Wetipquin Creek

Wetipquin Creek, which flows into the Nanticoke River at Tyaskin in Wicomico County, lends its name to the nearby village of Wetipquin, situated on Wetipquin Neck. The spelling of Wetipquin has varied significantly over the centuries, reflecting its linguistic roots and dialectal differences in the region. Early spellings include Tipquin in 1684, Wellipqueen in 1700, Witipquin in 1787, and Wilipquin around 1795. These variations suggest influences from two dialects: a "T" dialect (Nanticoke) and an "L" dialect (Delaware), both tracing back to an original primitive Algonquian form.

The spelling Wellipquin appears to denote a phonetic "L," with both Hecker Welder and Johnson using the form Wilipquin. Johnson clarifies that he is referring to the Maryland place. Hecker Welder translates the name as "the place of interring skulls," while Johnson confirms this interpretation by noting that the word for the head was "wih" or "wil," supporting the definition of "head or skull place," or "buried ground."