Freehold Township was first formed on October 31, 1693, and was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of Freehold Township were taken to form Upper Freehold Township (c. 1731), so some wills and official records following the split referred to “Lower Freehold Township” although the official name has always been Freehold Township.[24][25] Additional portions formed Millstone Township (February 28, 1844), Jackson Township (March 6, 1844), Atlantic Township (February 18, 1847; now Colts Neck Township), Marlboro Township (February 17, 1848) and Manalapan Township (March 9, 1848). Freehold town was formed within the township on March 25, 1869, and formally separated when it was reconstituted as a borough on April 15, 1919, including additional portions of the township.[26]

Geographically, the township is part of the South Jersey region.

Monroe Township was originally formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 3, 1859, from portions of Washington Township, while the area was still part of Camden County. Monroe Township was shifted to Gloucester County on February 28, 1871, along with the majority of Washington Township. In 1950, portions of the township were transferred to Winslow Township in Camden County.[20] The township was named for President James Monroe.[21]

The earliest inhabitants of present-day Ewing Township in the historic era were Lenni Lenape Native Americans, who lived along the banks of the Delaware River. Their pre-colonial subsistence activities in the area included hunting, fishing, pottery-making, and simple farming.[23] European settlers, mostly from the British Isles, began to colonize the area in 1699. One of the earliest European settlers was William Green, and his 1717 farmhouse still stands on the campus of The College of New Jersey.[24]

Galloway Township was incorporated by Royal charter on April 4, 1774, from portions of Egg Harbor Township, when it was still part of Gloucester County. Galloway was incorporated as one of the initial group of 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. After becoming part of the newly formed Atlantic County in 1837, portions of the township were taken to create Mullica Township (March 13, 1838), Egg Harbor City (June 14, 1858), Absecon town (February 29, 1872), Brigantine Beach borough (now Brigantine city; June 14, 1890) and Port Republic (March 1, 1905).[24]

Originally known as “Second River” or “Washington”, the inhabitants renamed the settlement “Belleville” in 1797.[24] Belleville was originally incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1839, from portions of Bloomfield. Portions of the township were taken to create Woodside Township (March 24, 1869, now defunct) and Franklin Township (February 18, 1874, now known as Nutley). The independent municipality of Belleville city was created within the township on March 27, 1874, and was dissolved on February 22, 1876. On November 16, 1910, Belleville was reincorporated as a town, based on the results of a referendum held eight days earlier.[25]

Atlantic City inspired the U.S. version of the board game Monopoly, which is reflected in the use of Atlantic City street names in the game. Since 1921, Atlantic City has been the home of the Miss America pageant. In 1976, New Jersey voters legalized casino gambling in Atlantic City, and the first casino opened in 1978. Geographically, the city is part of the South Jersey region.

Winslow Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 8, 1845, from portions of Gloucester Township. Portions of the township were taken on November 26, 1867, to create Chesilhurst. In 1950, the township annexed a portion of Monroe Township in Gloucester County.[20] Geographically, the township is part of the South Jersey region.

As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was 35,345,[17][18] reflecting a decline of 116 (−0.3%) from the 35,461 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 3,464 (+10.8%) from the 31,997 counted in the 1990 Census.[19] Along with other communities in Bergen County, it is one of the largest and fastest-growing ethnic Korean enclaves outside of Korea.

The name “Manalapan” is derived from a word in the Lenape language that would mean either “land of good bread”, “good land to settle upon”,[23][24] “good bread”[25] or “covered swamp with edible roots”.[26]