Englishtown was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 4, 1888, from portions of Manalapan Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was named for James English, an early settler.
Source: Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 179.