How did Massachusetts get its name?

The State of Massachusetts is named after the Native American Indian tribe, the Massachusett, who lived in the area when the first English colonists arrived. The Massachusett Indians are part of the Algonquin family of Native American tribes. read more

Massachusetts (/ ˌ m æ s ə ˈ tʃ uː s ɪ t s / ( listen), /-z ɪ t s /), officially known as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. read more

Massachusetts means "Great Hill" or Big hill Massachusetts takes its name from the Massachusetts tribe of Native Americans, who lived in the Great Blue Hill region, south of Boston. The Indian term supposedly means "at or about the Great Hill," an apparent reference to the tallest of the Blue Hills, a recreation area south of the town of Milton. read more