The origin of county names in Southeastern PA

Bucks County, founded in 1682 by William Penn, was named after Buckinghamshire, England, the Penn family home in England. Read more.

Chester County, also founded in 1682 by William Penn, was named after the county seat of Chester, which became part of Delaware County after Chester County split in 1789. Chester derived its name from the shire town of Cheshire, England. Read more.

Delaware County, founded in 1789 after being split off from Chester County, was named for the Delaware River, which in turn had been named for Lord de la Warr, a former governor of the colony of Virginia from 1610 to 1611. Read more.

Montgomery County, founded in 1784 after being split off from Philadelphia County, was named after Gen. Richard Montgomery, an Irish-born military officer who first served in the British Army but later became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Read more.

Philadelphia, founded in 1682, has a name that combines two Greek words — phileo (love) and adelphos (brother). The city was named by its founder, William Penn, who envisioned a city of religious tolerance where no one would be persecuted. Read more.