The Brunswicks
Encyclopedia
The Brunswicks are a group of four municipalities in Middlesex County
, New Jersey
, all of which have the word Brunswick in their name. New Brunswick, New Jersey
, the first formed of the four, was named in 1730 after the British royal House of Brunswick. The name is also attributed to the German
city of Braunschweig
, formerly translated in English
as Brunswick
While each community has its own independent government, and the four municipalities have no shared governance (other than Middlesex County), the term is often used to refer to the area.
on December 30, 1730, within other townships in Middlesex County and Somerset County
, and was reformed by Royal Charter with the same boundaries on February 12, 1763, at which time it was divided into north and south wards. New Brunswick was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on September 1, 1784.
Both North and South Brunswick were first mentioned in minutes of the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
dated February 28, 1779. North Brunswick Township, covering the area "Northward of New Brunswick", and South Brunswick Township to the south, were both incorporated as part of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships by an Act of the legislature on February 21, 1798.
East Brunswick Township was incorporated by an Act of the legislature on February 28, 1860, from portions of both Monroe Township
and North Brunswick Township.
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, all of which have the word Brunswick in their name. New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, the first formed of the four, was named in 1730 after the British royal House of Brunswick. The name is also attributed to the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
city of Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
, formerly translated in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as Brunswick
While each community has its own independent government, and the four municipalities have no shared governance (other than Middlesex County), the term is often used to refer to the area.
Municipalities
The four municipalities are:- East BrunswickEast Brunswick Township, New JerseyThe town is located southwest of New York City and 48 miles northeast of Philadelphia.Lawrence Brook, a tributary of the Raritan River, runs along the western border of the township...
(Township) - 2000 CensusUnited States Census, 2000The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
population of 46,756 - New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New JerseyNew Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
(City) - 48,573 - North BrunswickNorth Brunswick Township, New Jersey-Demographics:At the 2010 census, there were 40,742 people, 13,635 households and 9,367 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,018.3 per square mile . There were 13,932 housing units at an average density of 1,158.8 per square mile...
(Township) - 36,287 - South BrunswickSouth Brunswick Township, New JerseySouth Brunswick Township is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 43,417....
(Township) - 37,734
History
New Brunswick was formed by Royal CharterRoyal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
on December 30, 1730, within other townships in Middlesex County and Somerset County
Somerset County, New Jersey
Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....
, and was reformed by Royal Charter with the same boundaries on February 12, 1763, at which time it was divided into north and south wards. New Brunswick was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on September 1, 1784.
Both North and South Brunswick were first mentioned in minutes of the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
Board of Chosen Freeholders
In New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...
dated February 28, 1779. North Brunswick Township, covering the area "Northward of New Brunswick", and South Brunswick Township to the south, were both incorporated as part of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships by an Act of the legislature on February 21, 1798.
East Brunswick Township was incorporated by an Act of the legislature on February 28, 1860, from portions of both Monroe Township
Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey
Monroe Township is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 27,999. Monroe was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 9, 1838, from portions of South Amboy Township, based on the...
and North Brunswick Township.
See also
For other groups of similarly named municipalities in New Jersey, see:- The AmboysThe AmboysThe Amboys are a pair of municipalities in Middlesex County, New Jersey, both of which have the word Amboy in their name. The two municipalities are the City of Perth Amboy and the City of South Amboy, located across from each other on the Raritan Bay....
- The CaldwellsThe CaldwellsThe Caldwells are a group of three municipalities in Essex County, New Jersey, all of which have the word Caldwell in their name. All of these communities are named after the Reverend James Caldwell, a Patriot who played an active role supporting the Continental Army during the American...
- The OrangesThe OrangesThe Oranges are a group of four municipalities in Essex County, New Jersey, all of which have the word Orange in their name. All of these communities were named for the ruler of England, William III of England, also known as William of Orange...
- The PlainfieldsThe PlainfieldsThe Plainfields are a group of municipalities spanning the convergence of Somerset, Union, and Middlesex Counties in New Jersey, all of which have the word Plainfield in their name. They are the Borough of North Plainfield , City of Plainfield , and the Borough of South Plainfield...
- The RidgefieldsThe RidgefieldsThe Ridgefields are a pair of municipalities in Bergen County, New Jersey, both of which have the word Ridgefield in their name. The two municipalities are the Borough of Ridgefield and the Village of Ridgefield Park....
- The WildwoodsThe WildwoodsThe Wildwoods are a group of five municipalities in Cape May County, New Jersey, all of which are situated on the Island of Five Mile Beach, a barrier island facing the Atlantic Ocean...