List of Hudson County, New Jersey placename etymologies explained

This is a list of locales in Hudson County, New Jersey categorized by origin of their name.

Municipalities

  1. Bayonne (Bynne)
  2. Jersey City (JC)
  3. Hoboken (Hbkn)
  4. Union City (UC)
  5. West New York (WNY)
  6. Guttenberg (Gtbg)
  7. Secaucus (Sec)
  8. Kearny (Kearny)
  9. Harrison (Har'sn)
  10. East Newark (EN)
  11. North Bergen (NB)
  12. Weehawken (Whkn)

Lenape

The Lenape people who lived in the region spoke an Algonquian language from which the current names are derivative through Dutch and English.

NameMunicipalityOriginComments
Caven PointJCpeninsulathrough Dutch kewan (see:cay)Road
CommunipawJCgamunk, on the other side of the river, and pe-auke, water-land, meaning big landing-place from the other side of the river.[1] Upper New York Bay before land reclamation at turn of the 20th century
current: gamuck meaning other side of the water or otherside of the river[2] or landing place at the side of a river [3]
Terminal
Station
Junction
Cove
Avenue
HackensackJC, Sec
Whkn
place of stony ground[4] or place of sharp ground [5] exonym for Hackensack (Native Americans) and the terrain around main village at Overpeck Creek near a ridgefieldRiver
Plank Road
HarsimusJCsea marsh or sea grass, possibly crow's marshsalt marsh cove along the North River before landfilling in the 19th century
current: ahas meaning crow [6]
Cove
HobokenHobhoopookum or hupoken meaning smoking pipe,from Hopoghan Hackingh [7] or place of stone for pipesserpentinite rock found at the outcropping of Castle Point
current: Hopoakan meaning pipe for smoking
Terminal
Cemetery
Lackawannastream that forksDelaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, originally the Lackawanna and Western Railroad, consolidated with the Erie Railroad to become the Erie Lackawanna Railway, travelled through the region of the Lackawanna River and across NJ to the waterfrontHoboken Terminal
ManhattanUCisland of many hills[8] From the word Manna-hata, as written in the 1609 logbook of Robert Juet, a first mate on Henry Hudson's yacht Halve Maen, while anchored at Weehawken Cove.[9] A 1610 map depicts the name Manahata twice, on both the west and east sides of what became the Hudson River
PamrapoJC
Bay
rockNatural break in Bergen Hill where the east-west crossing of Morris Canal was later built and city line established.Station
Avenue
Court
Passaicpahsaayeek, pasayak or pahsayèk
meaning valley or water that flows through the valley[10]
Current: Pachsa'jeek
SecaucusSecsukit meaning black and achgook meaning snake,[11] hence black snakes.Snake HillRoad
WeehawkenWhknat the end of[12] emergence of Hudson Palisades at King's BluffCove
Cemetery

Dutch

New Netherlanders established a factorij in 1617 at Communipaw, a patroonship in 1630 at Pavonia, and New Jersey's first independent gemeente, or municipality, in 1661 as Bergen.

NameMunicipalityOriginComments
Bergencounty-widebergen meaning hills or mountain ridge,alternatively from the verb to save, recover, keep safe[13] speaks to the terrain of Bergen Hill or the establishment of a stockaded village to which settlers could withdraw if neededSquare
Point
Bergenline, etc
Constable HookBynneKonstapel's Hoeckconstable & <br />hoek or hoeck meaning cape or peninsula. land grant to Jacob Jacobsen Roy, chief gunner or constable in at Fort Amsterdam in New Amsterdam in 1646[14]
Cromakill CreekSec, NBkromme kill meaning crooked creekborder between Secaucus and North Bergen in Hackensack Meadowlands
Paulus HookJCvariously Paulus Hoeck, Powles Hoek, Powles Hook
hoek or hoeck[15]
originally a tidal island, site of ferry and factorij operated by Micheal Paulus on behalf of the patroon
PavoniaJC, Bynnelatinized pauw meaning peacockfrom surname of absentee patroon Michiel Reyniersz Pauw, as was common for educated men in Dutch Golden Age to take a Latin name
Kill van KullBynnechannel from the ridge
from kille meaning water channel and col meaning mountain pass or ridge
Achter Kol described the terrain behind, or west, of the Hudson Palisades. Arthur Kill is an anglicisation of achter kill meaning back channel, which would speak to its location behind Staten Island.
North RiverIn maritime usage, the Hudson River between Hudson County and Manhattan
In relation to another of the great rivers in New Netherland, the Delaware or South River.[16] Alternatively, the "North" River and "East" River were so named for the direction of travel they permitted once having entered the harbor.[17]
Tunnels
Robbins ReefBynnerob or robyn meaning sealcollections of seals would sometimes lay on the reef at low tide[18]
SuydamJCsouth damonce part of the village of CommunipawStreet

Odonyms

Places bearing eponymous names.
(Streets with names of US presidents, more than half of whom are honored, are not included.)[19]

PlaceMunicipalityOrigin of NameComments
Barrow StreetJCDr William BarrowProminent early 19th century resident of Van Vorst
Barrow Mansion
Bartholdi AvenueJCFrédéric Auguste BartholdiFrench sculptor and designer of the Statue of Liberty
Bedloe's IslandJCIssac Bedloooriginal name of Liberty Island
Bentley AvenueJCPeter Bentley, Sr.Fifth Mayor of Jersey City
Black TomJCBlack Tomresident of the island[20]
Bloomfield AvenueHbknTwice Governor of New Jersey
Bonn PlaceWhknJohn H. Bonn [21] Founder of North Hudson County Railway
Boyle PlazaJCJohn F. BoyleDirector interstate commission which built Holland Tunnel
North Hudson
-James J. Braddock Park
NBJames J. BraddockWorld heavyweight champion
Burr PlaceWhknAaron Burr
Bulls FerryNB
WNY
Bull family18th century ferry operators
Clinton StreetHbknDe Witt Clinton
Colden StreetJCCadwallader D. ColdenMayor of New York & President of the Morris Canal Company
Coles Street JCJohn B. ColesNew York State Senator (1799-1802) who initiated the plan for a public park in Jersey City to be named for Alexander Hamilton and whose land the park was built upon.[22]
Colgate Street JCWilliam ColgateColgate-Palmolive long a fixture in Paulus Hook
Cornelison AvenueJCJohn M. CornelisonDirector of the Hudson and Bergen Plank Road Company
Sixth Governor of New York.
Celia Cruz PlazaUCCelia CruzSinger and performer
Curries WoodsJC
Bynne
James Currie[23] Early settler and prominent citizen of Greenville
Danforth AvenueJCHBLR station
Pietro di Donato SquareUCPietro di DonatoItalian-American writer
Dixon MillsJCJoseph DixonInventor and manufacturer
Duer PlaceWhknWilliam Duer, son-in-law of Lord Stirling
Ellis IslandJCSamuel EllisColonial merchant and one time owner of island[24]
FultonWhkn
JC
Robert FultonIntroduced world's first steamboat ferry service at Paulus Hook in 1812
Gangemi DriveJCThomas Gangemi35th Mayor of Jersey City
Garfield Avenue StationJCJames A. Garfield20th President of the United States
Gates AvenueJCHoratio GatesBritish soldier turned American general in Revolutionary War.
Gracie LaneWhknGracie family
Gregory AvenueWhknDudley S. Gregory1st Mayor of Jersey City, Congressman 5th congressional district-NJ
Greene StreetJCNathanael GreeneMajor general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War.
J. Owen Grundy ParkJCJ. Owen GrundyCity historian and writer
HamiltonWhkn
JC
Alexander HamiltonFounding Father and first United States Secretary of the Treasury
Hamilton Plaza
Hamilton Park
HarrisonWilliam Henry HarrisonNinth President of the United States
Holland TunnelJCClifford Milburn HollandFirst chief engineer on the Hudson River Vehicular Tunnel project, who died before the completion of the project.
Hudsonused county-wideHudson River for Henry HudsonSea-captain and explorer of estuary and river in 1609
Arthur Imperatore DriveNBArthur Edward Imperatore, Sr.Trucking magnate and founder of New York Waterway
Port Imperial
Journal SquareJCJersey JournalNewspaper with headquarters located on square
Jeanette StreetUCJoe JeanetteAfrican-American heavyweight boxer
JohnstonBynne
JC
John Taylor JohnstonPresident of the Central Railroad of New Jersey
Port Johnston
Johnston Ave
Town of KearnyKearnyPhilip KearnyCivil War General
Kennedy BoulevardBynne, JC, North Hudson John F. Kennedy35th President of the United States
King AvenueWhknJames Gore KingCongressman New Jersey's 5th congressional district
Lafayette ParkJCGilbert du Motier, marquis de La FayetteFrench general who served in Continental Army
McAdoo AvenueJCWilliam McAdooCongressman New Jersey's 7th congressional district and New York City Police Commissioner
Manischewitz PlazaJCManischewitzCompany which built its factory at location in 1932
Martin Luther King DriveJCClergyman, activist, a leader in the Civil Rights Movement
Marin BoulevardJC
Hbkn
Luis Muñoz MarínPuerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician
HBLR station
Mercer StreetJCHugh MercerBrigadier General in the Continental Army
Merseles StreetJCJacob M. MerselesFounder the Bergen Point Plank Road Company
Monastery PlaceUCMonastery and Church of Saint Michael the Archangel
Montgomery StreetJCRichard Montgomery or
James Montgomery Jr.
Brigadier General in the Continental Army
Director of Hudson and Bergen Plank Road Company
Morgan StreetJCDaniel MorganColonel in Continental Army
NungessersNBFamily Nungesser Nungesser's Guttenberg Racetrack
Ogden AvenueJCAaron Ogden5th Governor of New Jersey
Paulus HookJCMichael PaulezAgent of patroon Michiel Pauw and Dutch West India Company
PavoniaJC
Bynne
Michiel Reyniersz PauwPatroon of first European settlement, latinized version of name meaning peacock
PATH, HBLR stations
Pavonia Court
PershingWhkn
JC
John J. PershingGeneral of the Armies in World War I
Pershing Road
Pershing Field
Peter StreetUCWilliam PeterFounder Peter's Brewery[25]
Prior StreetJCJohn PriorOwner of Prior's Mill in 18th century Jersey City[26]
Pulaski SkywayJC
Kearny
Kazimierz PułaskiPolish General in Continental Army during American Revolutionary War.
Randolph AvenueJCTheodore Fitz Randolph
Ristaino DriveJCJohn RistainoCandle and furniture-maker, champion speed-skater and Korean War Vet
Frank E. Rodgers Blvd.Har'snFrank E. RodgersMayor of Harrison for 48 years from 1947 to 1995
RooseveltJC
UC
Franklin D. Roosevelt32nd President of the United States
Roosevelt Stadium (Jersey City)
Roosevelt Stadium (Union City)
Schuyler AvenueKearnyArent SchuylerEarly settler and member of the prominent Schuyler family, who developed mines in the region[27]
Shippen StreetWhknWilliam W. Shippen.President Hoboken Land and Improvement Company
Sinatra DriveHbknFrank SinatraActor, entertainer and famous son
Steuben StreetJCFriedrich Wilhelm von SteubenPrussian who served as inspector general of the Continental Army
Sterling AvenuewhknLord StirlingWilliam Alexander, American general in Revolutionsry War
Tonnelle AvenueJC
NB
John TonneleEarly settler to Hudson City
Tonnelle Circle
HBLR station
Teurs AvenueJCJane Teurs[28] Instrumental in foiling Benedict Arnold plot to sell West Point to British during the American Revolution
Van Vorst ParkJCVan Vorst family
including Cornelius Van Vorst
Early settlers to Pavonia, New Netherland
12th Mayor of Jersey City
Van Vorst Street
Van Wagenen AvenueJCVan Wagenen familyEarly settlers to Bergen, New Netherland
Van Wagenen House
Varick StreetJCRichard VarickMayor of New York City and a founder of City of Jersey[29]
Warren StreetJCJoseph WarrenSons of Liberty and Major General of Continental Army
Wayne StreetJCAnthony WayneAmerican Revolutionary War brigadier general
Westervelt JCEarly settlers to Bergen, New Netherland
Ship builder and Mayor of New York City
Wittpenn BridgeJC, KearnyH. Otto Wittpenn28th Mayor of Jersey City
Wright StreetJCEdwin R. V. WrightCongressman and Mayor of Hudson City
Audrey Zapp DriveJCAudrey ZappEnvironmentalist influential in the development Liberty State Park

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Four chapters of Paterson history: I. The war for independence. II. The early white settlers. III. Struggle for industrial supremacy. IV. Municipal administration . 1919 . archive.org.
  2. The Lenape/English Dictionary http://www.gilwell.com/lenape
  3. Web site: Indian Place Names .
  4. Web site: Indigenous Population . www.bergencountyhistory.org . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20040815190622/http://www.bergencountyhistory.org/Pages/indians.html . 2004-08-15.
  5. Web site: Woodland Indians Forum / Indian placenames in and around Paterson, NJ . 2010-04-21 . 2012-02-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120217050514/http://www.woodlandindians.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=3749 . dead .
  6. Web site: Lenape Spelling System . 2010-04-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160519072158/http://www.talk-lenape.org/spelling.php . 2016-05-19 . dead .
  7. http://www.hobokenmuseum.org/abridged_history.htm HM-hist "The Abridged History of Hoboken", Hoboken Museum
  8. Holloway, Marguerite. "Urban tactics; I'll Take Mannahatta", The New York Times, May 16, 2004, accessed June 30, 2009. "He could envision what Henry Hudson saw in 1609 as he sailed along Mannahatta, which in the Lenape dialect most likely meant island of many hills."
  9. http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs216a1v,0,919043.story?coll=ny-lihistory-navigation Full Text of Robert Juet's Journal: From the collections of the New York Historical Society, Second Series, 1841 log book
  10. http://www.web-savvy.com/river/schuylkill/new_lenape.html Lenape Language / Pronunciation
  11. Anthony, Rev A.S and Binton D.G. (editors) Lenape-English Dictionary, 1888, (Historical Society of Penn)
  12. http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/w4/weehawken-i.htm Weehawken
  13. Book: Grundy , J. Owen . The History of Jersey City (1609–1976). 1976. Walter E. Knight, Progress Printing Co.. Jersey City, New Jersey. A Dutch Legacy . 5.
  14. Joan F. Doherty, Hudson County The Left Bank, (Windsor Publications, Inc., 1986)
  15. http://www.njcu.edu/programs/jchistory/Pages/P_Pages/Paulus_Hook.htm NJCU: Jersey City A to Z/Paulus Hook
  16. Steinhauer, Jennifer."F.Y.I",The New York Times, May 15, 1994.
  17. Dougherty, Steve. "MY MANHATTAN; Away From the Uproar, Before a Strong Wind", The New York Times, May 31, 2002. Accessed January 17, 2008. "'Because it's the river you sail to go north,' Captain Freitas explained. 'To sail east, to Long Island Sound, you would take the East River.'"
  18. Roberts, Bruce and Jones, Ray, Lighthouses of New York, Globe Pequot Press, Guilford CT, 2008
  19. Book: Hagstrom Map Company, Inc. 978-0-88097-763-0. Hudson County New Jersey Street Map . 2008.
  20. Web site: NJCU JC A to Z: Black Tom . 2010-03-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101205013226/http://www.njcu.edu/programs/jchistory/pages/b_pages/black_tom_explosion.htm . 2010-12-05 . dead .
  21. Book: Sherman . Lauren . Gaulkin . Ellen Robb . Weehawken . paper . 1st . Images of America . February 2009 . Arcadia Publishing . 978-0-7385-6268-1 .
  22. Web site: Hamilton Park . New Jersey City University: Jersey City Past and Present . 11 February 2020.
  23. http://www.njcu.edu/Programs/jchistory/Pages/C_Pages/Curries_Woods.htm JC Past and Present
  24. Moreno, Barry (2001) "Ellis Island Chronology Timeline (1674–2001)". National Park Service, Ellis Island Library. Retrieved 2013-04-24.
  25. http://members.fortunecity.com/speciale/ History of Peter Family and Brewery
  26. http://www.njcu.edu/programs/jchistory/Pages/P_Pages/Priors_Mill.htm NJCU JC A to Z:Prior's Mill
  27. Web site: Arent Schulyer family . 2010-03-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101202105510/http://jerseyhistory.org/findingaid.php?aid=0651 . 2010-12-02 . dead .
  28. Web site: Jane Tuers (Jannetje van Reypen Tuers) . 2010-06-29 . 2010-05-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100528065401/http://www.njcu.edu/programs/jchistory/Pages/T_Pages/Tuers_Jane.htm . dead .
  29. http://www.njcu.edu/programs/jchistory/Pages/A_Pages/Associates_of_the_Jersey_Company.htm NJCU: Associates of Jersey