Macbeth, McDuff, and Portia streets were all born on 1888’s Golden West Heights tract. It sure looks like characters from Shakespeare plays inspired their names: Macbeth and Macduff (note correct spelling) from The Tragedy of Macbeth and Portia from The Merchant of Venice. But note that the tract’s other four streets weren’t Shakespearian at all: Fremont, Waters, Elysian, and Golden West (since renamed Sutherland, Quintero, Douglas, and Galveston, respectively). Golden West Heights was owned by John S. Maltman, Ozro W. Childs, and Oliver A. Ivers. Like Macbeth, Maltman hailed from Scotland, and he did get a degree in literature in 1870 before obtaining his law degree. He also co-owned tracts that introduced Virgil and Hyperion avenues, also probable literary references. But beyond that, there’s no proof that he named these streets and no hint as to why these three characters in particular were singled out – or why someone thought Macduff’s name was “McDuff”.
Find it on the map:
