why is new york called new york?

Answer 1

After the British seized Manhattan island from the Dutch in 1664, they changed the name from "New Amsterdam" to "New York." This was to indicate that the land was the possession of the Duke of York. Incidentally, this initially covered the northern half of New Jersey as well, but the Duke of York gave portions of that land to Lords Carteret and Rahway.

This Duke of York eventually became King James II, who was overthrown in the Glorious Revolution. He never saw the land named for him.

Answer 2

It's named after the city of York in England

Answer 3

The area was long inhabited by the Lenape; Lenape in canoes met Giovanni da Verrazzano, the first European explorer to enter New York Harbor, in 1524. Giovanni da Verrazzano first named this place "Nouvelle Angoulême" ( or "New Angouleme" in english) in the honor of the french king Francis I ('François 1er' in french).

The first European settlers in the area now known as the State of New York were Dutch settlers in the colony known as "New Amsterdam," beginning in 1613. These settlers were claiming this land as theirs, marginalizing the aboriginal inhabitants who had been living there since the Pleistocene epoch. The English traded the modern-day country of "Suriname" for New Amsterdam in 1664; they renamed it with its current name "New York," after the Duke of York, the future King James II. On November 1, 1683, the government was reorganized. The colony, then called the "Province of New York," was divided into twelve counties, each of which was subdivided into towns. The territory of New York extended much farther than present-day New York State, having no official western boundary other than the Pacific Ocean. Two of New York's eastern coastal counties, Cornwall and Dukes, later became parts of Massachusetts and Maine.

Answer 4

After the English city of York.

It was renamed from New Amsterdam when the English took the place off the Dutch in 1665.

Answer 5

My guess is that it is named after the town of York in England. I suppose that New Jersey is also named after the UK area of "Jersey".

Of course, as They Might be Giants points out, "even old New York was once New Amsterdam. Why they changed it, I can't say. People just liked it better that way."

Answer 6

Because they did not want to keep the name of New Amsterdam, so they decided that York was a town in England but this, to them, was their "New" York. So good, they said it again.

Answer 7

sf_ca got it right, and with a very nice (and brief) historical narrative.

The expedition to gain New Amsterdam had been organized with the Duke of York, who later became King James II, as its special patron, and the city was rechristened in his honor.

Answer 8

from the English's city of York as is a lot of cities around the original 13 states.Like New "England"

Answer 9

They were going to call it Hooterville but that name was already taken.

Answer 10

Because Bumf**k was already taken.