How did the Puritans come by their name?

How did the Puritans come by their name?

These reformers, who followed the teachings of John Calvin and other Protestant reformers, were called Puritans because of their insistence on purifying the Church of England of what they believed to be unscriptural, Catholic elements that lingered in its institutions and practices.

Why did Puritans have weird names?

But by the late 16th century many Puritan communities in Southern Britain saw common names as too worldly, and opted instead to name children after virtues or with religious slogans as a way of setting the community apart from non-Puritan neighbors.

What were the Puritans actually called?

Originally, Puritan was a pejorative term characterizing certain Protestant groups as extremist. Thomas Fuller, in his Church History, dates the first use of the word to 1564. Those referred to as Puritan called themselves terms such as “the godly”, “saints”, “professors”, or “God’s children”.

What did Puritans name their kids?

John was the most popular of the Puritan names for boys, followed by Joseph, Samuel and Josiah. Not so popular: Moses, Adam, Abraham and Solomon. Not all Biblical names were equal. Almost never did the Puritans name their children Jesus, Angel, Emmanuel or Christopher.

Who were some famous Puritans?

Here are some of the Bay Colony’s most famous movers and shakers, some of whom did a little too much shaking and were compelled to move.

• John Winthrop. Without question, John Winthrop was the Bay Colony’s alpha Puritan.
• Thomas Dudley.
• Anne Bradstreet.
• John Cotton.
• John Harvard.
• Roger Williams.
• Anne Hutchinson.

Do Puritans believe in God?

Puritan Religious Life The Puritans believed that God had formed a unique covenant, or agreement, with them. They believed that God expected them to live according to the Scriptures, to reform the Anglican Church, and to set a good example that would cause those who had remained in England to change their sinful ways.

Why did the Puritans decide to leave England?

The Puritans left England primarily due to religious persecution but also for economic reasons as well. England was in religious turmoil in the early 17th century, the religious climate was hostile and threatening, especially towards religious nonconformists like the puritans.

Did the Puritans want to separate from the Church of England?

In 1630 another group left England in search of religious freedom. This group was called the Puritans. The Puritans wanted to leave the Church of England to become pure by getting rid of Catholic practices. The Puritans did not want to separate entirely from the Church of England; they wanted to make reforms or changes.

Why were the Puritans given their name?

Puritans considered child-rearing one of their most important duties in life, and it began with the name given to the newborn. Puritan names in early New England were meant either to remind a child of moral qualities, Biblical characters, family relations or a dead sibling .

Did the Puritans want freedom of religion?

The Puritans in America desired religious freedom to worship as they chose and welcomed all who shared their beliefs. The Puritans came to America for the freedom to set up their own church and community according to their own beliefs, rather than be forced to conform to an official church with which they disagreed.