Abington
Pronunciation: Ab-ing-tun
Population as of 2020: 17,062
Incorporated: 1712
Original Name: Manamooskeagin
“Governor Joseph Dudley of Massachusetts Bay Colony named Abington in 1706, six years before the town was incorporated in 1712. Governor Dudley wished to honor Anne Venables Bertie, Countess of Abington (England) who helped him secure the governorship of the Colony from Queen Anne.”(source)
Oh, this is interesting! The Countess was apparently Lady of the Bedchamber for Queen Anne, meaning she was in the perfect position to recommend Dudley.
Dudley was the son of Thomas Dudley, who was also a governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, a whopping 5 times and (spoiler alert!) the namesake of the town of Dudley.
Bridgewater
Pronunciation: Exactly as it looks
Population as of 2020: 28,633
Incorporated: 1656
Original Name: Saughtuckquett
“The name was probably adopted from fancy, as many of the names of towns in the vicinity were, none of the settlers here, as we can ascertain, having come from Bridgewater, in England.” (Source)
I like how “picked at random” became “adopted from fancy.”
Brockton
Pronunciation: Brock-tun
Population as of 2020: 17,062
Incorporated: 1821 (town) 1881 (city)
Original Name: Saughtucket
“As the story goes: “During the height of the above controversy, a local streetcar tycoon named Ira Copeland happened to be traveling through the Canadian side of Niagara Falls when, on one of his stopovers, his ‘quick’ ear happened to pick up the name Brockville, Ontario being called out by a conductor. Simply put, it stuck in his mind. Working it over and over in his thoughts, he finally transposed it into the name Brockton, “merely because he thought it sounded pleasantly crisp, business-like, prosperous and altogether how the name of an emerging industrial community ought to sound.”” (Source Seriously, go read it.)
Some of the other contenders were Violet and Peregrine.
Carver
Pronunciation: As written, alternatively Cah-vah
Population as of 2020: 11,645
Incorporated: 1790
Original Name: Mohootset
“The town received its name in honor of John Carver the first Governor of Plymouth who died childless.” (Source)
Carver was a Mayflower passenger.
Duxbury
Pronunciation: Ducks-burry
Population as of 2020: 16,090
Incorporated: 1637
Original Name: Mattakeesett
“It received the name of Duxbury out of respect to Captain Standish, from Duxbury Hall, the seat of the Standish family in England.” (Source)
Oh, aren’t we fancy?
East Bridgewater
Pronunciation: I mean, c’mon
Population as of 2020: 14,440
Incorporated: 1823
Original Name: Nunketest
I’m not even going to look this up. It was named after a man named East Bridgewater, I assume. 😉
Halifax
Pronunciation: Hal-ih-facks
Population as of 2020: 7,749
Incorporated: 1734
Original Name: Monponset
“It was named in honor of the Earl of Halifax, West Yorkshire, England.” (Source)
Hanover
Pronunciation: Han-over, Han-ovah
Population as of 2020: 14,833
Incorporated: 1726
Original Name: Wanumackewit
“By whose suggestion the name of Hanover was taken, is not now known. We are told that the loyal subjects of the King of England, George I., took this name as a tribute to their king, who, before ascending the throne of Great Britain, had been Elector of Liineburg and Hannover. The death of George I. occurred June 10, 1726 four days before the final passage of the Act of Incorporation. The name, therefore, was German, and was correctly spelled in the Act of Incorporation. It is still spelled Hannover in Germany, and is there pronounced with the accent on the second syllable. How it became changed in its spelling and pronounciation can be accounted for by the inclination, which has always been prominent in this country, to make improvement in every way and upon everything*.” (Source)
*Whether it needs it or not!
Hanson
Pronunciation: Han-sin
Population as of 2020: 10,639
Incorporated: 1820
Original Name: Monponset
“First settled in 1632 as the western parish of Pembroke, Hanson was officially incorporated in 1820, and was named for Maryland publisher of the Federal Republican newspaper and U.S. Senator Alexander Contee Hanson. A champion of free speech, Hanson was also an American lawyer and statesman, he represented the third district of Maryland in the U.S. House, and the state of Maryland in the U.S. Senate.”(source)
Dude was a badass, for sure, but was there no one local criticizing the government and escaping mobs in a hay cart?
Maybe it’s ’cause he was pretty cute, too.
Hingham
Pronunciation: Hing-um
Population as of 2020: 24,284
Incorporated: 1635
Original Name: Conohasset
“The first significant European settlement was established in 1635, when the Reverend Peter Hobart arrived with his followers from Hingham, England. In that same year, they renamed the town “Hingham,” and it was incorporated as the 12th town in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.” (Source)
In the course of my research I discovered this book, which proves there have always been great big municipal nerds.
Hull
Pronunciation: Rhymes with Dull
Population as of 2020: 10,072
Incorporated: 1644
Original Name: Nantasket
As of the 90s it was a mystery. Maybe this place in Yorkshire?
Perhaps this provides more clarity:
“In 1826 J. Savage wrote : ” So called, I suppose, in honour of Joseph Hull of Hingham, who was admitted to the freeman’s oath 2 September 1635″ (Winthrop’s History of New England, ii. 175). Savage later changed his opinion, and in the 1853 edition of Winthrop wrote 175). ” So called, I think, from Hull in Yorkshire, not in honor of Joseph Hull of Hingham.””
Kingston
Pronunciation: King-stun
Population as of 2020: 13,708
Incorporated: 1726
Original Name: Pawtuxet
“On June 16, 1726, Kingston is officially incorporated as an independent town, named for King George II.” (Source)
So Hanover is named for George I, Kingston is named for George II…do we have a town named for George III? No? I wonder – oh yeah.
Lakeville
Pronunciation: Wouldn’t you be surprised if it was Lac-vee
Population as of 2020: 11,523
Incorporated: 1853
Original Name: Assawompset
“When the Massachusetts Legislature had at last decided to grant the rights of a separate township to the southwesterly portion of Middleboro, notice was given the voters in that section to meet on Saturday, January 29, 1853, to ballot for a name for the new town…Bristol, Laketon and Nelson were some of the names selected, Nelson receiving the majority of votes in honor of Job Peirce Nelson, Esq., as it was principally due to his efficient efforts that the new township had been secured. The name, Bristol, was understood to have been proposed by Oliver Peirce, Escp and Laketon was recommended by Austin J. Roberts. Mr. Nelson, who was the father of the late Sidney T. Nelson and grandfather of Clifton W. Nelson and Thomas Nelson, modestly declined the honor and urged the acceptance of the name, Lakeville, as a compromise.” (Source)
I admire Nelson’s character but I don’t see how Lakeville is a compromise between any of those names!
Marion
Pronunciation: Rhymes with Librarian
Population as of 2020: 5,347
Incorporated: 1852
Original Name: Sippican
“These factors led to independence for Sippican, which was renamed Marion in honor of the Revolutionary War hero, Francis Marion, in 1852.” (Source)
Francis Marion was also known as the Swamp Fox.
Marshfield
Pronunciation: Maaaahsh-feeld
Population as of 2020: 25,825
Incorporated: 1640
Original Name: Missacautucket
“It is certain that Rev. Richard Blinman preached in the church during 1641. He was ejected from his church in England and, with several of his parishioners, Welshmen, was induced by Governor Winslow to come to Green’s Harbor. If Marshfield derived its name from Marshfield in Gloucestershire, England, as is not improbable, the name perpetuates the brief ministry of Blinman. He was a man of learning and ability. His party and the first settlers did not agree, so he and his friends soon removed to Gloucester, afterward to Connecticut. Finally, he returned to England where he died.
As for the name of the town, the other conjecture is that it was derived from the prevailing marshes and fields.” (Source)
While researching this I came upon an author with the delightfully unlikely name Lysander Salmon Richards.
Mattapoisett
Pronunciation: Matta-poy-sit
Population as of 2020: 6,508
Incorporated: 1857
Original Name: Mattapoisett
By God, they kept the Wampanoag name!
Middleborough
Pronunciation: Middle-burro, Middle-burra
Population as of 2020: 24,405
Incorporated: 1669
Original Name: Nemasket
“By an act of the Colonial Legislature, June 1, 1663, the inhabitants at Nemasket “were accounted to belong to the town of Plymouth,” and continued under that jurisdiction until the year 1669, when that portion of Plymouth was incorporated under the name of the Town of Middleberry. This name may have been given on account of its location, midway between Plymouth and the residence of the Pokanoket chief, or it may have come from the town of Middleboro in North Riding of York, England.” (Source)
Middleberry?
Norwell
Pronunciation: The most obvious way. Ok, you could also say “Nah-well.”
Population as of 2020: 11,351
Incorporated: 1849
Original Name: Satuit
“This is the Town of Norwell named for Henry Norwell, a dry-goods merchant who provided funds for the maintenance of the town roads.” (Source)
But did he give them a bell?
Pembroke
Pronunciation: Broke as in poor, not brook as in water
Population as of 2020: 18,361
Incorporated: 1712
Original Name: Mattakeesett
“In 1711 fifty-four families of northwest Duxbury petitioned the Massachusetts Legislature for their own Meeting House. Negotiations took almost a full year. Tradition has it that the Earl of Pembroke, Keeper of the King’s Privy Seal, tired of the many pleas for separate townships, angrily scrawled “Pembroke” where the name Brookfield should have been. For their part the weary petitioners were by then glad to’ have their own town parish by any name, so Pembroke it became.” (Source)
I don’t think this is right. First of all, the Earl of Pembroke who served as Keeper of the Privy Seal was not in that position in 1711. Plus, I don’t think someone that high up in the government back in England was concerning themselves with colonial town names. That was usually decided by lawmakers in the colony. So…what’s the deal?
Plymouth
Pronunciation: Plih-muth
Population as of 2020: 61,217
Incorporated: 1620
Original Name: Pawtuxet
“Many believe that Plymouth was named after the Pilgrims’ port of departure in Plymouth, England, but Smith was actually the first to call the site “New Plimouth” on his map four years earlier.” (Source)
That would be John Smith, of Pocahontas fame.
Plympton
Pronunciation: Plimp-tin
Population as of 2020: 2,930
Incorporated: 1707
Original Name: Winnetuxet
“The town was officially incorporated in 1707 and named for Plympton, Devon, England.” (Source)
Rochester
Pronunciation: Rah-chester
Population as of 2020: 5,717
Incorporated: 1686
Original Name: Sippican
“The Town was officially incorporated on June 4, 1686 as Rochester, and was renamed for Rochester, England, from which early settlers to the Town came.” (Source)
Rockland
Pronunciation: Rock-lund
Population as of 2020: 17,803
Incorporated: 1874
Original Name: Manamooskeagin
“Rockland derived its name geologically from its rocky nature – A “large rock” is mentioned in the description of the Town Seal.” (Source)
Scituate
Pronunciation: Sit-chew-it
Population as of 2020: 17,803
Incorporated: 1874
Original Name: Satuit
“This name is derived from Satuit brook which falls into the harbour : it means ” cold brook.” (The name of the Town was written Satuit and Seteat at first) and not until 1640 did the orthography become settled.” (Source)
Wareham
Pronunciation: Where-ham
Population as of 2020: 23,303
Incorporated: 1839
Original Name: Agawaywam
“…these two tracts were incorporated as the town of Wareham, the name being borrowed from an old English town, once of some note.” (Source)
West Bridgewater
Pronunciation: Same as East Bridgewater, but with a West at the beginning
Population as of 2020: 7,707
Incorporated: 1822
Original Name: Manamooskeagin
Again, I’m going to go out on a limb here and suppose this requires no further investigation.
Whitman
Pronunciation: Wit-mun
Population as of 2020: 15,121
Incorporated: 1875
Original Name: Satucket
“The name was changed in 1886 to honour Augustus Whitman, a prominent citizen.” (source)
OR
“The name of Whitman was proposed at one of the earliest town meetings. Its suggestion was in memory of Squire Jared Whitman.” (Source)
“Jared Whitman graduated from Brown University in 1805 and was admitted to bar in 1808, he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1827-8), the state senate (1839-41), a commissioner of Plymouth County (1828-34), and a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention (1853).” (Source)
I’m on Team Jared, because I think the Boston Globe had accurate reporting.
That’s Plymouth County, done and dusted. I couldn’t have done it without this little book.
Next up: Suffolk!
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