Pennsylvania is called a Commonwealth because its founders chose the word in 1776 to signal that government exists for the common good of its people rather than for a monarch or ruling class. The state’s first constitution used “commonwealth” and “state” interchangeably, and the former stuck as the formal title. The label is purely symbolic. Pennsylvania operates identically to the other 46 states that simply call themselves states.
What the Word Actually Means
“Commonwealth” is a literal English translation of the Latin res publica, meaning “the public thing” or the public good. In political philosophy, it describes a government organized around the welfare of its people. The word also carried specific historical weight in England, where it was the official name for the government that replaced the monarchy from 1649 to 1660.
When American colonists reached for a word to describe their new self-governing societies in the 1770s, “commonwealth” appealed precisely because it rejected royal authority and emphasized popular sovereignty. Choosing it over “state” was a deliberate philosophical statement, even though the two words described the same legal reality.
How Pennsylvania Adopted the Name
The groundwork was laid by William Penn, who received a royal charter for the colony in 1681.1Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Pennsylvania Charter to William Penn – March 4, 1681 Penn described Pennsylvania as a “Holy Experiment,” a society built on consent of the governed, religious tolerance, and fair treatment across social classes. His 1701 Charter of Privileges served as Pennsylvania’s governing document for 75 years and granted the colonial assembly powers that were remarkably broad for the era.2Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges
The word became official when Pennsylvania drafted its first state constitution on September 28, 1776. Section 1 opens: “The commonwealth or state of Pennsylvania shall be governed hereafter by an assembly of the representatives of the freemen of the same.” Section 27 then settled the question of styling: “The style of all process hereafter in this state shall be, The commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” That same section directed that all criminal prosecutions “shall commence in the name and by the authority of the freemen of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”3The Avalon Project. Constitution of Pennsylvania – September 28, 1776
The founders treated the two words as synonyms, but “commonwealth” won out as the preferred formal title. Pennsylvania’s current constitution continues the tradition, referring throughout to “this Commonwealth” when describing the state’s executive departments and governmental structure.4Pennsylvania General Assembly. Constitution of Pennsylvania
Does the Label Carry Any Legal Weight?
No. According to the Library of Congress, “there is no difference between these commonwealths and the other 46 U.S. states,” and “the commonwealth title does not confer any special legal significance.”5Library of Congress. What’s in a Name? The Four U.S. States That Are Technically Commonwealths Pennsylvania has the same relationship with the federal government, the same constitutional protections, the same representation in Congress, and the same obligations as any other state. Your rights as a Pennsylvania resident are identical to those of someone living in California or Ohio.
The distinction is about identity, not authority. Calling itself a commonwealth is Pennsylvania’s way of keeping its founding philosophy visible in everyday governance.
Where You’ll See the Word in Practice
Even though the designation has no legal effect, you’ll run into it constantly if you deal with Pennsylvania’s government.
Court Case Captions
Every criminal prosecution in Pennsylvania is brought in the name of the Commonwealth. Case captions read “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. [Defendant Name],” the same way New York uses “The People” and most other states use “State of.” The convention traces directly back to Section 27 of the 1776 constitution.3The Avalon Project. Constitution of Pennsylvania – September 28, 1776
The Commonwealth Court
Pennsylvania also has a court that carries the name directly. The Commonwealth Court, established in 1968, is one of two statewide intermediate appellate courts. It handles appeals from state agency decisions (such as unemployment or workers’ compensation rulings), civil cases involving the state government, and disputes involving local government and election law.6Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Tax and Administrative Documents
Pennsylvania’s Department of Revenue uses “Commonwealth” throughout its tax guidance, and official filings and statutes consistently refer to “Commonwealth school districts,” “the Commonwealth’s statutes,” and “Commonwealth agencies.”7Department of Revenue. Brief Overview and Filing Requirements None of this changes how you file or what you owe. It’s just the vocabulary Pennsylvania’s government uses to describe itself.
The Three Other Commonwealth States
Pennsylvania isn’t alone. Three other states also go by “Commonwealth”: Virginia, Massachusetts, and Kentucky.5Library of Congress. What’s in a Name? The Four U.S. States That Are Technically Commonwealths Each adopted the term for its own reasons, but the common thread is the same rejection of monarchical authority.
Virginia’s 1776 constitution directed that commissions and grants run “In the Name of the Common Wealth of Virginia.” The 1780 Massachusetts Constitution, one of the oldest still-functioning constitutions in the world, declares that “the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is, and of right ought to be, a free, sovereign and independent state.”8General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Constitution Kentucky was part of Virginia until 1792, and its early constitutions used “state” and “commonwealth” interchangeably much like Pennsylvania’s did. Kentucky’s fourth constitution in 1891 formally locked in “The Commonwealth of Kentucky” as the official name.
For all four states, the designation works the same way: a symbolic nod to founding ideals with no effect on governance, federal relations, or residents’ rights.
Commonwealth States Are Not the Same as Commonwealth Territories
This is where people get tripped up. The United States also has two territories that use the word “commonwealth”: Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands. Their use of the term means something fundamentally different. Both are unincorporated territories, not states, and their residents have a meaningfully different relationship with the federal government.
Residents of these territories are U.S. citizens, but they cannot vote in presidential elections, they have only a nonvoting delegate in the House of Representatives, and they have no senators. Congress can unilaterally change a territory’s status, while a state’s position in the Union is constitutionally protected. Territorial residents also lack the full protections of the Bill of Rights; only fundamental liberties like freedom of expression and religion are guaranteed against congressional interference.
When Pennsylvania calls itself a commonwealth, it’s choosing a word that reflects its history. When Puerto Rico or the Northern Mariana Islands uses the same word, it describes a specific political arrangement with real legal consequences. Same word, completely different meaning.