Christchurch Street and Place Names

This resource aims to give the origins of Christchurch street and place names. Information has come from published works and anecdotal information:

• Wise's New Zealand Post Office Directory
• Stone's Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Directory
• The Alexander Turnbull Library's New Zealand biographical clippings
• Christchurch City Libraries' index to The Press
• Electoral rolls
• The Birth, Death & Marriage indexes published by the Registrar General's Office
• Information from Christchurch City Council records
• Recollections of residents

Definitive origins of many names are not possible so all known possibilities are listed. Because of the way Christchurch evolved, the same street name was often used more than once. Former and later names are included.

Information researched by Margaret Harper, Aotearoa New Zealand Centre, Christchurch City Libraries. This resource will continue to develop. If you would like to contribute, please contact us.

Currently this resource is offered as searchable PDFs:

• Christchurch place names [1.7 MB]
• Christchurch street names A - B [1.2 MB]
• Christchurch street names C - E [1.6 MB]
• Christchurch street names F - K [1.9 MB]
• Christchurch street names L- Q [2.1 MB]
• Christchurch street names R - S [1.3 MB]
• Christchurch street names T - Z [1.1 MB]
• Christchurch place & street names vanished [115 KB]
• Miscellaneous [914 KB]