Middlebrook

Middlebrook is a toponym used in several places in the English-speaking world. The name combines middle and brook and typically indicates a settlement near a brook that lies between other geographic features or settlements.

Across the United States, Middlebrook designates a number of small communities and neighborhoods. These places are usually unincorporated and rural, with histories rooted in farming, crossroad trade, or gradual suburban development. The naming pattern reflects common early American practices of describing a location relative to a natural feature rather than adopting a distinct, individual identity.

Many Middlebrooks developed around 18th- to 19th-century transportation routes, such as roads or rail lines, and some retain historic landmarks like churches, cemeteries, or early schoolhouses. Modern usage typically sees these communities as residential or agricultural areas rather than standalone municipalities.

As a toponym, Middlebrook also appears in other former British colonies where English-speaking settlers named places after natural features. For disambiguation of other uses, see Middle Brook (disambiguation).