This is from the Newtown Township, Delaware County official website located at http://www.co.delaware.pa.us/municips/newtown.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- "Historic Note Settled in 1681, Incorporated as a township in 1684. Originally Newtown was laid out withwhat was called a "Townstead" in the center and the first purchasers of land inthe township were entitled to a certain number of acres in the Townstead, or "newvillage" as it was sometimes called- thus providing the name of the township."