How Many Cities Are Named Gainesville? A Complete List

There are 12 cities in the United States named Gainesville, spread across nine states:

• Alabama
• Florida (home to the University of Florida)
• Georgia
• Missouri
• New York
• Ohio
• Texas
• Virginia

Note: Some states have more than one Gainesville (e.g., Texas has two).

International Gainesvilles

The name also appears in:

• Canada: Gainesville, Ontario (a small community)
• Australia: Gainesville, New South Wales (a suburb of Sydney)

Origin of the Name

Most U.S. Gainesvilles are named after General Edmund P. Gaines (1777–1849), a War of 1812 hero and later commander of the Western Military Department. The Florida city, the largest and best-known, was named in 1854 when it became the county seat of Alachua County.