Archaic Names
Many municipalities have changed names.
| Old name | Modern name | County | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acushena | Dartmouth | Bristol | |
| Agawam | Dartmouth | Bristol | Different from Agawam in Hampden County |
| Andrewstown | Chesterfield | Hampshire | |
| Apponegansett | Dartmouth | Bristol | |
| Ashuelot Equivalent | Dalton | Berkshire | |
| Attleborough | Attleboro | Bristol | The -ugh was dropped when the city was re-incorporated in 1914 |
| Barnardstone's Grant | Florida | Berkshire | |
| Basse River | Beverly | Essex | |
| Belcher’s Town | Belchertown | Hampshire | |
| Berkshire Equivalent | Florida | Berkshire | |
| Billirikey | Billerica | Middlesex | |
| Blue Hill Lands | Braintree | Norfolk | |
| Boggestow | Sherborn | Middlesex | |
| Boston Township Number One | Charlemont | Franklin | |
| Boston Township Number Two | Colrain | Franklin | |
| Bullock's Grant | Florida | Berkshire | |
| Bullocks Grant | Clarksburg | Berkshire | |
| Cabotville | Chicopee | Hampden | |
| Cambridge Farms | Lexington | Middlesex | |
| Cambridge South Parish | Brighton | Suffolk | |
| Cape Ann | Gloucester | Essex | Different from the modern definition of Cape Ann, which includes Gloucester, Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Rockport |
| Chabakongomum | Dudley | Worcester | |
| Chabanagungamug | Dudley | Worcester | |
| Chappequiddick | Edgartown | Dukes | |
| Charley Mount | Charlemont | Franklin | |
| Charlton | Charlestown | Suffolk | |
| Chebacco | Essex | Essex | |
| Chequocket | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Chuckomug | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Coa | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Cochickawick | Andover | Essex | |
| Cochituit | Andover | Essex | |
| Cokachoise | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Cold Spring | Belchertown | Hampshire | |
| Colechester | Salisbury | Essex | |
| Conahasset | Cohasset | Norfolk | |
| Concord Village | Acton | Middlesex | |
| Contentment | Dedham | Norfolk | |
| Cotachesett | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Cottage City | Oak Bluffs | Dukes | |
| Danforth's Farms | Framingham | Middlesex | |
| District of Carlisle | Carlisle | Middlesex | |
| Dorchester Village | Canton | Norfolk | |
| Dorchester-Canada Plantation | Ashburnham | Worcester | |
| Ducksburrow | Duxbury | Plymouth | |
| Duxburrow Plantation | Bridgewater | Plymouth | |
| East Hoosuck Plantation | Adams | Berkshire | |
| East Sudbury | Wayland | Middlesex | |
| Edgar Towne | Edgartown | Dukes | |
| Emesbury | Amesbury | Essex | |
| Erving's Grant | Enfield | Hampshire | |
| Fair Haven Village | Fairhaven | Bristol | |
| Falls Fight | Bernardston | Franklin | |
| Falltown Plantation | Bernardston | Franklin | |
| Five Pound Island | Gloucester | Essex | |
| Foords Farm | Bridgewater | Plymouth | |
| Fort Massachusetts | Adams | Berkshire | |
| Freeman's Purchase | Fall River | Bristol | |
| Freemens Land | Freetown | Bristol | |
| Gageborough | Windsor | Berkshire | |
| Gay Head | Aquinnah | Dukes | |
| Gay Head Indian District | Aquinnah | Dukes | |
| Gerry | Phillipston | Worcester | |
| Glasgow | Blandford | Hampden | |
| Gloscester | Gloucester | Essex | |
| Great Harbour | Edgartown | Dukes | |
| Green Harbor | Duxbury | Plymouth | |
| Greenwich | Enfield | Hampshire | |
| Hack's Grant | Enfield | Hampshire | |
| Hadley Third Precinct | Amherst | Hampshire | |
| Hockamock | Easton | Bristol | |
| Hockomock | Bridgewater | Plymouth | |
| Housatonic Township Number Four | Becket | Berkshire | |
| Huntstown Plantation | Ashfield | Franklin | |
| Hutchinson | Barre | Worcester | |
| Ipswich Eighth Parish | Essex | Essex | |
| Iron Work Farm | Acton | Middlesex | |
| Ketiticut | Bridgewater | Plymouth | |
| Kokachoise | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Litchfield | Dunstable | Middlesex | |
| Little Cambridge | Brighton | Suffolk | |
| Little Salisbury | Amesbury | Essex | |
| Lyttleton | Littleton | Middlesex | |
| Manamoiet | Chatham | Barnstable | |
| Manamoit Village | Chatham | Barnstable | |
| Manamooskeagin | Abington | Plymouth | |
| Manchaug | Sutton | Worcester | |
| Manor of Tisbury | Chilmark | Dukes | |
| Mattakeeset | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Mattakeeset | Duxbury | Plymouth | |
| Mattapan | Dorchester | Suffolk | Section of Boston |
| Mennems Moone | Dorchester | Suffolk | |
| Menotomy | Arlington | Middlesex | |
| Merry Mount | Merrymount | Norfolk | Neighborhood of Quincy |
| Middlesex Gore | Dudley | Worcester | |
| Mile & Half of Land | Attleboro | Bristol | |
| Minot's Grant | Cummington | Hampshire | |
| Mishawum | Charlestown | Suffolk | |
| Mistic | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Mohootset | Carver | Plymouth | |
| Monatiquot | Braintree | Norfolk | |
| Monomoy | Chatham | Barnstable | |
| Monument Village | Bourne | Barnstable | |
| Moskeehtucketqut | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Mount Dagan | Braintree | Norfolk | |
| Mount Wollaston | Merrymount | Norfolk | Neighborhood of Quincy |
| Muddy River | Brookline | Norfolk | |
| Murrayfield | Chester | Hampden | |
| Murrayfield Grant | Cummington | Hampshire | |
| Musketequid | Concord | Middlesex | |
| Namassakeesett | Duxbury | Plymouth | |
| Nashowakemmuck | Chilmark | Dukes | |
| Nawsett | Eastham | Barnstable | |
| New Glasgow | Blandford | Hampden | |
| New Grant | Acton | Middlesex | |
| New Hingham Plantation | Chesterfield | Hampshire | |
| New Providence | Cheshire | Berkshire | |
| New Providence Hill | Cheshire | Berkshire | |
| New Providence Plantation | Adams | Berkshire | |
| New Providence Purchase | Cheshire | Berkshire | |
| New Rowley | Georgetown | Essex | |
| New Sherburn | Douglas | Worcester | |
| Newe Towne | Cambridge | Middlesex | Included modern Newton |
| Newtown | Cambridge | Middlesex | Included modern Newton |
| No Town Plantation | Buckland | Franklin | |
| Nobscusset | Dennis | Barnstable | |
| Noman's Land | Chilmark | Dukes | |
| Noodles Island | Boston | Suffolk | |
| North Bridgewater | Brockton | Plymouth | |
| North Purchase | Attleboro | Bristol | |
| North Sandwich | Bourne | Barnstable | |
| North Wrentham | Norfolk | Norfolk | |
| Nossett | Eastham | Barnstable | |
| Noticock | Dunstable | Middlesex | |
| Nottingham | Dunstable | Middlesex | |
| Number Thirteen | Chelsea | Suffolk | |
| Nunketest | Bridgewater | Plymouth | |
| Nunnepog | Edgartown | Dukes | |
| Passacomuck | Easthampton | Hampshire | |
| Pawtucket | Chelmsford | Middlesex | |
| Pawtucket | Dracut | Middlesex | |
| Payquage Plantation | Athol | Worcester | |
| Peymechit | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Plantation Chickleystown | Charlemont | Franklin | |
| Plantation Number Five (1762 Township) | Cummington | Hampshire | |
| Plantation Number Four | Becket | Berkshire | |
| Plantation Number Nine (1762 Township) | Chester | Hampden | |
| Plantation Number One (Western Township of 1762) | Chesterfield | Hampshire | |
| Plantation Number One | Adams | Berkshire | |
| Pocomtuck | Deerfield | Franklin | |
| Podunke | Alford | Berkshire | |
| Podunkville | Alford | Berkshire | |
| Poguaige | Athol | Worcester | |
| Pompositicut | Stow | Middlesex | |
| Provincetown on Mills River | Athol | Worcester | |
| Pullen Poynte | Chelsea | Suffolk | |
| Pullin Point | Chelsea | Suffolk | |
| Punkapoag | Canton | Norfolk | |
| Quabaug Territory | Brookfield | Worcester | |
| Quabaug Territory | East Brookfield | Worcester | |
| Quaboag | Brookfield | Worcester | |
| Quequechan Region | Fall River | Bristol | |
| Quichickichick | Andover | Essex | |
| Quinsigamond | Worcester | Worcester | |
| Quobauge | Brookfield | Worcester | |
| Rowley Village | Boxford | Essex | |
| Rumney Marsh | Chelsea | Suffolk | |
| Rutland District | Barre | Worcester | |
| Sacconeesett | Falmouth | Barnstable | |
| Salem Farms | Danvers | Essex | |
| Salem Middle Parish | Danvers | Essex | |
| Salem Village Parish | Danvers | Essex | |
| Salisbury-new-toune | Amesbury | Essex | |
| Santuite | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Satucket | Brewster | Barnstable | |
| Satuite | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Sawkatucket | Brewster | Barnstable | |
| Scipuiszet | Falmouth | Barnstable | |
| Sconticut | Fairhaven | Bristol | |
| Seipuiszet | Falmouth | Barnstable | |
| Sepoese | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Sepuit | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Sesuet | Dennis | Barnstable | |
| Shawanon | Egremont | Berkshire | |
| Shawanon Purchase | Alford | Berkshire | |
| Shawmut | Boston | Suffolk | |
| Shawshinnock | Billerica | Middlesex | |
| Shawsin | Billerica | Middlesex | |
| Sipnesset | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Skonkonet | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Skunkamug | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Slacksville | Plainville | Norfolk | |
| South Malden | Everett | Middlesex | |
| South Parish | Enfield | Hampshire | |
| South Purchase | Dighton | Bristol | |
| South Reading | Wakefield | Middlesex | |
| South Redding | Wakefield | Middlesex | |
| Springfield Parish | Dover | Norfolk | |
| Squantums Neck | Quincy | Norfolk | Annexed to Dorchester 1641, annexed to Quincy 1792 |
| Suckanesset | Falmouth | Barnstable | |
| Sudbury | Wayland | Middlesex | |
| Suffield Equivalent Lands | Blandford | Hampden | |
| Tamahappaseeacon | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Taunton | Dighton | Bristol | Different from modern Taunton |
| Taunton North Purchase | Easton | Bristol | |
| Tiverton | Freetown | Bristol | Different from modern Tiverton, Rhode Island |
| Tragabigzanda | Gloucester | Essex | |
| Tremont | Boston | Suffolk | |
| Trimountaine | Boston | Suffolk | |
| Troy | Fall River | Bristol | |
| Turkey Hill | Fitchburg | Worcester | |
| Vinson's Cove | Gloucester | Essex | |
| Wameset | Chelmsford | Middlesex | |
| Waqua | Edgartown | Dukes | |
| Ward | Auburn | Worcester | |
| Washqua | Edgartown | Dukes | |
| Waskotussoo | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| Watatick Hill | Ashburnham | Worcester | |
| Wattuppa | Freetown | Bristol | |
| Weguasset | Chatham | Barnstable | |
| Wellington | Dighton | Bristol | |
| Wequaquet | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| West Cambridge | Arlington | Middlesex | |
| West Hoosuck | Williamstown | Berkshire | |
| West Sandwich | Bourne | Barnstable | |
| Weymouth Canada | Ashfield | Franklin | |
| Willard’s Farm | Acton | Middlesex | |
| Winnissimet | Chelsea | Suffolk | |
| Wyngaersheek | Gloucester | Essex | |
| Yanno's Land | Barnstable | Barnstable | |
| York | Egremont | Berkshire |
Read more about this topic: List Of Municipalities In Massachusetts
Famous quotes containing the words archaic and/or names:
“Almost always tradition is nothing but a record and a machine-made imitation of the habits that our ancestors created. The average conservative is a slave to the most incidental and trivial part of his forefathers’ glory—to the archaic formula which happened to express their genius or the eighteenth-century contrivance by which for a time it was served.”
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)
“It is a sad truth, but we have lost the faculty of giving lovely names to things. Names are everything. I never quarrel with actions. My one quarrel is with words.... The man who could call a spade a spade should be compelled to use one. It is the only thing he is fit for.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)