Why some cities in U.S.A. have Spanish Names?

Question

San Francisco, Santa Fe, San Diego, Los Angeles... some cities has these names in Spanish but not in English. Why not in English as New York. Los Angeles, for instance, should be The Angels.

Answer 1

the same reason there are places named like, Bayonne, Baton Rouge("Red Stick"), Belleville("Beautiful Town"), Belmont(Beautiful Mountain"), Des Moine("of the monks"), Detroit(d'etroit ("of the straits"), Fond du Lac("end of the lake"), Moline(moulin or "mill"), Vermont("green mountain") all French names! Or Plattsburg, Stroh, Voltz, West Baden, all German names! Hey, have you looked at a map lately? Check it out and feel the multicultural influence of this nation!

Answer 2

Well first of all, Los Angeles sounds better than The Angels. The reason some names are in Spanish is because those cities were founded by the Spanish.

Answer 3

Most of them because Spaniss settlers vere in that area for example Spanish missionaries called Los Angeles Mission, also Sacramento, San Antonio, etc.

Answer 4

Because the Spanish originally colonised those parts before the American Empire expanded

Answer 5

They were originally founded by the Spanish when these parts of what is now the U.S. were part of the Spanish Empire.

Answer 6

It was good to know that their Spanish names were not changed
after the American-Spanish wars.

Answer 7

They were owned by the Spanish/Mexicans before they were taken over by the US during and before the Mexican-American War.

Answer 8

It is because of America and spanish wars

Answer 9

Because they were settled by Spanish explorers.

Answer 10

It reflects the Uniqueness and Diversity of our Land.