Clayoquot
/ˈkleɪəkwɒt/noun
A historical English spelling of Tla-o-qui-aht, a Nuu-chah-nulth Indigenous nation and the region now known as Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island.
Did you know?“Clayoquot” is an anglicized rendering of Tla-o-qui-aht, whose name is commonly interpreted as referring to people of a different place, though translations vary.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-contact
Nuu-chah-nulth
Tla-o-qui-aht
“The Indigenous name of the people and region; commonly interpreted as “different people” or “people of a different place,” though translations vary.”
18th Century
Spanish
Clayoquot
“A European cartographic rendering of the Indigenous name encountered during maritime exploration of the Pacific Northwest.”
18th Century
English
Clayoquot
“An adopted spelling used in British charts and geographical descriptions.”
19th Century
English
Clayoquot Sound
“The name applied to the large coastal inlet and surrounding region on western Vancouver Island.”
Modern English
English
Clayoquot
“A historical and geographic name retained alongside Tla-o-qui-aht, the community’s preferred Indigenous name.”
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