetsdorp – Jacobus de Wet, father of General Christiaan de Wet
 * Fauresmith – Reverend Phillip Faure and Sir Harry Smith, 1st Baronet
 * Fezile Dabi District Municipality – Fezile Abram Dabi (1956-1997)
 * Harrismith – Sir Harry Smith, 1st Baronet
 * Hennenman – P.F. Hennenman
 * Hertzogville – James Barry Munnik Hertzog
 * Hobhouse – Emily Hobhouse
 * Kestell – Rev Dr J.D. Kestell
 * Lindley – Rev Daniel Lindley
 * Paul Roux – Dr Paul Roux
 * Philippolis – Rev Dr John Philip
 * Rouxville – Rev Pieter Roux
 * Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality – Thabo Edwin Mofutsanyana (1899-1995)
 * Viljoenskroon – Hans Viljoen and his horse 'Kroon'
 * Villiers – Lourens de Villiers
 * Warden – Charles Warden, administrator of the Orange River Sovereignty
 * Zastron – Johanns sibella Zastron, wife of president Johannes Brand

Gauteng

 * Alexandra – Alexandra Papenfus (wife of farmer)
 * Benoni – the original name of the Biblical Benjamin
 * Boksburg – W.E. Bok, state secretary of the South African Republic
 * Carletonville – Guy Carleton Jones
 * Johannesburg – Johannes Rissik; Johannes Meyer
 * Krugersdorp – Paul Kruger
 * Pretoria – Andries Pretorius
 * Sharpeville – John Sharpe
 * Vanderbijlpark – Hendrik van der Bijl

KwaZulu-Natal

 * Cato Ridge – George Christopher Cato, the first mayor of Durban
 * Colenso – Bishop John Colenso
 * Durban – Sir Benjamin d'Urban
 * Estcourt – Thomas Estcourt
 * Greytown – George Edward Grey
 * Harry Gwala District Municipality – Harry Gwala
 * Hibberdene – C. Maxwell-Hibberd
 * King Cetshwayo District Municipality – Cetshwayo kaMpande
 * La Lucia – Lucia Michel
 * Ladysmith – Lady Smith, wife of Sir Harry Smith
 * Melmoth – Sir Melmoth Osborne, governor of Zululand
 * Newcastle – Duke of Newcastle
 * Paulpietersburg – Paul Kruger and Petrus Jacobus Joubert
 * Pietermaritzburg – Two theories exist.
 * In the theory officially accepted today by the city, it bears the name of Voortrekker leaders Piet Retief and Gert Maritz.
 * In another theory, the city was originally named after Retief alone, initially "Pieter Mouriets Burg" (after his given names) and transformed to its current form.
 * Pinetown – Sir Benjamin Pine, governor of Natal
 * Port Edward – Edward VIII
 * Port Shepstone – Theophilus Shepstone
 * Richard's Bay – Frederick Richards
 * Scottburgh – John Scott, lieutenant-governor of Natal
 * Westville – Martin West, the first British lieutenant-governor of Natal

Limpopo

 * Louis Trichardt – Louis Trichardt

Mpumalanga

 * Balfour – Arthur James Balfour
 * Barberton – Harry and Fred Barber, pioneer gold prospectors
 * Breyten – Nicolaas Breytenbach
 * Carolina – Carolina Coetzee, wife of the owner of the land on which the town was developed
 * Evander – Evelyn Anderson
 * Gert Sibande District Municipality – ANC activist Gert Sibande (1907-1987)
 * Groblersdal – W.J. Grobler
 * Machadodorp – General Jose Machado
 * Nelspruit – Andries, Gert and Louis Nel
 * Piet Retief – Piet Retief
 * Standerton – A.J. Stander, owner of the farm on which the town was developed
 * Trichardt – Carolus Johannes Trichardt, son of Louis Trichardt

North West

 * Brits – Gert Brits, owner of the farm on which the town was developed
 * Christiana – Christiana Pretorius, daughter of president Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
 * Coligny – Admiral Gaspard II de Coligny
 * Delareyville – General Jacobus de la Rey
 * Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality – Kenneth Kaunda, First President of Zambia
 * Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality – Ruth Mompati
 * Klerksdorp – Jacob de Clerq
 * Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality – Dr Silas Molema
 * Potchefstroom – the first syllable comes from the surname of the town's founder Andries Hendrik Potgieter
 * Schweizer Reneke – Captain Schweizer and Field Cornet Reneke
 * Ventersdorp – Johannes Venter, owner of the farm on which the town was developed
 * Wolmaransstad – J.M.A. Wolmarans
 * Zeerust – Diederick Coetzee (the town was originally named 'Coetzee-Rust')

Former

 * Ellisras (Limpopo) was the name of Lephalale – Patrick Ellis and Piet Erasmus (farm owners)
 * Pietersburg (Limpopo) was the name of Polokwane – Petrus Jacobus Joubert
 * Potgietersrus (Limpopo) was the name of Mokopane – Piet Potgieter
 * Stanger (KwaZulu-Natal) was the name of KwaDukuza – William Stanger (Surveyor-General of Natal)
 * Verwoerdburg (Gauteng) was the name of Centurion – Hendrik Verwoerd