The Origin of Yonkers, New York: From "Seenkenk" to a Thriving City

Yonkers, the fourth-largest city in New York State, traces its name to the Native American word "Seenkenk" (also spelled Shonocken or Sachkenk), meaning "place of the stone" or "high ridge." This likely referred to the prominent rocky outcroppings along the Hudson River shoreline where the Wiechquaeskeck (a Wappinger Confederacy tribe) lived.

When Dutch settlers arrived in the 17th century, they adopted and shortened the name. Adriaen van der Donck, known as "the Jonkheer" (a Dutch honorific meaning "young lord" or "gentleman"), received a land grant in 1646 for Colen Donck, which encompassed much of present-day Yonkers. His title, "Jonkheer," was gradually corrupted by English speakers into "Younkers" and eventually Yonkers.

The city's early development centered around Van der Donck's sawmill on the Nepperhan River (now the Saw Mill River). By the 18th century, Yonkers was a farming and milling community. The 19th century brought industrialization—carpet mills, hat factories, and the Otis Elevator Company—fueling rapid growth. Yonkers incorporated as a village in 1854 and as a city in 1872.

Today, Yonkers honors its layered heritage: the Philipse Manor Hall (a Dutch colonial manor), the Hudson River Museum, and the revitalized Saw Mill River daylighting project all tell the story of a "place of the stone" that became a vibrant urban center.