Salem's biblical meaning is "peace" or "perfect." It derives from the Hebrew verb "shalem" meaning to be or make whole or complete.
No one was burned at the stake during the witch trials in America, but it is a common misconception born from the burnings that took place in the European executions of accused witches. In America, witchcraft was a felony punishable by hanging, while in continental Europe, it was heresy against the church and punishable by burning at the stake.
Rebecca Nurse (the namesake and former property owner of the primary film location) and Sarah Good (the film's female lead) were hanged during the witch trials on the same day (July 19, 1692).
Giles Corey (pictured front right of the courtroom from the perspective of John Hawthorne) is the only accused person who was not executed by hanging; he was pressed to death.
It is a misconception that the Salem Witch Trials took place in modern-day Salem, Massachusetts (once known as "Salem Town"). It actually took place in what was then known as "Salem Village," which is modern-day Danvers, Massachusetts.