DELAWARE - Delaware proudly holds the title of "The First State," as it was the first of the original thirteen colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution. But before it was a state, and even before it was a unified English colony, the land we now know as Delaware was a contested region with a variety of names given by its different European settlers. The story of its original name is a fascinating journey through the early colonial history of America.
The Earliest European Settlements: New Sweden and New Netherland
Long before the English took control, other European powers had established a presence in the area.
- New Sweden: The first permanent European settlement in what is now Delaware was established in 1638 by Swedish colonists. They founded the colony of New Sweden at Fort Christina, the site of modern-day Wilmington. For a time, this was the official name of the European colony in the region.
- Dutch Control: Prior to the Swedes, the Dutch were the first to arrive in 1631, establishing a short-lived whaling post called Zwaanendael (meaning "valley of the swans") near present-day Lewes. Later, in 1655, the Dutch conquered New Sweden and incorporated the territory into their larger colony of New Netherland.
English Rule and the "Lower Counties on the Delaware"
In 1664, the English seized control of the entire region from the Dutch. The land that would become Delaware was granted to William Penn in 1682 to provide his new colony of Pennsylvania with access to the sea. During this period, the area was not known as Delaware but was administered as part of Pennsylvania. It was officially and commonly referred to as the "Three Lower Counties on the Delaware" or, more simply, the "Lower Counties." The three counties were New Castle, Kent, and Sussex.
While governed by Pennsylvania, the residents of the Lower Counties developed a distinct identity and were granted their own separate colonial assembly in 1704.
The Origin of the Name "Delaware"
The name "Delaware" itself predates the state and even the colony. In 1610, English sea captain Samuel Argall named the large bay he sailed into "Delaware Bay" in honor of his patron, Sir Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, who was the first colonial governor of Virginia. Over time, the name was applied to the river and eventually to the Native American tribes of the region (the Lenni Lenape) and the land itself.
So, what was the original name of Delaware? The answer is complex. It was once part of New Sweden and briefly New Netherland. For the nearly 100 years leading up to the American Revolution, its most common official name was the "Three Lower Counties on the Delaware." Finally, in 1776, as it declared its independence from Great Britain and Pennsylvania, it officially adopted the name "The Delaware State," embracing the historic name of its magnificent bay and river.
Sources:
- Delaware Public Archives
- The Historical Society of Delaware
- American History Central - "Delaware Colony"
- Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia
- Wikipedia - "History of Delaware"
- Britannica - "Delaware"
