New Jersey is known as the "Garden State" because of its rich agricultural history and production of fruits and vegetables. The nickname was first used by Abraham Browning of Camden, a prominent New Jersey politician, in 1876, when he compared New Jersey to a giant barrel that fed its neighbor states. The nickname became official in 1954, when it was printed on the state’s license plates.[1] New Jersey became the 3rd state to join the United States on December 18, 17871.[2] New Jersey’s economy ranks 10th in size among states and Washington, DC. It has a strong economy with many robust sectors, including financial services, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, transportation, technology, and manufacturing.[3]
New Jersey is a leading industrial state and is the largest chemical producing state in the nation. New Jersey farmers grow a large variety of fruits and vegetables, including blueberries, cranberries, peaches, asparagus, bell peppers, and the famous New Jersey tomatoes.[4] The state is also the home to eleven national park sites.[5]
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History of New JerseyHistory of New Jersey
The original settlers in what is now New Jersey were the Lenni Lenape tribe of Native Americans.[6] Beginning in 1497, European explorer John Cabot was likely the first to visit the New Jersey coast and establishing the basis for England's claims. The coast was also visited by Giovanni da Verrazano in 1524 and Henry Hudson in 1609. [6] Dutch and Swedish colonists settled parts of the present-day state as New Netherland and New Sweden.[7] In 1664, the entire area, surrendered by the Dutch to England, gained its current name. With the Treaty of Westminster in 1674, London formally gained control of the region.[8]
By 1700, the influx of European settlers increased New Jersey’s population to nearly 14,000. This put pressure on the native tribes, leading to their displacement.[9] New Jersey was one of the 13 Original Colonies that declared independence from Great Britain in 1776.[6] The 19th and 20th centuries saw waves of immigration from various parts of the world, including Europe and Latin America. These immigrants significantly contributed to the state’s industrial growth. Since 1840, New Jersey remains a state with some of the highest proportions of residents from other countries. This has had a major impact on the economics and population within the state.[9] The state has a significant Arab-American population, particularly from Egypt, making it the only state where Egyptian people make up the majority subgroup. There are also sizable Syrian and Lebanese communities. South Paterson, also known as Little Ramallah or Little Istanbul, is a notable hub for the Arab-American community.[10]
Hispanics and Latinos form a significant portion of the population in New Jersey. Newark, the largest city in the state, is home to a large Hispanic and Latino population, particularly Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. The northern part of Hudson County is often referred to as “Havana on the Hudson” due to the large number of Cuban exiles and émigrés living there.[11]
New Jersey reportedly has the highest concentration worldwide of scientists and engineers. The pharmaceutical industry in New Jersey grew by 19.9% from 2015 to 2020.[3]
Demographics of New JerseyDemographics of New Jersey
The state of New Jersey has the following demographic distribution:[12]
- White: 62.68%
- Black or African American: 13.27%
- Asian: 9.75%
- Other race: 7.31%
- Two or more races: 6.68%
- Native American: 0.27%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.04%
Most common surnames in New JerseyMost common surnames in New Jersey
According to the Forebears.io website, the most common surnames in New Jersey are:
| Surname | Incidence | Frequency |
| Patel | 33,399 | 1:269 |
| Williams | 31,895 | 1:282 |
| Brown | 30,473 | 1:295 |
| Johnson | 28,944 | 1:310 |
| Rodriguez | 27,691 | 1:325 |
| Lee | 23,184 | 1:388 |
| Jones | 22,755 | 1:395 |
| Miller | 21,548 | 1:417 |
| Davis | 19,799 | 1:454 |
| Rivera | 18,604 | 1:483 |
Researching family history in New JerseyResearching family history in New Jersey
The New Jersey State Archives holds many collections that are vital to genealogists with ancestors in New Jersey. These include birth, marriage, and death records, censuses, tax lists, land and probate records, military service and pension documents, court cases, county filings, and much more. The New Jersey Historical Society has cemetery transcriptions, census records, tax records, city directories and many other sources of compiled genealogical material. Local and state government documents are available at the New Jersey State Library. Another resource is the Rutgers University Alexander Library with holdings that include biographies, histories, genealogies, family folders, Bibles, census, special indexes, cemetery transcripts, and professional genealogists' notes on New Jersey families. There is also a Jewish Historical Society of Central Jersey with archival collection that include organizational documents, historical records, photographs, oral histories, area Jewish newspapers, individual family files, and other research materials.
New Jersey county listNew Jersey county list
| Atlantic | Bergen | Burlington | Camden |
| Cape May | Cumberland | Essex | Gloucester |
| Hudson | Hunterdon | Mercer | Middlesex |
| Monmouth | Morris | Hudson | Ocean |
| Passaic | Salem | Somerset | Monmouth |
| Sussex | Union | Warren | Salem |
See alsoSee also
Explore more about New JerseyExplore more about New Jersey
MyHeritage.com has 89 collections of valuable New Jersey records. The larger collections include, New Jersey Marriage Licenses, 1915-2017, New Jersey Death Index, 1920-1929,1949-2017, New Jersey Births, 1901-1929, and many other collections.
References
- ↑ Why is New Jersey called the Garden State?
- ↑ 61 Interesting Facts About New Jersey
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 New Jersey's Economy: The Top Industries Driving GDP Growth
- ↑ New Jersey - Economy, Manufacturing, Agriculture | Britannica
- ↑ 11 EPIC New Jersey National Parks Worth Visiting (Guide + Photos)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 New Jersey Colony, History, Facts, Timeline, 13 Colonies
- ↑ How Scheyichbi Really Became New Jersey
- ↑ The history of New Jersey : from its earliest settlement to the present time : including a brief historical account of the first discoveries and settlement of the country
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 History of Immigration in New Jersey – New Jersey Immigration
- ↑ Meet the Arab-American Community in New Jersey!
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: New Jersey
- ↑ New Jersey Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)