The Origin of New Haven, Connecticut's Name

How New Haven, Connecticut Got Its Name

In 1638, a group of English settlers led by John DeForest (sometimes spelled De Forest) founded a colony on the shores of Long Island Sound. They named the settlement New Haven after DeForest's hometown in England, expressing their hope that the new community would become a haven for religious and political freedom.

The name reflects the Puritan aspiration to create a "city upon a hill"—a model society based on their ideals.