Gadigal
/ˈɡædɪɡəl/noun
Gadigal refers to the Aboriginal clan traditionally associated with the Sydney central coast, including the area around Warrane (Sydney Harbour).
Did you know?Gadigal is also written Cadigal in early records, and its exact original meaning remains debated; the ending “-gal” appears in several Sydney-region clan names and is commonly associated with people or group identity.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-1788
Dharug
Gadigal / Cadigal
“A traditional clan name of the Sydney coastal region; the precise original derivation is uncertain.”
1788
English records
Cadigal
“An early colonial spelling used for the Aboriginal people associated with the area around Sydney Cove and the eastern harbour shore.”
19th Century
Colonial English
Gadigal
“A variant spelling appearing in historical and ethnographic writing about the Sydney region’s Aboriginal communities.”
20th Century
English
Gadigal
“A recognized name for the clan and its traditional Country within broader references to the Eora peoples.”
Modern English
English
Gadigal
“A living Aboriginal ethnonym used in cultural, educational, political, and place-based contexts, especially in references to Gadigal Country.”
Explore more surprising origins