When Was Newark Founded? 1666 — Puritan Origins

Newark, New Jersey, was founded in 1666 by Puritan settlers from Connecticut. They named the new township after Newark‑on‑Trent in Nottinghamshire, England — their ancestral home.

Quick Timeline

• 1666 — Purchase of land from Lenape; 30 families establish “New Ark.”
• 1693 — Royal charter granted.
• 1798 — Incorporated as a township.
• 1836 — Reincorporated as a city.

Today, Newark is New Jersey’s largest city and a major transportation hub (Newark Liberty Airport, Penn Station, Port Newark).