FAQ
Do you have a question about the Chesapeake Bay? Explore our list of frequently asked questions to learn more about the Bay and its watershed, habitats and wildlife. You can browse the FAQ by category, or explore the answers to some of our most common questions below.
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Education
What does "Chesapeake" mean?
Historians are not sure of the true meaning of the name Chesapeake. It is usually cited as deriving from the Algonquin word chesepiooc, meaning “great shellfish bay.” But records from the 1580s refer to the Bay as chesapiock or chesapiuck, meaning “people on the great river.”
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