Why Is Boston Called “Beantown”?

Written by

Tracy Grant

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

The origin story for Boston’s flavorful nickname is in some ways as old as the city itself. Founded by Puritans from the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, Boston got its name from a hamlet in Lincolnshire, England. The genesis of its Beantown moniker dates to roughly that same time period when Puritans learned about baked beans from Native Americans, who cooked beans with maple syrup, salt, corn, and deer meat. The Pilgrims tweaked the recipe,...