Acton
Pronunciation: Ack-tun
Population as of 2020: 24,021
Incorporated: 1735
Original Name: none recorded
“There is no official record of how the town got this name; however, it is likely that the name comes from Acton of Middlesex County in England. “(source)
Arlington
Pronunciation: Arr-ling-tun
Population as of 2020: 46,308
Incorporated: 1807, as West Cambridge. 1867, as Arlington
Original Name: Menotomy?
“In 1867, the name was changed to Arlington in honor of the heroes buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.” (source)
Ashby
Pronunciation: Ash-bee
Population as of 2020: 3,193
Incorporated: 1767
Original Name: None recorded
Ashby is probably named for Ashby, England, but my sources are curiously silent about it.
Ashland
Pronunciation: Ash-land
Population as of 2020: 3,193
Incorporated: 1767
Original Name: Magunkaquog
“Ashland was the name of the Kentucky estate of Henry Clay, a congressman and senator born in Virginia of whom the Massachusetts Legislature was fond.” (source)
This would make Ashland the second Massachusetts town named after a slaveholder, if memory serves. The other town I am thinking of is Berkley.
Ayer
Pronunciation: Air
Population as of 2020: 8,479
Incorporated: 1871
Original Name: Nunnacoquis
Ayer was “named in honor of Dr. James Cook Ayer, a prominent resident of Lowell who provided the funding for the construction of Town Hall (1873-76). ” (source)
Bedford
Pronunciation: Bed-ford, Bed-fud
Population as of 2020: 14,383
Incorporated: 1729
Original Name: Shawshine
There’s an interesting article here about the origin of the name that is somewhat marred by the fact that Paul Bunyan is listed as the author of Pilgrim’s Progress. I’m sure John Bunyan would be very surprised to know that he’d been supplanted by a giant woodsman with a blue ox.
Belmont
Pronunciation: Bell-mont
Population as of 2020: 27,295
Incorporated: 1859
Original Name: Pequosette
“A group of about 1,000 people joined together in the early 1850s and announced their desire to form a separate town. One of the most enthusiastic advocates was John Perkins Cushing, the largest taxpayer of the proposed town, who gave generously and openly to the incorporation expense on the condition that it be named after his 200-acre estate “Bellmont.”” (source)
Curiously, Cushing was an opium trader and Belmont was originally a dry town.
Billerica
Pronunciation: Bill-ricka
Population as of 2020: 42,119
Incorporated: 1655
Original Name: Shawshine
Billerica was named for the home some of the settlers had left behind, Billericay, England.
One of the verses of Yankee Doodle was based on an incident with a Billerica resident who was tarred and feathered by the British in Boston. The town now hosts a Yankee Doodle weekend every September.
Boxborough
Pronunciation: Box-burrah. Box-bruh
Population as of 2020: 5,506
Incorporated: 1783
Original Name: Nashoba?
Ok, this is one of those towns where nobody seems to know where the name came from and nobody seems particularly bothered about it. The Google AI thinks it was named after storage boxes. (There is nothing about boxes at that link.)
Also, is it just me or is it off-putting to have a search engine be sycophantically encouraging, especially when I am absolutely NOT on the right track?
Burlington
Pronunciation: Burr-ling-tun
Population as of 2020: 26,377
Incorporated: 1799
Original Name: Shawshin
“Burlington was called Bridlington after a seaside town in England.” (source)
I mean, okay. I don’t see how that makes a lick of sense but I guess it’s the official story and they’re sticking to it.
Cambridge
Pronunciation: Kaym-bridge
Population as of 2020: 118,403
Incorporated: 1636 (town) 1846 (city)
Original Name: Anmoughcawgen
“In 1638, the General Court and the town agreed to change Newtowne’s name to Cambridge. It is generally agreed that this decision was made because many of the men who comprised the court had attended Cambridge University in England and thought that it would be an appropriate name for a college town in New England.” (source)
Carlisle
Pronunciation: Kar-Lyle
Population as of 2020: 5,237
Incorporated: 1805
Original Name: Musketaquid?
Carlise was named for Carlise, England, the origin of one of the town’s first settlers, James Adams. (source) Was that Adams a Scottish prisoner of war?
Chelmsford
Pronunciation: Like it looks
Population as of 2020: 35,488
Incorporated: 1655
Original Name: Wamesit?
“The town was named Chelmsford, after a town of that name in Essex, England.” (source)
Concord
Pronunciation: CON-curd
Population as of 2020: 18,491
Incorporated: 1635
Original Name: Musketaquid
The only explanation I can find is this sort of thing. Not particularly convincing, but towns have had stranger reasons.
Dracut
Pronunciation: DRAY-kut
Population as of 2020: 32,617
Incorporated: 1701
Original Name: Augumtoocooke
“It stated that the British town Draycott Foliat was situated outside Marlborough. Now, John Evered, alias Webb, who acquired 3,000 acres of land in very early Dracut, came from that area in England and “must have had his boyhood town in mind when he called his holdings Draycott – on Merrimack.”” (source)
I was looking for more information on why Evered had an alias and stumbled onto this: “Indians also sparred with and rode black bears in the Merrimack River for sport.”
This sounds…not true? Could it be true? Sure, I guess, unless you know anything about bears. You can’t ride a wild bear through the river. Bears don’t like that! Sounds like the author didn’t know anything about bears OR Native Americans.
Dunstable
Pronunciation: Dun-STAH-Bull
Population as of 2020: 3,358
Incorporated: 1673
Original Name: ?
“The new town is said to have received its name in compliment to Mrs. Mary, wife of the Hon. Edward Tyng, who emigrated from Dunstable, England, about 1630, and whose son Jonathan became possessor of a large tract of land in what is now the town of Tyngsborough.”(source)
Nice spoiler for Tyngsborough.
Everett
Pronunciation: Ev-ritt
Population as of 2020: 9,075
Incorporated: 1870 (town), 1892 (city)
Original Name: Mishawum
Everett was named for Edward Everett, who was Member of U.S. House of Representatives from MA’s 4th District, U.S. Minister to the United Kingdom, Governor of MA, Secretary of State, U.S. Senator from MA, and President of Harvard University, though not all at the same time, which would have been even more impressive.
Framingham
Pronunciation: FRAY-ming-ham
Population as of 2020: 72,362
Incorporated: 1700 (town), 2018 (city)
Original Name: Washakamaug
“Danforth’s Farm also went by the name Framlingham, which was Danforth’s birthplace in England. The “l” was dropped and became Framingham when it was incorporated in 1700” (source)
Why? Why did they drop the L? This important detail has evaded the historical record for far too long!
Groton
Pronunciation: Grot-un
Population as of 2020: 11,315
Incorporated: 1724
Original Name: Petapawag
“It was named in honor of one of the original Selectmen, Dean Winthrop, who was born in Groton, Suffolk County, England.” (source)
Holliston
Pronunciation: Hol-is-tun
Population as of 2020: 14,996
Incorporated: 1655
Original Name: Mucksquit
“The town’s name was taken in honor of Thomas Hollis of London, a benefactor of Harvard College.” (source)
Hopkinton
Pronunciation: Hop-kin-tun
Population as of 2020: 18,758
Incorporated: 1715
Original Name: Magwonkkommok
Hopkinton was named for “for Edward Hopkins who left a legacy to Harvard College.” (source) The guy was also Connecticut’s second governor and a founder of Hartford. Show some respect.
Hudson
Pronunciation: Hud-sun
Population as of 2020: 20,092
Incorporated: 1866
Original Name: Agoganqumassett
Named for “Charles Hudson, a local author, statesman, minister, public servant, senator, state representative, U.S. congressman and historian, after he donated $500 for a new library.” (source)
Lexington
Pronunciation: LEX-ing-tun
Population as of 2020: 34,454
Incorporated: 1713
Original Name: Anmoughcawgen
“The origin of the name is not clear. One theory is that it was named after Laxton, Nottinghamshire, UK, which had an earlier Anglo-Saxon name similar to Lexington. Another theory is that it was named after Robert Sutton, Lord Lexington, an English peer, who may have been related to the governor of Massachusetts at the time the town was incorporated.” (source)
The governor at the time was Joseph Dudley, not, like you might expect, Francis Bernard.
Lincoln
Pronunciation: Like Honest Abe
Population as of 2020: 7,014
Incorporated: 1754
Original Name: Musketaquid
“Influential resident Judge Chambers Russell named the town after his ancestral home in Lincolnshire, England” (source)
Littleton
Pronunciation: Little-tin
Population as of 2020: 10,141
Incorporated: 1715
Original Name: Nashobah?
“It is said that the name Littleton was given as a compliment to Hon. George Lyttleton, M.P., one of the commissioners of the treasury, and that in acknowledgment he sent from England a church-bell as a present to the town but on account of the error in spelling by substituting ” i ” for “y,” the present was withheld by the person having it in charge, who gave the excuse that no such town as Lyttleton could be found, and sold the bell.”” (source)
OMG, it’s the bell story all over again! (see the entry for Pelham in Hampshire County) This makes three, THREE, towns with an origin story involving a bell that is promised but never delivered. Just what is going on here?
Lowell
Pronunciation: Low-ull
Population as of 2020: 115,554
Incorporated: 1826 (town) 1836 (city)
Original Name: Nabnasset
Lowell was named for industrialist Francis Cabot Lowell by his disciples.
Malden
Pronunciation: Mall-din
Population as of 2020: 66,263
Incorporated: 1649 (town) 1882 (city)
Original Name: Missi-tuk
“The name “Malden” was chosen by Joseph Hills, an early settler and landholder, who emigrated from Maldon, England. ” (source)
Marlborough
Pronunciation: Marl-burra
Population as of 2020: 41,793
Incorporated: 1660 (town) 1890 (city)
Original Name: Unrecorded
‘Probably named for Marlborough in Wiltshire, England, the former home of some of the settlers ” (source)
Maynard
Pronunciation: MAY-nid
Population as of 2020: 10,746
Incorporated: 1871
Original Name: Assabet
Named for mill owner Amory Maynard.
Medford
Pronunciation: Med-fid, Meffid
Population as of 2020: 59,659
Incorporated: 1630 (town), 1892 (city)
Original Name: Mistick
An elementary school history of the town says : “The name Medford may have come about because of the Mystic River ford by the meadow. But it’s more likely that it was chosen because the region in England that Mr. Cradock represented in Parliament
(the government of that country) was named Meadford. Historians are not certain this is true, so you decide.”
“You decide?” That’s not how history works!
Melrose
Pronunciation: Mel-rose
Population as of 2020: 29,817
Incorporated: 1850 (town), 1900 (city)
Original Name: Mistick
“Our name, Melrose, was adopted by the advocacy of the late William Bogle, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, who had been a resident several years before.” (source)
OR
“It was named after a small town in Scotland, but which of two citizens suggested the name is a matter of some controversy. Both were recent immigrants from Scotland, and both had recently moved to the area. One was John McLeish (1809-1867), pastor of the Methodist Church, and the other, William Bogle (1817-1891), a wig maker, hairdresser, and manufacturer of “hair dyes, perfumery, and proprietary articles.”1 Three histories of Melrose – written in 1902, 1915, and 1950 – each give credit differently.” (source)
You decide.
Natick
Pronunciation: NAY-tick
Population as of 2020: 37,006
Incorporated: 1781
Original Name: Nittauke?
Natick was a so-called “praying town.” Now it has a fancy mall.
Newton
Pronunciation: NEW-tin
Population as of 2020: 88,923
Incorporated: 1681 (town), 1874 (city)
Original Name: Anmoughcawgen
“In the area now known as Newton, English settlement goes back to the early 1600s. By the 1630s, Newton was known as “Cambridge Village.” It was part of “the newe towne” which was renamed Cambridge in 1638. In 1688, Cambridge Village officially became an independent township known by several names: Cambridge Village, New Cambridge, Newtown, and New Town. On December 15, 1691, Newton became the official name and the area became a city on January 5, 1874.” (source)
North Reading
Pronunciation: North Red-ing
Population as of 2020: 15,554
Incorporated: 1853
Original Name: Saugus?
I’m going to assume this has something to do with Reading and we’ll get there eventually.
Pepperell
Pronunciation: Pep-er-ell, Pep-rell
Population as of 2020: 11,604
Incorporated: 1775
Original Name: Petapawag
“On the 12th day of April 1753, Groton West Parish, upon petition by its inhabitants, was made a district, and named Pepperell, in honor of Sir William Pepperell.” (source)
Pepperell was Maine’s “most prolific and infamous slave owner.”
Ouch. That makes 3 slaver-honoring towns.
Reading
Pronunciation: Red-ing
Population as of 2020: 25,518
Incorporated: 1644
Original Name: Saugus?
I knew we’d get there.
Anyway, Reading was named for Reading, England: “It is said, but has not been proven, that Dea. Thomas Parker was conspicuous in naming the town, and if he chose the name it proves his connection with the Parker family of Little Norton, Eng. , who owned land by name of Ryddinge, as is spelt in the deed of 1591 of John Parker of Little Norton, and which name Dea. Parker would naturally hold in fond remembrance. Moreover, in many of the town records the name continued to be spelt Redding for half a century.” (source)
Sherborn
Pronunciation: Like sherbet but different
Population as of 2020: 4,401
Incorporated: 1674
Original Name: Boggestow
Once part of Medway, “by 1674 Boggestow had grown sufficiently to be incorporated as a new town (i.e. the land had never been part of another town) and was arbitrarily named “Sherborne” by the General Court.” (source)
There is a Sherborne, England, which sounds lovely. Somebody on the court probably knew Lord Whoosie, Baron What-not of Sherborne Manor. That’s my best guess.
Shirley
Pronunciation: Shur-lee
Population as of 2020: 7,431
Incorporated: 1753
Original Name: Catacunemaug?
“The General Court of Massachusetts incorporated the territory as a district and named it after Colonial Governor William Shirley.” (source)
Somerville
Pronunciation: Summer-ville
Population as of 2020: 81,045
Incorporated: 1842 (town), 1872 (city)
Original Name: Mistck?
“Some say it was just a “fanciful name.” Others believe it was named to honor a daring naval hero, Captain Richard Somers. In 1804, he packed his ship, Intrepid, with gunpowder, hoping to use it as a floating bomb to destroy the fleet of the notorious Barbary Pirates, who would ruthlessly rob any ship trading off the coast of North Africa. Killed in the attempt, Somers became an American hero.” (source)
So, either it’s in honor of a real guy or it’s just made up. Needs more looking into.
Stoneham
Pronunciation: Stone-um
Population as of 2020: 23,244
Incorporated: 1725
Original Name: unknown
This is a cute story: “The Governor, Mr. Nowell, Mr. Elliott and others went over Mystic River, at Medford, and going North and East among; the rocks about two or three miles, they came to a very great pond, having in the midst some Islands of about one acre, and very thick with trees of pine and birch, and divers small rocks standing up in it, which they therefore called Spot Pond. They went all about it upon the ice, from thence towards the Northwest about one-half mile, they came to the top of a very high rock, beneath which, towards the North, a goodly plain partly open land and partly woods, from which there is a fair prospect, but it being then close and rainy, they could see but a small distance. The place they called Cheese Rock, because when they went to eat somewhat they had only cheese, because of the Governor’s man forgetting for haste to put up some bread.” (Source)
As for the name:”This town I am told took its name from a town called Stoneham in England.”(source)
Stow
Pronunciation: Stone-um
Population as of 2020: 7,174
Incorporated: 1683
Original Name: Pompocitticut
“The community was chartered as a town in 1683, named by Governor Simon Bradstreet. He selected “Stow” from a list of “comely English names” – and was drawn to it, it’s said, by the fact that he once had a friend named John Stow.”(source)
Sudbury
Pronunciation: Sud-berry
Population as of 2020: 18,934
Incorporated: 1639
Original Name: Musketahqnid?
“Settled in 1638 by Watertown residents and by English colonists, it was incorporated in 1639 and named for Sudbury, Suffolk, England.” (Source)
Tewksbury
Pronunciation: Toox-burry
Population as of 2020: 31,342
Incorporated: 1734
Original Name: Shawshine
“There is no evidence that this town was named for Tewkesbury, England. No family among us traces its trans-atlantic home to that place.”
“This is the name of a town in Gloucestershire, England, famous for its abbey. It had been, however, one of the titles of George II., who was in 1706 made Baron Tewkesbury, Viscount Northallerton, Earl of Milford-Haven, Marquess and Duke of Cambridge. In 1714 he became Prince of Wales ; and on his accession in 1727 all his dignities merged in the crown. Still this use of the name is the most probable reason for its adoption here.”(source)
Marquess and Duke of Cambridge? In this economy?
Townsend
Pronunciation: Towns-end
Population as of 2020: 9,127
Incorporated: 1732
Original Name: Wistequassuck
“Townsend, Massachusetts, was incorporated as a town on June 29, 1732, and was named after Viscount Charles Townshend, a British cabinet minister. About 1780, residents and town clerks began to spell Townsend by omitting the “h” and giving it its present orthography.” (Source)
This marks Turnip Townshend’s triumphant second appearance in this series. See Raynham in the entry on Bristol County.
Tyngsborough
Pronunciation: Tings-burro
Population as of 2020: 12,380
Incorporated: 1809
Original Name: unknown
Tyngsborough was once part of the original Dunstable, Massachusetts Township initially settled in 1661 by Colonel Jonathan Tyng named in honor of his mother, Mrs. Edward Tyng, who emigrated from Dunstable in Bedfordshire, England. The Tyngs were among the early settlers of the land purchased from the Wamisit and Naticook tribes in 1661 for £20 sterling.” (Source)
Is Tyngsborough haunted?
Wakefield
Pronunciation: Wake-feeld
Population as of 2020: 27,090
Incorporated: 1812
Original Name: Saugus?
Wakefield is named for Cyrus Wakefield, a remarkable man who single-handedly started the rattan industry. If you’ve ever tied up a package with rustic looking palm fibers thank Wakefield.
Waltham
Pronunciation: Wall-tham
Population as of 2020: 27,090
Incorporated: 1738 (town), 1884 (city)
Original Name: unknown
“It is generally thought the name was chosen because of Waltham Abbey in England; however it has not been clearly determined which of the several parishes in England named Waltham provided the inspiration.”(source)
While it’s true that there are a few Walthams in England, there’s only one Waltham Abbey, so I’m not sure what this means.
Watertown
Pronunciation: like it looks
Population as of 2020: 35,329
Incorporated: 1630
Original Name: Pequossette
This is the best info I could find:
“Sir Richard Saltonstall, Reverend George Phillips, and a goodly number of the planters , went up Charles River about four miles to a place well watered and settled a plantation, just below where Mt. Auburn is now located, at first called Sir Richard Saltonstall’ s plantation, but named Watertown by the Court of Assistants, on the 7th of September.” (Source)
Wayland
Pronunciation: like it looks
Population as of 2020: 13,943
Incorporated: 1780
Original Name: Musketahqnid?
“In 1835, the men attending the town meeting voted to change the name East Sudbury to Wayland, to honor Rev. Francis Wayland, President of Brown University, who was a friend of Judge Edward Mellen.” (Source)
Westford
Pronunciation: like it looks
Population as of 2020: 24,643
Incorporated: 1729
Original Name: unknown
Westford was originally West Chelmsford. I think they just smooshed those words together to come up with a new name.
Weston
Pronunciation: like it looks
Population as of 2020: 11,851
Incorporated: 1713
Original Name: Pequossette
“The name Weston is thought to come from its location at the far western end of Watertown.”(source)
Wilmington
Pronunciation: Will-Ming-tun
Population as of 2020: 23,349
Incorporated: 1730
Original Name: unknown
If you need a break you can do some coloring.
Anyway, rumor has it that Wilmington was named for Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington. He was a Prime Minister who belonged to the Kitcat Club. Really.
Winchester
Pronunciation: Win-ches-tur
Population as of 2020: 22,970
Incorporated: 1850
Original Name: unknown
“Winchester, Massachusetts, was not named, as so many of its New England neighbors were, forthe town of the same name in England. Rather, it was named for a man who never set foot in the town, Lt. Colonel William Parsons Winchester.” (Source)
This was a ploy on behalf of the town to make some money off of the Colonel. And it worked! (I’m surprised Winchester didn’t promise them a bell.)
Woburn
Pronunciation: Woo-burn
Population as of 2020: 40,876
Incorporated: 1642 (town), 1889 (city)
Original Name: Naumkeag?
Woburn must be one of the most confusing Massachusetts pronunciations. Apparently, it was incorporated as “Wooburne.”
At any rate, “in 1642 it was incorporated and named for Woburn in Bedfordshire, England.” (Source)
This county has more towns in it than some states. Ok, not quite, but it did go on and on.
Next up: Norfolk County!
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