SOUTH CAROLANA - Unlike some states whose names derive from Indigenous languages, the name "South Carolina" has distinctly European, monarchical roots. While the land was, of course, known by countless names to the Native American nations who inhabited it for millennia, the colonial designation that led to its current name emerged from royal charters and dedications. To understand "South Carolina," we must first look to its grander, initial European namesake: Carolana.
Carolana: In Honor of a King
The story of South Carolina's name begins with the broader colonial territory of "Carolina." This vast region, encompassing what would become both North and South Carolina, was named in honor of King Charles I of England.
- 1629 Charter: The first English claim to the territory was made in a 1629 charter granted by King Charles I to Sir Robert Heath. The charter designated the land as "Carolina," a Latinized form of "Charles." This grand territory stretched from the southern border of Virginia down to Spanish Florida and from the Atlantic Ocean westward to the Pacific.
However, this initial colonization effort by Heath was unsuccessful.
The Lords Proprietors and the Re-establishment of Carolina
The more enduring establishment of "Carolina" came after the restoration of the English monarchy.
- 1663 Charter: In 1663, King Charles II (son of Charles I) granted a new charter for the territory to a group of eight English noblemen, known as the Lords Proprietors. This charter again confirmed the name "Carolina," this time directly in honor of Charles II himself, and also implicitly referencing his father. The official Latin phrasing was often "Terra Carolina," meaning "Charles's Land."
The Division: North and South Carolina Emerge
For several decades, "Carolina" existed as a single, if loosely governed, proprietary colony. However, geographical distance, differing economies, and distinct settlement patterns led to a de facto, and then official, separation.
- De Facto Split: The northern part of the colony, largely settled by former Virginians engaged in tobacco and naval stores, developed its own assembly and administration, centered around Albemarle Sound. The southern part, centered around the port of Charles Town (now Charleston), attracted English colonists, Barbadian planters, and Huguenots, and developed a distinct economy based on rice and indigo.
- Official Separation: By the early 18th century, the difficulties in governing such a vast territory from a single proprietary government became evident. While informal divisions had existed for years, the formal separation of the Province of North Carolina and the Province of South Carolina occurred gradually. By 1712, separate governors were appointed for North and South Carolina. The official dissolution of the Proprietary government and the establishment of royal colonies further solidified this division, leading to the distinct entities of "North Carolina" and "South Carolina."
The "original name" of the state of South Carolina, in the European colonial sense, was part of the larger territory of "Carolina," a dedication to King Charles I and later King Charles II of England. This name, meaning "Charles's Land," eventually split into distinct northern and southern provinces due to practical governance challenges and evolving colonial identities. Thus, South Carolina's name is a direct legacy of English monarchy and its ambitions in the New World.
Sources:
- South Carolina Historical Society
- South Carolina Department of Archives and History
- NCpedia (North Carolina History)
- Library of Congress, American Memory
- Various historical texts on colonial Carolina