How Did the Words “Uptown” and “Downtown” Originate and What Do the Terms Mean?

Photo of author

Karen Hill

When New York City was only a town, its growth was restricted by the shape of Manhattan Island.

The word uptown first appeared in about 1830 and was used to describe the residential area growing up the Island away from the southern business centre.

Within a few years, downtown appeared to describe the opposite of uptown, or the main commercial district.

Today, the suburbs are uptown, while downtown remains the heart of the business district.

Related Posts

  1. What Do the Terms “Left-Wing” and “Right-Wing” Mean in Politics and How Did the Terms Originate?
  2. How Did the Tennis Terms “Seeded” and “Love” Originate and What Do the Words Mean?
  3. What Do the Terms “One-Horse” and “Jerkwater” Mean and How Did the Words Originate?
  4. What Do the Golf Terms “Par” and “Bogey” Mean and Where Did the Words Come From?
  5. Where Did the Words Right and Left Come From and What Do the Terms Mean?
  6. Where Did the Terms “Broke” and “Bankrupt” Come From and What Do the Words Mean?