The Naming Stories Behind 10 Oakland Neighborhoods

With San Francisco’s skyrocketing living expenses (now the second-most expensive in the U.S., trailing only Manhattan), more residents are relocating across the bay to Oakland. Beyond its ongoing gentrification, Oakland is celebrated for its vibrant arts, music, cultural diversity, and influential political activism. This article explores the origins and naming history of Oakland’s iconic neighborhoods.

1. SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT

Oakland’s roots trace back to a portion of the 44,800-acre Rancho San Antonio, granted to Luís María Peralta in 1820 for his military service to Spain. This vast land grant encompassed modern-day Oakland, San Leandro, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville, and Piedmont. In 1842, Peralta divided the land among his four sons, with the San Antonio area falling under Antonio Maria’s share. James Larue purchased part of this land in 1851, establishing a small town that later merged with Clinton in 1856 to form the city of Brooklyn—named after the ship that transported Mormon settlers in 1846. When Oakland annexed Brooklyn in 1872, San Antonio transitioned into a neighborhood.

2. SEMINARY DISTRICT

Located in East Oakland, the Seminary neighborhood is a culturally rich area centered around Seminary Avenue. Its identity as an academic hub stems from its proximity to Mills College, which inspired its name. Originally established as the Young Ladies’ Seminary in Benicia in 1852, the institution was acquired by Susan Tolman Mills and her husband Cyrus in 1865 and renamed Mills Seminary. After moving to Oakland in 1871, it adopted its current name, Mills College, in 1885.

3. JINGLETOWN

Jingletown, a lively arts enclave adorned with murals and mosaics, sits near the Oakland Estuary. Its name traces back to the early Portuguese immigrants, primarily from the Azores, who settled there. Legend has it that mill workers would gather on street corners in the evenings, socializing and jingling coins in their pockets. During the 1950s and '60s, the neighborhood welcomed Latin American families and became a focal point for the Chicano civil rights movement in the late '60s and early '70s.

4. THE TWOMPS

The area of San Antonio nestled between 20th and 29th Avenues was historically referred to as "The Rolling '20s" or "The Roaring '20s." However, it’s now commonly known as "The Twomps," a nickname that emerged in the 1980s. The term Twomp is derived from slang for the number "20."

5. BUSHROD PARK

This North Oakland neighborhood takes its name from the 10.12-acre park at its heart. The park was named in honor of Dr. Bushrod Washington James, a philanthropist from Philadelphia who gifted the land in 1903. Dr. James was reportedly named after Supreme Court Justice Bushrod Washington, George Washington’s nephew, who pronounced his name “buh-SHRAHD.”

6. FRICK

The Frick neighborhood, located in the Brooklyn area of Oakland, derives its name from the first school established at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and 62nd Avenue. In the early 20th century, the Lockwood School District faced financial constraints but aimed to construct an elementary school for the semi-rural community. Walter P. Frick, a prominent figure in mining and lumber, donated the land for this purpose. The W. P. Frick School commenced operations in 1909, initially serving 90 students from grades 1 to 6, and was later transformed into a junior high school. Shortly after its construction, the area was incorporated into the City of Oakland.

7. TEMESCAL

Temescal, one of North Oakland's oldest neighborhoods, takes its name from Temescal Creek, which flows through the region. The creek's name originates from the Nahuatl term temescalli, referring to an Aztec sweathouse. When the land was part of Luís María Peralta’s Rancho San Antonio, the vaqueros—ranch hands or cowboys—observed structures along the creek built by the native Ohlone tribe. These structures resembled the Aztec temescalli huts found in areas of present-day Mexico.

8. LONGFELLOW

The Longfellow district, located in North Oakland, is experiencing an economic resurgence and attracting a vibrant community of artists. Historically, it was a flourishing Italian neighborhood from the early 1900s through the 1940s and '50s, later becoming a hub for African American communities. The district's name is derived from Longfellow Elementary School on Lusk Street, which honors the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Although the school closed in 2004, the Longfellow name remains a lasting legacy.

9. GASKILL

Gaskill owes its name to brothers Rollin and DeWitt Gaskill, who purchased 17 acres in North Oakland from farmer George Parsons in 1869. The area's street names have a complex history. After DeWitt acquired Rollin's share in 1870, he developed roads along Menlo and Parsons Streets, the latter named after the previous landowners. When Oakland annexed Gaskill in 1897, the city reorganized street names to avoid duplication, assigning numbers to east/west streets and renaming others. Menlo Street became Aileen Street, Parsons Street turned into 55th Street, and Park Street was renamed in honor of D.W.C. Gaskill.

10. FUNKTOWN

While definitions may vary slightly, the area near the Twomps in Oakland is officially designated as Highland Park, though locals rarely use this name—preferring instead to call it Funktown. Contrary to any connection with the 1980 hit song “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc., the name traces back to the infamous gang Funktown USA, which dominated the area through cocaine and heroin trafficking. Following the arrests and deaths of several prominent members during the late '80s and '90s, the gang disbanded, and the neighborhood became quieter. Unlike much of Oakland, Funktown has largely resisted gentrification.