Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Why Is Boston Called “Beantown”?
References & Edit History
Images
Vintage postcard illustration of a smiling child in colonial attire carrying a steaming pot labeled Boston Baked Beans, with a road sign pointing to Boston and the text Bean-town for mine. Vintage postcard with a pot of beans and the text 'You don't know beans until you come to Boston' in large letters, with an illustrated family walking on the left. A bowl of Boston baked beans with smoked ham hock, chorizo, and chili, garnished with herbs, served with two slices of toasted sourdough bread on a white plate.
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Vintage postcard illustration of a smiling child in colonial attire carrying a steaming pot labeled Boston Baked Beans, with a road sign pointing to Boston and the text Bean-town for mine.
Long history with beans This 1907 postcard plays off the city's long history with the dish that became known as Boston baked beans.

Why Is Boston Called “Beantown”?

Written by
Tracy Grant
Tracy Grant is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. She previously served as editor in chief, the first woman to hold that title. 
Tracy Grant
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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,...

Discover the world with Britannica

Subscribe to Continue Reading

Free Trial | No Ads | Exclusive Content
Explore Subscriptions
DNA
Right
Mobile