library(sp) dat_orig <- read.table(text=" a b c d e lat lng 12 f2 23 dd 2d 15.6 80.9 12 g5 99 NA hh 20.9 10.9 13 g4 12 aa 3r3 1.2 81.8", header=TRUE, stringsAsFactors=FALSE) dat <- dat_orig coordinates(dat) <- ~lng+lat dat ## coordinates a b c d e ## 1 (80.9, 15.6) 12 f2 23 dd 2d ## 2 (10.9, 20.9) 12 g5 99 <NA> hh ## 3 (81.8, 1.2) 13 g4 12 aa 3r3 dat_1 <- dat_orig colnames(dat_1) <- c(colnames(dat_1)[1:5], "steve", "larry") coordinates(dat_1) <- ~larry+steve dat_1 ## coordinates a b c d e ## 1 (80.9, 15.6) 12 f2 23 dd 2d ## 2 (10.9, 20.9) 12 g5 99 <NA> hh ## 3 (81.8, 1.2) 13 g4 12 aa 3r3