Located north of Newark on the Passaic River, it was first settled in 1678 by Dutch traders, as Acquackanonk Township. The city and river draw their name from the Lenape word “pahsayèk” which has been variously attributed to mean “valley” or “place where the land splits.”[26][27][28][29]

Bayonne was originally formed as a township on April 1, 1861, from portions of Bergen Township. Bayonne was reincorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 10, 1869,[24] replacing Bayonne Township, subject to the results of a referendum held nine days later.[25] At the time it was formed, Bayonne included the communities of Bergen Point, Constable Hook, Centreville, Pamrapo and Saltersville.[26]

Beginning in the early 1900s, Camden was a prosperous industrial city, and remained so throughout the Great Depression and World War II. During the 1950s, Camden manufacturers began gradually closing their factories and moving out of the city. With the loss of manufacturing jobs came a sharp population decline. The growth of the interstate highway system also played a large role in suburbanization, which resulted in white flight. Civil unrest and crime became common in Camden. In 1971, civil unrest reached its peak, with riots breaking out in response to the death of Horacio Jimenez, a Puerto Rican motorist who was killed by two police officers.[28]

A majority of Brick Township is located on the mainland. Ocean Beaches I, II, and III are situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.[21] The mainland and beach area of the town are not geographically adjacent. Brick Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 15, 1850, from portions of both Dover Township (now Toms River Township) and Howell Township. The township was named after Joseph Brick, the owner of Bergen Iron Works located on the Metedeconk River.[22][23] Portions of the township were taken to form Point Pleasant Beach (May 18, 1886), Bay Head (June 15, 1886), Lakewood Township (March 23, 1892), Mantoloking (April 10, 1911) and Point Pleasant (April 21, 1920).[24] In 1963, voters rejected a referendum that would have changed the township’s name to “Laurelton”.[25]

Cherry Hill is a suburb of Philadelphia and is part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan statistical area. With the decline of downtown Camden, it has become an edge city and one of the region’s main commercial centers.[20][21]

Clifton was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 26, 1917, replacing Acquackanonk Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.[23] Clifton is listed under five different ZIP codes. 07011, 07012, 07013, 07014, and 07015.[24]

Trenton dates back at least to June 3, 1719, when mention was made of a constable being appointed for Trenton while the area was still part of Hunterdon County. Boundaries were recorded for Trenton Township as of March 2, 1720.[26] A courthouse and jail were constructed in Trenton around 1720, and the Freeholders of Hunterdon County met annually in Trenton.[27]

Hamilton was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 11, 1842, from portions of the now-defunct Nottingham Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Chambersburg borough (April 1, 1872, annexed by Trenton in 1888) and Wilbur borough (April 24, 1891, annexed by Trenton in 1898).[25] Hamilton Township derives its name from the village of Hamilton Square, which might have been named for Alexander Hamilton.[26][27]

As of the 2020 United States Census, the township had a total population of 95,438,[10] with the township ranking as the eighth-most-populous municipality in the state in 2020 (same place as in 2010)[21] and the second most-populous municipality in Ocean County (behind Lakewood Township, which had a population of 135,158).[22] The 2020 population increased by 4,199 (+4.6%) from the 91,239 counted in the 2010 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,533 (+1.7%) from the 89,706 counted in the 2000 Census, and by 13,335 (+17.5%) from the 76,371 counted in the 1990 Census.[23]

According to Joshua Coffin, the early settlers included “Captain John Pike, the ancestor of General Zebulon Montgomery Pike, who was killed at the battle of Queenstown in 1813; Thomas Bloomfield, the ancestor of Joseph Bloomfield, some years governor of New Jersey, for whom the township of Bloomfield, New Jersey is named; John Bishop, senior and junior; Jonathan Haynes; Henry Jaques; George March; Stephen Kent; Abraham Toppan, junior; Elisha Ilsley; Hugh March; John Bloomfield; Samuel Moore; Nathaniel Webster; John Ilsley; and others.”[31] Woodbridge was the site of the first gristmill in New Jersey.[32][33] The mill was built by Jonathan Singletary Dunham (married to Mary Bloomfield, relative of Joseph Bloomfield).[34][35]