New Hampshire
/nuː ˈhæmp.ʃər/noun
A state in the northeastern United States, one of the six New England states.
Did you know?The colony was named in 1629 by Captain John Mason after Hampshire in southern England, whose name developed from Old English Hamtunscir, meaning the shire of Hamtun.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*newos
“New or fresh; the ancient root behind English new.”
Old English
Old English
nīwe / nēowe
“New, recent, or not previously known.”
Old English
Old English
Hamtūnscīr
“The shire or administrative district of Hamtūn, literally the settlement or homestead district.”
Middle English
English
Hampshire
“The evolving name of the English county formerly called Hamtūnscīr.”
1629
English
New Hampshire
“The name given to an American province by Captain John Mason, honoring Hampshire in England.”
Modern English
English
New Hampshire
“A U.S. state in New England, admitted to the Union in 1788.”
Explore more surprising origins