Sea Bright is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was 1,412, reflecting a decline of 406 (-22.3%) from the 1,818 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 125 (+7.4%) from the 1,693 counted in the 1990 Census.

Sea Bright was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 21, 1889, from portions of Ocean Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was reincorporated on March 10, 1897. Additional portions of Ocean Township were annexed by the borough in March 1909.

Some sources attribute the name to a suggestion made by Martha Bayard Stevens, The borough and other sources say that the borough was named for Sea Bright, England, though there is no evidence such a place exists. Earlier sources often spell it as one word, “Seabright”, as seen in the United States Coast Guard’s Station Seabright and the Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club.

In the early 1840s, the area of present-day Sea Bright was a fishing community of simple shacks near the beach dunes; Ocean House, the area’s first hotel, opened in 1842, featuring access to fishing and sea bathing. The area was called “Nauvoo”, a Native American word, meaning “bright sea”. An alternative explanation, which the borough credits as the source, is that the name is derived from the Hebrew language meaning “pleasant place,” which was the same name that Mormon leader Joseph Smith gave to Nauvoo, the Illinois town he founded in 1839. Smith is said to have visited Monmouth County during a missionary journey in 1840.

Sea Bright has seven members-only beach clubs, of which five are in the North Beach area: Ship Ahoy, Sands, Surfrider, Sea Bright Beach Club and Chapel Beach Club; and two are south of the center of town: Driftwood and Edgewater, all of which charge thousands of dollars for membership and have waiting lists of several years for prospective members. In addition, there is a large public, municipal beach in the center of town which charges a fee, but includes free parking and is protected by lifeguards, with entry limited to those who have purchased a beach badge. The traditional surfing beach area, called the Anchorage, is free and public, but unguarded. In addition, there are numerous public access stairs to other unguarded beaches for fishing, recreation and suntanning.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names within Sea Bright include Low Moor, Navesink Beach and Normandie. The Sea Bright–Monmouth Beach Seawall runs the length of the town.

The borough borders the Monmouth County municipalities of Highlands, Middletown Township, Monmouth Beach and Rumson. Sea Bright is located on the barrier peninsula that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,412 people, 792 households, and 324.7 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,935.5 per square mile (747.3/km²). There were 1,211 housing units at an average density of 1,659.9 per square mile (640.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.55% (1,335) White, 0.78% (11) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 2.27% (32) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.49% (21) from other races, and 0.92% (13) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.52% (78) of the population.

Source: Wikipedia