See more
Is Pocahontas a good name?
Pocahontas Origin and Meaning The name Pocahontas is girl's name meaning "playful one". Seen from one vantage point, Pocahontas is a name that will please no one. It's sure to invite playground mockery, and some will accuse parents without Algonquin ancestry of cultural appropriation.
What happened to Pocahontas in real life?
In the town of Gravesend, Pocahontas died of an unspecified illness. Many historians believe she suffered from an upper respiratory ailment, such as pneumonia, while others think she could have died from some form of dysentery. Pocahontas, about twenty-one, was buried at St. George's Church on March 21, 1617.
Was Pocahontas black?
Pocahontas was not black. Rather than being of African descent, Pocahontas was a Native American from the Powhatan Tribe living in what is now...
Is anyone named Pocahontas?
Pocahontas might be a household name, but the true story of her short but powerful life has been buried in myths that have persisted since the 17th century. To start with, Pocahontas wasn't even her actual name.
What tattoo does Pocahontas have?
“Hey Eleanor,” I queried, “do you remember that Pocahontas has a tattoo?” Eleanor gave me one of those “duh, mom” looks and proceeded to tell me all about Pocahontas's tattoo: “She has a tattoo on her arm, and it's red, and it looks like fire.” (Proud mom moment…she's just 4…a good interpretation of an abstract image!)
Are there any real pictures of Pocahontas?
The only life portrait of Pocahontas (1595–1617) and the only credible image of her, was engraved by Simon Van de Passe in 1616 while she was in England, and was published in John Smith's Generall Historie of Virginia in 1624.
What language did Pocahontas speak?
Powhatan languagePocahontas / LanguagesPowhatan or Virginia Algonquian was an Eastern Algonquian subgroup of the Algonquian languages. It was formerly spoken by the Powhatan people of tidewater Virginia. Wikipedia
How old was the real Pocahontas?
Pocahontas was an extremely talented and lively 10-year-old girl when Jamestown was founded in 1607.
What dog is in Pocahontas?
Percy is a pug and supporting and anti-heroic character of Pocahontas and a major character of Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World and the former pug of Governor Ratcliffe. Percy later became the pet and friend of Pocahontas, Meeko, Flit, John Smith, and Grandmother Willow.
What is Pocahontas birthday?
PocahontasPortrait engraving by Simon de Passe, 1616BornAmonute (later known as Matoaka) c. 1596 Werowocomoco, TsenacommacahDiedMarch 1617 (aged 20–21) Gravesend, EnglandResting placeSt George's Church, Gravesend6 more rows
What does the name Matoaka mean?
Definitions of Matoaka. a Powhatan woman (the daughter of Powhatan) who befriended the English at Jamestown and is said to have saved Captain John Smith's life (1595-1617)
What does the name Snow White mean?
Snow White's real name is Snow White. In the original story made by the Brothers Grimm, they describe how the child came to have that name. They say that the Queen was sewing on a snowy day. She sat close to a black window frame while she sewed.
What does Pocahontas mean?
Pocahontas as a girls' name is of Native American Indian origin, and the meaning of Pocahontas is "playful". Nickname of Matoaka, the daughter of an Algonquin chief in Virginia, who reportedly rescued the English setter John Smith from hostile tribesmen. She married Englishman John Rolfe, and became a celebrity.
How popular is Pocahontas?
Pocahontas is an unusual first name for women and an uncommon last name too for all people. (2000 U.S. DEMOGRAPHICS)
What does Pocahontas mean?
According to colonist William Strachey, "Pocahontas" was a childhood nickname meaning "little wanton"; some interpret the meaning as "playful one." In his account, Strachey describes her as a child visiting the fort at Jamestown and playing with the young boys; she would "get the boys forth with her into the marketplace and make them wheel, falling on their hands, turning up their heels upwards, whom she would follow and wheel so herself, naked as she was, all the fort over."
Who was Pocahontas?
Pocahontas ( US: / ˌpoʊkəˈhɒntəs /, UK: / ˌpɒk -/; born Amonute, known as Matoaka, c. 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan People, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Powhatan, the paramount chief of a network of tributary tribes in ...
What tribe was Pocahontas a member of?
She was a member of the inaugural class of Virginia Women in History in 2000. In July 2015, the Pamunkey Indian tribe became the first federally recognized tribe in the state of Virginia; they are descendants of the Powhatan chiefdom of which Pocahontas was a member. Pocahontas commemorative postage stamp of 1907.
Why did the Rolfes bring Pocahontas to England?
The company decided to bring Pocahontas to England as a symbol of the tamed New World "savage" and the success of the Virginia colony , and the Rolfes arrived at the port of Plymouth on June 12, 1616. They journeyed to London by coach, accompanied by 11 other Powhatans including a holy man named Tomocomo.
Why did the Virginia Company of London bring Pocahontas to England?
One goal of the Virginia Company of London was to convert Native Americans to Christianity, and the company saw an opportunity to promote further investment with the conversion of Pocahontas and her marriage to Rolfe, all of which also helped end the First Anglo-Powhatan War. The company decided to bring Pocahontas to England as a symbol of the tamed New World "savage" and the success of the Virginia colony, and the Rolfes arrived at the port of Plymouth on June 12, 1616. They journeyed to London by coach, accompanied by 11 other Powhatans including a holy man named Tomocomo. John Smith was living in London at the time while Pocahontas was in Plymouth, and she learned that he was still alive. Smith did not meet Pocahontas, but he wrote to Queen Anne of Denmark, the wife of King James, urging that Pocahontas be treated with respect as a royal visitor. He suggested that, if she were treated badly, her "present love to us and Christianity might turn to… scorn and fury", and England might lose the chance to "rightly have a Kingdom by her means".
When did Pocahontas meet Smith?
In A True Relation of Virginia (1608), Smith described meeting Pocahontas in the spring of 1608 when she was "a child of ten years old.". In a 1616 letter, he again described her as she was in 1608, but this time as "a child of twelve or thirteen years of age.".
Where is Pocahontas buried?
She was buried in St George's Church, Gravesend, in England, but her grave's exact location is unknown because the church was rebuilt after a fire destroyed it.
Definitions & Translations
Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!
A Member Of The STANDS4 Network
Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!
Why is Pocahontas called Amonute?
She supposedly earned the nickname Pocahontas, which means “playful one,” because of her happy, inquisitive nature.
Where is Pocahontas buried?
Pocahontas was buried at St. George’s church in Gravesend on March 21, 1617. Rolfe returned to Virginia, but her son Thomas remained with relatives in England. He returned almost two decades later at age 20 to claim inheritances from his father and grandfather and became a successful gentleman tobacco farmer.
What happened to Pocahontas' head?
But before the warrior could strike, Pocahontas rushed to Smith’s side and placed her head on his, preventing the attack.
When did Pocahontas marry Rolfe?
Pocahontas married Rolfe in April 1614. The match was considered an important step towards re-establishing positive relations between the colonists and the Indians. Indeed, the marriage brought a season of peace to the region.
What was Pocahontas' real name?
The English learned, many years later, that Pocahontas was only a nickname. Her real name, Matoaka, had been concealed for fear the English could do her harm if they knew it.
How old was Pocahontas when Jamestown was founded?
W e all think we know Pocahontas, but her real story is very different from the popular image. Pocahontas was an extremely talented and lively 10-year-old girl when Jamestown was founded in 1607. She was the daughter of the Great Powhatan, who ruled over numerous client tribes in the Chesapeake, the region the Powhatans called Tsenacomaca, ...
How old was Henry Spelman when Pocahontas quit visiting the fort?
Thomas Savage moved with the Powhatans, and was soon joined by another boy, 14-year-old Henry Spelman.
Why did Pocahontas and her son come to London?
Soon, Thomas Rolfe was born and the Virginia Company decided to bring Pocahontas and her son to London to show off their success. They arrived in late spring 1616, and she was presented as visiting royalty. Pocahontas was received at the Royal Court and in an elaborate ceremony by the Bishop of London.
Why did Pocahontas help Thomas?
Pocahontas was there to help Thomas adjust to his new life. But soon the Englishmen’s constant demands for food became too much.
Why did John leave Pocahontas?
Baby Thomas was also sickly and John left him to be brought up by his brother in Norfolk, for fear he would not survive the long ocean voyage. Despite her short life, Pocahontas was a key figure in the beginnings of English America. And it was her intelligence and willingness to take risks that made her so.
When did Pocahontas renounce her country?
Sometime in the spring of 1614 Pocahontas “renounced publicly her country Idolatry, openly confessed her Christian faith, [and] was, as she desired, baptized.”.
Considering Pocahontas as A Baby Name?
- The first thing you should know if you are considering Pocahontas for your baby's name is that in most countries all over the world the name Pocahontas is a girl name. The name Pocahontas is of Native American origin, and is used mostly in English speaking countries but also in a few other …
Name Pocahontas Categories
- The name Pocahontas is in the Native American Names category. (If you would like to suggest one or more categories for the name, click here). We have plenty of different baby name categories to search for special meanings plus popular and unique names, search our database before choosing but also note that baby name categories designed to help you and not to be an …
Popularity of The Name Pocahontas
- This name is not popular in the US, according to Social Security Administration, as there are no popularity data for the name. This doesn't mean that the name Pocahontas is not popular in other countries all over the world. The name might be popular in other countries, in different languages, or even in a different alphabet, as we use the characters from the Latin alphabet to display the d…
Overview
Pocahontas was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Powhatan, the paramount chief of a network of tributary tribes in the Tsenacommacah, encompassing the Tidewater region of Virginia.
Interactions with the colonists
Pocahontas is most famously linked to colonist Captain John Smith, who arrived in Virginia with 100 other settlers in April 1607 where they built a fort on a marshy peninsula on the James River. The colonists had numerous encounters over the next several months with the people of Tsenacommacah—some of them friendly, some hostile. A hunting party led by Powhatan's close relative O…
Early life
Pocahontas's birth year is unknown, but some historians estimate it to have been around 1596. In A True Relation of Virginia (1608), Smith described meeting Pocahontas in the spring of 1608 when she was "a child of ten years old." In a 1616 letter, he again described her as she was in 1608, but this time as "a child of twelve or thirteen years of age."
Pocahontas was the daughter of Chief Powhatan, paramount chief of Tsenacommacah, an allian…
Death
In March 1617, Rolfe and Pocahontas boarded a ship to return to Virginia, but they sailed only as far as Gravesend on the river Thames when Pocahontas became gravely ill. She was taken ashore, where she died from unknown causes, aged approximately 21 and "much lamented". According to Rolfe, she declared that "all must die"; for her, it was enough that her child lived. Speculat…
Legacy
Pocahontas and John Rolfe had a son, Thomas Rolfe, born in January 1615. Thomas Rolfe and his wife, Jane Poythress, had a daughter, Jane Rolfe, who was born in Varina, Henrico County, Virginia, on October 10, 1650. Jane Rolfe married Robert Bolling of Prince George County, Virginia. Their son, John Bolling, was born in 1676. John Bolling married Mary Kennon and had six surviving children…
Cultural representations
After her death, increasingly fanciful and romanticized representations were produced about Pocahontas, in which she and Smith are frequently portrayed as romantically involved. Contemporaneous sources, however, substantiate claims of their friendship but not romance. The first claim of their romantic involvement was in John Davis' Travels in the United States of America (1803).
See also
• La Malinche – a Nahua woman from the Mexican Gulf Coast, who played a major role in the Spanish-Aztec War, acting as an interpreter for the Spanish conquistador, Hernán Cortés.
• Mary Kittamaquund – daughter of a Piscataway chief in Colonial Maryland
• Sedgeford Hall Portrait – once thought to represent Pocahontas and Thomas Rolfe but now believed to depict the wife (Pe-o-ka) and son of Seminole Chief Osceola
Bibliography
• Argall, Samuel. Letter to Nicholas Hawes. June 1613. Repr. in Jamestown Narratives, ed. Edward Wright Haile. Champlain, VA: Roundhouse, 1998.
• Bulla, Clyde Robert. "Little Nantaquas." In "Pocahontas and The Strangers", ed Scholastic inc., 730 Broadway, New York, NY 10003. 1971.
• Custalow, Linwood "Little Bear" and Daniel, Angela L. "Silver Star." The True Story of Pocahontas, Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, Colorado 2007, ISBN 978-1-55591-6…
• Argall, Samuel. Letter to Nicholas Hawes. June 1613. Repr. in Jamestown Narratives, ed. Edward Wright Haile. Champlain, VA: Roundhouse, 1998.
• Bulla, Clyde Robert. "Little Nantaquas." In "Pocahontas and The Strangers", ed Scholastic inc., 730 Broadway, New York, NY 10003. 1971.
• Custalow, Linwood "Little Bear" and Daniel, Angela L. "Silver Star." The True Story of Pocahontas, Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, Colorado 2007, ISBN 978-1-55591-632-9.