List of counties in North Carolina

Counties of North Carolina
CE CY GH MA SW JK HW TV HN BN MD PL RF MC YC ML AV CL BK CW WT AH GS LN CT AX WK AL MK ID UN CA RW DE YD SR AN ST DV FY SK RH MG RD GF RK RB SC HK MR LE CH AM CS OR PR DH CB BL CD HT WA GV VN BW NH PD SP JT FK WR DP WY WL NS HX NP ON JN LR GR ED CR CV PT PM BF MT BR HF HY WH CO GA TY PQ DR PK CM CK
Location	State of North Carolina
Number	100
Populations	3,461 (Tyrrell) – 1,190,275 (Wake)
Areas	221 square miles (570 km2) (Clay) – 1,542 square miles (3,990 km2) (Dare)
Government	County government
Subdivisions	cities, towns, townships, unincorporated communities, census designated place

Map showing the population density of North Carolina

The U.S. state of North Carolina is divided into 100 counties. North Carolina ranks 28th in size by area, but has the seventh-highest number of counties in the country.

Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, King Charles II rewarded eight persons on March 24, 1663, for their faithful support of his efforts to regain the throne of England. He gave the eight grantees, called Lords Proprietor, the land called Carolina, in honor of King Charles I, his father. The Province of Carolina, from 1663 to 1729, was a North American English (1663–1707), then British (from 1707 union with Scotland) colony. In 1729, the Province of North Carolina became a separate entity from the Province of South Carolina.

The establishment of North Carolina counties stretches over 240 years, beginning in 1668 with the creation of Albemarle County and ending with the 1911 creation of Avery and Hoke counties. Five counties have been divided or abolished altogether, the last being Dobbs County in 1791.

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS), which is used by the United States government to uniquely identify states and counties, is provided with each entry. North Carolina's FIPS code is 37, which when combined with the county code is written as 37XXX.

List

County	FIPS code	County seat	Est.	Origin	Etymology	Pop. (2023)	Area	Map
Alamance County	001	Graham	1849	Orange County	The Battle of Alamance which was derived from the local Indian word meaning "blue clay" found in the Great Alamance Creek	179,165	434 sq mi (1,124 km2)
Alexander County	003	Taylorsville	1847	Caldwell County, Iredell County, and Wilkes County	William J. Alexander, member of the legislature and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons	36,473	264 sq mi (684 km2)
Alleghany County	005	Sparta	1859	Ashe County	Derived from a corruption of the Delaware Indian name for the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers and is said to have meant "a fine stream"	11,342	236 sq mi (611 km2)
Anson County	007	Wadesboro	1750	Bladen County	George, Lord Anson (1697–1762), a celebrated English admiral who circumnavigated the globe	21,897	537 sq mi (1,391 km2)
Ashe County	009	Jefferson	1799	Wilkes County	Samuel Ashe (1725–1813), a Revolutionary patriot, superior court judge and governor of North Carolina	27,063	429 sq mi (1,111 km2)
Avery County	011	Newland	1911	Caldwell County, Mitchell County, and Watauga County	Waightstill Avery (1741–1821), a soldier of the Revolution and Attorney General of North Carolina	17,561	248 sq mi (642 km2)
Beaufort County	013	Washington	1712	Bath County	Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort, who in 1709 became one of the Lords Proprietor	44,481	963 sq mi (2,494 km2)
Bertie County	015	Windsor	1722	Chowan County	James or Henry Bertie, two Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina	16,922	741 sq mi (1,919 km2)
Bladen County	017	Elizabethtown	1734	New Hanover County	Martin Bladen, a member of the Board of Trade	29,484	888 sq mi (2,300 km2)
Brunswick County	019	Bolivia	1764	Bladen County and New Hanover County	George I of Great Britain (1660–1727), Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg	159,964	1,050 sq mi (2,719 km2)
Buncombe County	021	Asheville	1791	Burke County and Rutherford County	Edward Buncombe, a Revolutionary soldier, who was wounded and captured at the Battle of Germantown, and died a paroled prisoner in Philadelphia	275,901	660 sq mi (1,709 km2)
Burke County	023	Morganton	1777	Rowan County	Thomas Burke (1747–1783), a member of the Continental Congress and governor of North Carolina	88,338	514 sq mi (1,331 km2)
Cabarrus County	025	Concord	1792	Mecklenburg County	Stephen Cabarrus (1754–1808), member of the legislature and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons	240,016	364 sq mi (943 km2)
Caldwell County	027	Lenoir	1841	Burke County and Wilkes County	Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), the first president of the University of North Carolina	80,574	475 sq mi (1,230 km2)
Camden County	029	Camden	1777	Pasquotank County	Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden (1714–1794), who opposed the taxation of the American colonists	11,137	310 sq mi (803 km2)
Carteret County	031	Beaufort	1722	Craven County	John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690–1763), who inherited one-eighth share in the Province of Carolina through his great-grandfather George Carteret	69,615	1,330 sq mi (3,445 km2)
Caswell County	033	Yanceyville	1777	Orange County	Richard Caswell (1729–1789), member of the first Continental Congress and first governor of North Carolina after the Declaration of Independence	22,807	429 sq mi (1,111 km2)
Catawba County	035	Newton	1842	Lincoln County	Catawba Indians	164,645	416 sq mi (1,077 km2)
Chatham County	037	Pittsboro	1771	Orange County	William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778), Secretary of State during the French and Indian War and was later Prime Minister of Great Britain	81,624	709 sq mi (1,836 km2)
Cherokee County	039	Murphy	1839	Macon County	Cherokee Indians	29,959	467 sq mi (1,210 km2)
Chowan County	041	Edenton	1668	Albemarle County	Chowan Indian tribe	13,891	234 sq mi (606 km2)
Clay County	043	Hayesville	1861	Cherokee County	Henry Clay (1777–1852), statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in both the House of Representatives and Senate	11,864	221 sq mi (572 km2)
Cleveland County	045	Shelby	1841	Lincoln County and Rutherford County	Benjamin Cleveland (1738–1806), a colonel in the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain	101,378	468 sq mi (1,212 km2)
Columbus County	047	Whiteville	1808	Bladen County and Brunswick County	Christopher Columbus (1451–1507), navigator, explorer, and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas	50,121	955 sq mi (2,473 km2)
Craven County	049	New Bern	1705	Bath County	William, Earl of Craven (1608–1697), who was a Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina	102,391	773 sq mi (2,002 km2)
Cumberland County	051	Fayetteville	1754	Bladen County	Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (1721–1765), a military leader and son of George II	337,890	658 sq mi (1,704 km2)
Currituck County	053	Currituck	1668	Albemarle County	Traditionally said to be an Indian word for wild geese, also rendered "Coratank"	31,593	526 sq mi (1,362 km2)
Dare County	055	Manteo	1870	Currituck County, Hyde County, and Tyrrell County	Virginia Dare (b. 1587), the first child born of English parents in America	38,110	1,542 sq mi (3,994 km2)
Davidson County	057	Lexington	1822	Rowan County	William Lee Davidson (1746–1781), an American Revolutionary War general who was mortally wounded at Cowan's Ford	174,804	568 sq mi (1,471 km2)
Davie County	059	Mocksville	1836	Rowan County	William Richardson Davie (1756–1820), a member of the Federal Convention and governor of North Carolina	44,599	266 sq mi (689 km2)
Duplin County	061	Kenansville	1750	New Hanover County	Thomas Hay, Viscount Dupplin (1710–1787), who was the 9th Earl of Kinnoull	49,520	820 sq mi (2,124 km2)
Durham County	063	Durham	1881	Orange County and Wake County	The city of Durham, which was named in honor of Dr. Bartlett Snipes Durham, who donated the land on which the earliest parts of the city were built	336,892	298 sq mi (772 km2)
Edgecombe County	065	Tarboro	1741	Bertie County	Richard Edgcumbe, 1st Baron Edgcumbe (1680–1758), a Lord High Treasurer and Paymaster General for Ireland	48,832	507 sq mi (1,313 km2)
Forsyth County	067	Winston-Salem	1849	Stokes County	Benjamin Forsyth (d. 1814), an American officer during the War of 1812	392,921	412 sq mi (1,067 km2)
Franklin County	069	Louisburg	1779	Bute County	Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), an author, politician, statesman, and Founding Father of the United States	77,001	494 sq mi (1,279 km2)
Gaston County	071	Gastonia	1846	Lincoln County	William Gaston (1778–1844), a United States Congressman and justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court	237,242	364 sq mi (943 km2)
Gates County	073	Gatesville	1779	Chowan County, Hertford County, and Perquimans County	Horatio Gates (1727–1806), an American general during the Revolution at the Battle of Saratoga	10,343	346 sq mi (896 km2)
Graham County	075	Robbinsville	1872	Cherokee County	William Alexander Graham (1804–1875), a United States Senator, governor of North Carolina, and United States Secretary of the Navy	8,052	302 sq mi (782 km2)
Granville County	077	Oxford	1746	Edgecombe County	John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690–1763), who inherited one-eighth share in the Province of Carolina through his great-grandfather George Carteret	62,192	538 sq mi (1,393 km2)
Greene County	079	Snow Hill	1799	Dobbs County Originally named Glasgow County	Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War	20,530	267 sq mi (692 km2)
Guilford County	081	Greensboro	1771	Orange County and Rowan County	Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford (1704–1790), a British politician and father of Prime Minister of Great Britain Frederick North	549,866	658 sq mi (1,704 km2)
Halifax County	083	Halifax	1758	Edgecombe County	George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax (1716–1771), a British statesman and President of the Board of Trade	47,298	730 sq mi (1,891 km2)
Harnett County	085	Lillington	1855	Cumberland County	Cornelius Harnett (1723–1781), an American Revolutionary and delegate in the Continental Congress	141,477	601 sq mi (1,557 km2)
Haywood County	087	Waynesville	1808	Buncombe County	John Haywood (1754–1827), a North Carolina State Treasurer	62,969	555 sq mi (1,437 km2)
Henderson County	089	Hendersonville	1838	Buncombe County	Leonard Henderson (1772–1833), Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court	119,230	375 sq mi (971 km2)
Hertford County	091	Winton	1759	Bertie County, Chowan County, and Northampton County	Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford (1718–1794), who was Lord of the Bedchamber to George II and George III	19,453	360 sq mi (932 km2)
Hoke County	093	Raeford	1911	Cumberland County and Robeson County	Robert Hoke (1837–1912), a Confederate general during the American Civil War	54,446	392 sq mi (1,015 km2)
Hyde County	095	Swan Quarter	1712	Bath County	Edward Hyde (1667–1712), a governor of colonial North Carolina	4,607	1,459 sq mi (3,779 km2)
Iredell County	097	Statesville	1788	Rowan County	James Iredell (1751–1799), a comptroller at the port of Edenton and one of the original justices of the Supreme Court of the United States	199,710	597 sq mi (1,546 km2)
Jackson County	099	Sylva	1851	Haywood County and Macon County	Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), the 7th President of the United States	44,574	495 sq mi (1,282 km2)
Johnston County	101	Smithfield	1746	Craven County	Gabriel Johnston (1699–1752), a governor of colonial North Carolina	241,955	796 sq mi (2,062 km2)
Jones County	103	Trenton	1779	Craven County	Willie Jones (1740–1801), opposed the ratification of the United States Constitution and declined an invitation to the Constitutional Convention	9,401	474 sq mi (1,228 km2)
Lee County	105	Sanford	1907	Chatham County and Moore County	Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), a career United States Army officer and general of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War	67,059	259 sq mi (671 km2)
Lenoir County	107	Kinston	1791	Dobbs County	William Lenoir (1751–1839), a captain in the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain	54,895	401 sq mi (1,039 km2)
Lincoln County	109	Lincolnton	1779	Tryon County	Benjamin Lincoln (1733–1810), a major general during the American Revolutionary War who participated in the Siege of Yorktown	95,675	305 sq mi (790 km2)
Macon County	113	Franklin	1828	Haywood County	Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837), a member and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives	38,412	520 sq mi (1,347 km2)
Madison County	115	Marshall	1851	Buncombe County and Yancey County	James Madison (1751–1836), the 4th President of the United States	22,071	451 sq mi (1,168 km2)
Martin County	117	Williamston	1774	Halifax County and Tyrrell County	Josiah Martin (1737–1786), the last governor of colonial North Carolina	21,447	457 sq mi (1,184 km2)
McDowell County	111	Marion	1842	Burke County and Rutherford County	Joseph McDowell (1756–1801), a soldier in the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain	44,893	445 sq mi (1,153 km2)
Mecklenburg County	119	Charlotte	1762	Anson County	Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744–1818), the queen consort of George III of the United Kingdom	1,163,701	546 sq mi (1,414 km2)
Mitchell County	121	Bakersville	1861	Burke County, Caldwell County, McDowell County, Watauga County, and Yancey County	Elisha Mitchell (1793–1857), a professor at the University of North Carolina who measured the height of Mount Mitchell	14,999	222 sq mi (575 km2)
Montgomery County	123	Troy	1779	Anson County	Richard Montgomery (1738–1775), a major general during the Revolutionary War who was killed at the Battle of Quebec	26,085	502 sq mi (1,300 km2)
Moore County	125	Carthage	1784	Cumberland County	Alfred Moore (1755–1810), a captain in the Revolutionary War and justice of the Supreme Court of the United States	106,898	706 sq mi (1,829 km2)
Nash County	127	Nashville	1777	Edgecombe County	Francis Nash (1742–1777), a brigadier general in the Revolutionary War who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Germantown	96,551	543 sq mi (1,406 km2)
New Hanover County	129	Wilmington	1729	Craven County	The royal family of England, members of the House of Hanover	238,852	329 sq mi (852 km2)
Northampton County	131	Jackson	1741	Bertie County	James Compton, 5th Earl of Northampton (1687–1754), a British peer and politician	16,715	551 sq mi (1,427 km2)
Onslow County	133	Jacksonville	1734	New Hanover County	Arthur Onslow (1691–1768), Speaker of the House of Commons	213,676	905 sq mi (2,344 km2)
Orange County	135	Hillsborough	1752	Bladen County, Granville County, and Johnston County	Unknown; possibly Prince William V of Orange (1748–1806), the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic; or William of Orange (1650–1702), who became King of England after the Glorious Revolution	150,626	401 sq mi (1,039 km2)
Pamlico County	137	Bayboro	1872	Beaufort County and Craven County	Pamlico Sound and the Pamlico Indian tribe	12,423	562 sq mi (1,456 km2)
Pasquotank County	139	Elizabeth City	1668	Albemarle County	Derived from the Indian word "pasketanki" which meant "where the current of the stream divides or forks"	41,444	289 sq mi (749 km2)
Pender County	141	Burgaw	1875	New Hanover County	William Dorsey Pender (1834–1863), Confederate soldier who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg of the American Civil War	68,521	934 sq mi (2,419 km2)
Perquimans County	143	Hertford	1668	Albemarle County	The Indian word "perquimans" means "land of beautiful women" and was coined by a sect of the Yeopim tribe, later becoming the 'Perquiman'	13,377	329 sq mi (852 km2)
Person County	145	Roxboro	1791	Caswell County	Thomas Person, an American Revolutionary War patriot	39,737	404 sq mi (1,046 km2)
Pitt County	147	Greenville	1760	Beaufort County	William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778), Secretary of State during the French and Indian War and was later Prime Minister of Great Britain	175,119	656 sq mi (1,699 km2)
Polk County	149	Columbus	1855	Henderson County and Rutherford County	William Polk (1758–1834), officer in the American Revolutionary War and first president of the State Bank of North Carolina	20,060	238 sq mi (616 km2)
Randolph County	151	Asheboro	1779	Guilford County	Peyton Randolph (c. 1721–1755), the first President of the Continental Congress	147,458	790 sq mi (2,046 km2)
Richmond County	153	Rockingham	1779	Anson County	Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond (1735–1806), a firm supporter of the American colonists and advocated removal of British troops	42,324	480 sq mi (1,243 km2)
Robeson County	155	Lumberton	1787	Bladen County	Thomas Robeson, an officer in the American Revolutionary War	117,365	949 sq mi (2,458 km2)
Rockingham County	157	Wentworth	1785	Guilford County	Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1730–1782), a British statesmen and two-time Prime Minister of Great Britain	92,518	573 sq mi (1,484 km2)
Rowan County	159	Salisbury	1753	Anson County	Matthew Rowan (d. 1769), was the acting Governor of colonial North Carolina following the death of Governor Nathaniel Rice	151,661	524 sq mi (1,357 km2)
Rutherford County	161	Rutherfordton	1779	Tryon County	Griffith Rutherford (c. 1721–1805), an officer in the American Revolutionary War and a political leader in North Carolina	65,507	567 sq mi (1,469 km2)
Sampson County	163	Clinton	1784	Duplin County	John Sampson, a member of Josiah Martin's council	59,601	948 sq mi (2,455 km2)
Scotland County	165	Laurinburg	1899	Richmond County	The country Scotland, part of the United Kingdom	34,376	321 sq mi (831 km2)
Stanly County	167	Albemarle	1841	Montgomery County	John Stanly (1774–1834), a United States Congressman and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons	65,699	405 sq mi (1,049 km2)
Stokes County	169	Danbury	1789	Surry County	John Stokes, a soldier of the Revolution who was seriously wounded at the Waxhaw massacre	45,532	456 sq mi (1,181 km2)
Surry County	171	Dobson	1771	Rowan County	The county of Surrey in England, birthplace of then governor William Tryon	71,462	537 sq mi (1,391 km2)
Swain County	173	Bryson City	1871	Jackson County and Macon County	David Lowry Swain (1801–1868), a governor of North Carolina and president of the University of North Carolina	13,916	540 sq mi (1,399 km2)
Transylvania County	175	Brevard	1861	Henderson County and Jackson County	Derived from the Latin words, trans meaning "across" and sylva meaning "woods"	33,549	380 sq mi (984 km2)
Tyrrell County	177	Columbia	1729	Chowan County, Currituck County, and Pasquotank County	John Tyrrell, at one time was a Lords Proprietor	3,461	597 sq mi (1,546 km2)
Union County	179	Monroe	1842	Anson County and Mecklenburg County	Created as a compromise after a dispute between local Whigs and Democrats as to whether it should be named Clay or Jackson county	256,452	640 sq mi (1,658 km2)
Vance County	181	Henderson	1881	Franklin County, Granville County, and Warren County	Zebulon Baird Vance (1830–1894), a Confederate military officer in the American Civil War, twice governor of North Carolina, and United States Senator	42,301	269 sq mi (697 km2)
Wake County	183	Raleigh	1771	Cumberland County, Johnston County, and Orange County	Margaret Wake, the wife of British colonial governor William Tryon	1,190,275	857 sq mi (2,220 km2)
Warren County	185	Warrenton	1779	Bute County	Joseph Warren (1741–1775), a Patriot and volunteer private who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill	18,836	444 sq mi (1,150 km2)
Washington County	187	Plymouth	1799	Tyrrell County	George Washington (1732–1799), the 1st president of the United States	10,713	422 sq mi (1,093 km2)
Watauga County	189	Boone	1849	Ashe County, Caldwell County, Wilkes County, and Yancey County	The Watauga River, which came from an Indian word meaning "beautiful water"	54,748	313 sq mi (811 km2)
Wayne County	191	Goldsboro	1779	Dobbs County	Anthony Wayne (1745–1796), a general in the American Revolutionary War	118,686	558 sq mi (1,445 km2)
Wilkes County	193	Wilkesboro	1777	Surry County	John Wilkes (1725–1797), an English radical, journalist, and politician	66,013	756 sq mi (1,958 km2)
Wilson County	195	Wilson	1855	Edgecombe County, Johnston County, Nash County, and Wayne County	Louis D. Wilson, a state legislator from Edgecombe County who died of fever at Veracruz during the Mexican–American War	78,970	373 sq mi (966 km2)
Yadkin County	197	Yadkinville	1850	Surry County	The Yadkin River	37,774	338 sq mi (875 km2)
Yancey County	199	Burnsville	1833	Buncombe County and Burke County	Bartlett Yancey (1785–1828), a United States Congressman, Speaker of the North Carolina Senate, and early advocate for the North Carolina Public School System	18,938	313 sq mi (811 km2)

Historic counties

County	Created	Abolished	Fate
Albemarle County	1664	1738	Partitioned into Chowan County, Currituck County, Pasquotank County, and Perquimans County
Bath County	1696	1738	Partitioned into Beaufort County, Craven County, and Hyde County
Bute County	1764	1779	Partitioned into Franklin County and Warren County
Dobbs County	1758	1791	Partitioned into Greene County, Lenoir County, and Wayne County
Tryon County	1768	1779	Partitioned into Lincoln County and Rutherford County

For several months in 1784, Cumberland County was known as Fayette County and sent representatives to the North Carolina General Assembly of April 1784 under this name.

Proposed counties

In the state's history, two counties have officially been proposed, but not created—Hooper County and Lillington County, in 1851 and 1859, respectively. The former was to be created from parts of Richmond and Robeson Counties, and the latter was to be created from parts of New Hanover County. Both of the proposals failed in their respective referendums. Later on, Scotland County would be created in the area where Hooper County was proposed, and Pender County would fill the area where Lillington County was proposed.

See also

• List of municipalities in North Carolina
• List of census-designated places in North Carolina
• List of ghost towns in North Carolina
• List of former United States counties

Works cited

• Corbitt, David Leroy. The Formation of the North Carolina Counties, 1663–1943. Raleigh: State Dept. of Archives and History, 1950. Reprint, Raleigh: Division of Archives and History, North Carolina Dept. of Cultural Resources, 1987. ISBN 0-86526-032-X
• Powell, William S. The North Carolina Gazetteer. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1968. Reprint, 1985. ISBN 0-8078-1247-1