Olivia Fisher 
Today, Hudson County is home to 12 municipalities, including Hoboken, Jersey City, Secaucus, Weehawken, and more. However, not all of its historic communities, like Union Hill, Van Vorst, and West Hoboken, have stood the test of time. The origins of these place names span centuries, drawing from Lenape, Dutch, and English influences, reflecting the county’s complex history. Read on for a guide to the origins of Hudson County’s community names.
About Hudson County
Hudson County is the smallest and most densely populated county in New Jersey. It was named for Henry Hudson, the Englishman who explored the area in 1609. The county was established in 1840, splitting off from Bergen County and annexing some parts of Essex County. The county is home to over 736,000 residents and boasts strong, vibrant diasporic communities like Cubans, Filipinos, Italians, Indians, and Puerto Ricans. Three of the most densely populated places in the United States — Guttenberg, Union City, and West New York — are located in Hudson County.
Read More: Presidents Who Have Visited Hoboken + Jersey City
Bayonne
Bayonne was formed in 1861 from portions of Bergen Township. It was named after Bayonne Avenue, today 33rd Street. The avenue’s name likely stems from Bayonne, France, a city in the Basque Country, or because the area is the meeting point of Newark Bay and Upper Bay. The city’s first mayor in 1869 was Henry Meigs Jr., who was also President of the New York Stock Exchange.
East Newark
East Newark was named after Newark in Essex County, just across the Passaic River. Newark likely derived its name from the English community Newark-on-Trent. This is where pastor Abraham Pierson, one of the area’s early European settlers, came from.
Guttenberg
There are two ideas for the origin of Guttenberg’s name. One idea was that it was named for Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press. Another theory was that it came from German, meaning “good village”. In 2020, it was the most densely populated incorporated municipality in the US.
Harrison
It was widely believed that Harrison was named for the 9th president, William Henry Harrison, who was elected in 1840, the same year the community was established.
Hoboken
The name Hoboken was chosen by Colonel John Stevens when he bought land.
Hoboken’s name derives from the Lenape word Hopakan, meaning “a pipe for smoking” or “land of the tobacco pipe”. The first recorded baseball game was played in Hoboken at Stevens Institute of Technology. The city is also the birthplace and hometown of famed singer Frank Sinatra.
Jersey City
Jersey City was named after the Garden State. The area was first home to the Lenape and later settled as Pavonia by the Dutch in 1630. Eventually, it came under British control in 1664. In 1838, Jersey City incorporated itself as its own community. As the second-largest city in the state, Jersey City is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the US.
Kearny
Kearny was named for Phillip Kearny Jr., an Army Officer who served in the Mexican-American War, Civil War, and under Napoleon III. There is a statue of Phillip outside the Midland Avenue post office in Kearny, and furniture from his home, Belle Grove Chateau, is on display at the Kearny Museum.
North Bergen
North Bergen, like Bergen County, was named after either Bergen-op-Zoom in Holland or Bergen in Norway. The community was incorporated in 1843.
Secaucus
Secaucus comes from the Lenape words “sukit” meaning black, and “achgook” meaning snake. It was originally part of Bergen, the first municipality created in the state and initially part of New Netherland.
Union City
Union City was incorporated in 1925 from the merger of Union Hill and West Hoboken. The name likely derives from the union of two communities.
Weehawken
The name Weehawken is generally considered to have evolved from the Lenape language. Theories behind its meaning include “maize land,” “place of gulls,” or “rocks that look like trees.”
See More: The History Behind Essex County Town Names
West New York
West New York is likely named for its position west of New York City. It is one of the most densely populated communities in the state, and over a dozen American Presidents have streets bearing their name.
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