Named Santa Caterina de Sena by Dominguez-Escalante in September 1776, the river received its permanent name from early French American trappers who were from St. Louis, Missouri, but work out of Taos, New Mexico, and followed the Old Spanish Trail north until they entered the Uintah Basin by way of the Book Cliffs in the south.
From 1824 to 1840 the river and its tributaries provided tons of beaver pelts used to make hats.
William Henry Ashley upon entering the Uinta Basin from the north in 1825 and exploring the branches of the Green River called the Duchesne branch the "Euwinty" river.
The first reference to the "Duchesne Fork" is from a map created by Warren A Ferris in 1835.

In 1842 a map created by John C. Frémont labeled the main course of the river the Uintah River and starting at the fork where the current town of Duchesne is located, the northern fork is labeled "Duchesne Fork".
The main course of the river continued to be called the Uintah River through the 1860s until the first Indian agency was created.
US Army engineer Captain Simpson 10th infantry listed it as Des Chesney's fork of the Uinta river.

The exact source of the name Duchesne is not known.
It is an accepted fact that the river was named by one of the French trappers who came into the area as early as 1808 with the Manuel Lisa trapping company but is more likely around 1824 with the Provost/Robidoux/Leclerc parties.

Possible inspiration for the name "Duchesne":
Mother Rose Philippine Duchesne, founder of the School of the Sacred Heart near St. Louis, Missouri
The Ute word "doo-shane" means "dark canyon."

André Duchesne, French historian
A French trapper named Du Chasne
The name "Du chesne" is French for "of the oak (tree)."
Named Santa Caterina de Sena by Dominguez-Escalante in September 1776, the river received its permanent name from early French American trappers who were from St. Louis, Missouri, but work out of Taos, New Mexico, and followed the Old Spanish Trail north until they entered the Uintah Basin by way of the Book Cliffs in the south. From 1824 to 1840 the river and its tributaries provided tons of beaver pelts used to make hats. William Henry Ashley upon entering the Uinta Basin from the north in 1825 and exploring the branches of the Green River called the Duchesne branch the "Euwinty" river. The first reference to the "Duchesne Fork" is from a map created by Warren A Ferris in 1835.
In 1842 a map created by John C. Frémont labeled the main course of the river the Uintah River and starting at the fork where the current town of Duchesne is located, the northern fork is labeled "Duchesne Fork". The main course of the river continued to be called the Uintah River through the 1860s until the first Indian agency was created. US Army engineer Captain Simpson 10th infantry listed it as Des Chesney's fork of the Uinta river.
The exact source of the name Duchesne is not known. It is an accepted fact that the river was named by one of the French trappers who came into the area as early as 1808 with the Manuel Lisa trapping company but is more likely around 1824 with the Provost/Robidoux/Leclerc parties.
Possible inspiration for the name "Duchesne":
Mother Rose Philippine Duchesne, founder of the School of the Sacred Heart near St. Louis, Missouri
The Ute word "doo-shane" means "dark canyon."
André Duchesne, French historian
A French trapper named Du Chasne
The name "Du chesne" is French for "of the oak (tree)."
Duchesne River