On January 7, 1639.the court record refers to the land grant to the first settlers John Crow, Thomas Howes, and Anthony Thacher as "the lands of Mattacheeset, now called Yarmouth". This is considered the first usage of the name.
"Yarmouth" to represent the new township to the east of Barnstable. This name comes from the English township located on the eastern coast of that country, a little over 100 miles north of London .But how was it that the name Yarmouth was selected? After all, none of the three initial settlers hailed from that English town. The first settlers to accompany Crow, Howes, and Thacher came from cities and villages throughout England, though it's believed that not one of them came from Yarmouth. To trace the origin of the name, it is necessary to trace the path of the Pilgrims. After all during that period it was Plimoth Colony that had jurisdiction over which Cape Cod settlements would be incorporated, and by what name those new townships would be known. Yarmouth, England, during the age of the Pilgrims, was an important seaport on the Yare River. Across the North Sea from Yarmouth , to the east is the Netherlands- the former home country of a portion of the Mayflower passengers. These Dutch passengers arrived in England via the port of Yarmouth, and therefore the naming of the new Cape township appears to be the tip of the cap to the English seaport. Or, perhaps Bass River simply reminded the Pilgrims of the river Yare River of their former England. The true reason for the naming of Yarmouth, Cape Cod may never be known. Yarmouth England, incidentally, was known for its fishing and its shipyards. The Germans bombed it over 50 times during World War II killing over 1,000 residents, injuring some 8,000 others, and destroying nearly 4,000 homes. Besides being a major seaport, Yarmouth was also a railways crossroads. In more recent years, brewing and tourism have played a major role in its economy. The population is now a quarter million.