List of counties in North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Counties of North Carolina |
|
|---|---|
| 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. A county is a part of a state, like a smaller region, that has its own local government. North Carolina is the 28th largest state by land area. However, it has the seventh-highest number of counties in the country.
The story of North Carolina's counties began a long time ago. In 1660, King Charles II became king again. To thank eight people who supported him, he gave them a large area of land called Carolina in 1663. This land was named after his father, King Charles I. These eight people were called the Lords Proprietor. From 1663 to 1729, Carolina was an English, then British, colony. In 1729, the Province of North Carolina became a separate colony from the Province of South Carolina.
North Carolina started creating its counties in 1668 with Albemarle County. The last two counties, Avery and Hoke, were created in 1911. Over the years, five counties have been divided into new ones or stopped existing completely. The last one to be divided was Dobbs County in 1791.
The United States government uses a special code called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) to identify states and counties. North Carolina's FIPS code is 37. When combined with a county's code, it looks like 37XXX.
Contents
Counties of North Carolina
Here is a list of all 100 counties in North Carolina. You can see when each county was created, where its name came from, its population, and its size.
| County | FIPS code | County seat | Est. | Origin | Meaning of Name | Pop. (2023) |
Area | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance County | 001 | Graham | 1849 | Orange County | Named after the Battle of Alamance. The name comes from a local Native American word meaning "blue clay" found in the Great Alamance Creek area. | 179,165 | 434 sq mi (1,124 km2) |
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| Alexander County | 003 | Taylorsville | 1847 | Caldwell County, Iredell County, and Wilkes County | Named for William J. Alexander, a member of the state legislature and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons (a leader in the state government). | 36,473 | 264 sq mi (684 km2) |
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| Alleghany County | 005 | Sparta | 1859 | Ashe County | Comes from a Native American (Delaware Indian) name for the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers, meaning "a fine stream." | 11,342 | 236 sq mi (611 km2) |
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| Anson County | 007 | Wadesboro | 1750 | Bladen County | Named for George, Lord Anson (1697–1762), a famous English admiral who sailed around the world. | 21,897 | 537 sq mi (1,391 km2) |
 |
| Ashe County | 009 | Jefferson | 1799 | Wilkes County | Named for Samuel Ashe (1725–1813), a patriot during the American Revolutionary War, a judge, and a governor of North Carolina. | 27,063 | 429 sq mi (1,111 km2) |
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| Avery County | 011 | Newland | 1911 | Caldwell County, Mitchell County, and Watauga County | Named for Waightstill Avery (1741–1821), a soldier in the American Revolutionary War and the Attorney General of North Carolina. | 17,561 | 248 sq mi (642 km2) |
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| Beaufort County | 013 | Washington | 1712 | Bath County | Named for Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort, who became one of the Lords Proprietor (owners) of the colony in 1709. | 44,481 | 963 sq mi (2,494 km2) |
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| Bertie County | 015 | Windsor | 1722 | Chowan County | Named for James or Henry Bertie, two of the Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina. | 16,922 | 741 sq mi (1,919 km2) |
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| Bladen County | 017 | Elizabethtown | 1734 | New Hanover County | Named for Martin Bladen, a member of the Board of Trade (a British government group). | 29,484 | 888 sq mi (2,300 km2) |
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| Brunswick County | 019 | Bolivia | 1764 | Bladen County and New Hanover County | Named for George I of Great Britain (1660–1727), who was also the Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg. | 159,964 | 1,050 sq mi (2,719 km2) |
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| Buncombe County | 021 | Asheville | 1791 | Burke County and Rutherford County | Named for Edward Buncombe, a soldier in the American Revolutionary War. He was wounded and captured during a battle. | 275,901 | 660 sq mi (1,709 km2) |
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| Burke County | 023 | Morganton | 1777 | Rowan County | Named for Thomas Burke (1747–1783), a member of the Continental Congress (an early U.S. government group) and a governor of North Carolina. | 88,338 | 514 sq mi (1,331 km2) |
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| Cabarrus County | 025 | Concord | 1792 | Mecklenburg County | Named for Stephen Cabarrus (1754–1808), a member of the state legislature and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons. | 240,016 | 364 sq mi (943 km2) |
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| Caldwell County | 027 | Lenoir | 1841 | Burke County and Wilkes County | Named for Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), the first president of the University of North Carolina. | 80,574 | 475 sq mi (1,230 km2) |
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| Camden County | 029 | Camden | 1777 | Pasquotank County | Named for Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden (1714–1794), who was against the taxation of the American colonists. | 11,137 | 310 sq mi (803 km2) |
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| Carteret County | 031 | Beaufort | 1722 | Craven County | Named for John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690–1763), who inherited a share of the Province of Carolina through his great-grandfather. | 69,615 | 1,330 sq mi (3,445 km2) |
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| Caswell County | 033 | Yanceyville | 1777 | Orange County | Named for Richard Caswell (1729–1789), a member of the first Continental Congress and the first governor of North Carolina after the Declaration of Independence. | 22,807 | 429 sq mi (1,111 km2) |
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| Catawba County | 035 | Newton | 1842 | Lincoln County | Named for the Catawba Native American tribe. | 164,645 | 416 sq mi (1,077 km2) |
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| Chatham County | 037 | Pittsboro | 1771 | Orange County | Named for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778), who was a Secretary of State during the French and Indian War and later a Prime Minister of Great Britain. | 81,624 | 709 sq mi (1,836 km2) |
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| Cherokee County | 039 | Murphy | 1839 | Macon County | Named for the Cherokee Native American tribe. | 29,959 | 467 sq mi (1,210 km2) |
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| Chowan County | 041 | Edenton | 1668 | Albemarle County | Named for the Chowan Native American tribe. | 13,891 | 234 sq mi (606 km2) |
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| Clay County | 043 | Hayesville | 1861 | Cherokee County | Named for Henry Clay (1777–1852), a famous statesman and speaker who represented Kentucky in both the House of Representatives and Senate. | 11,864 | 221 sq mi (572 km2) |
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| Cleveland County | 045 | Shelby | 1841 | Lincoln County and Rutherford County | Named for Benjamin Cleveland (1738–1806), a colonel in the American Revolutionary War who fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain. | 101,378 | 468 sq mi (1,212 km2) |
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| Columbus County | 047 | Whiteville | 1808 | Bladen County and Brunswick County | Named for Christopher Columbus (1451–1507), a famous navigator and explorer who was one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas. | 50,121 | 955 sq mi (2,473 km2) |
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| Craven County | 049 | New Bern | 1705 | Bath County | Named for William, Earl of Craven (1608–1697), who was one of the Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina. | 102,391 | 773 sq mi (2,002 km2) |
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| Cumberland County | 051 | Fayetteville | 1754 | Bladen County | Named for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (1721–1765), a military leader and son of King George II. | 337,890 | 658 sq mi (1,704 km2) |
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| Currituck County | 053 | Currituck | 1668 | Albemarle County | Traditionally a Native American word for wild geese. It was also spelled "Coratank." | 31,593 | 526 sq mi (1,362 km2) |
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| Dare County | 055 | Manteo | 1870 | Currituck County, Hyde County, and Tyrrell County | Named for Virginia Dare (born 1587), who was the first child born to English parents in America. | 38,110 | 1,542 sq mi (3,994 km2) |
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| Davidson County | 057 | Lexington | 1822 | Rowan County | Named for William Lee Davidson (1746–1781), an American Revolutionary War general who was badly wounded in battle. | 174,804 | 568 sq mi (1,471 km2) |
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| Davie County | 059 | Mocksville | 1836 | Rowan County | Named for William Richardson Davie (1756–1820), a member of the Federal Convention (where the U.S. Constitution was written) and a governor of North Carolina. | 44,599 | 266 sq mi (689 km2) |
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| Duplin County | 061 | Kenansville | 1750 | New Hanover County | Named for Thomas Hay, Viscount Dupplin (1710–1787), who was the 9th Earl of Kinnoull. | 49,520 | 820 sq mi (2,124 km2) |
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| Durham County | 063 | Durham | 1881 | Orange County and Wake County | Named after the city of Durham. The city was named in honor of Dr. Bartlett Snipes Durham, who gave the land where the city was first built. | 336,892 | 298 sq mi (772 km2) |
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| Edgecombe County | 065 | Tarboro | 1741 | Bertie County | Named for Richard Edgcumbe, 1st Baron Edgcumbe (1680–1758), who held important financial roles in the British government. | 48,832 | 507 sq mi (1,313 km2) |
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| Forsyth County | 067 | Winston-Salem | 1849 | Stokes County | Named for Benjamin Forsyth (died 1814), an American officer during the War of 1812. | 392,921 | 412 sq mi (1,067 km2) |
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| Franklin County | 069 | Louisburg | 1779 | Bute County | Named for Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), a famous author, politician, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. | 77,001 | 494 sq mi (1,279 km2) |
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| Gaston County | 071 | Gastonia | 1846 | Lincoln County | Named for William Gaston (1778–1844), a U.S. Congressman and a justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. | 237,242 | 364 sq mi (943 km2) |
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| Gates County | 073 | Gatesville | 1779 | Chowan County, Hertford County, and Perquimans County | Named for Horatio Gates (1727–1806), an American general during the American Revolutionary War who fought in the Battle of Saratoga. | 10,343 | 346 sq mi (896 km2) |
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| Graham County | 075 | Robbinsville | 1872 | Cherokee County | Named for William Alexander Graham (1804–1875), a U.S. Senator, a governor of North Carolina, and a United States Secretary of the Navy. | 8,052 | 302 sq mi (782 km2) |
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| Granville County | 077 | Oxford | 1746 | Edgecombe County | Named for John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690–1763), who inherited a share of the Province of Carolina through his great-grandfather. | 62,192 | 538 sq mi (1,393 km2) |
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| Greene County | 079 | Snow Hill | 1799 | Dobbs County | Named for Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. It was originally named Glasgow County. | 20,530 | 267 sq mi (692 km2) |
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| Guilford County | 081 | Greensboro | 1771 | Orange County and Rowan County | Named for Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford (1704–1790), a British politician and father of Prime Minister Frederick North. | 549,866 | 658 sq mi (1,704 km2) |
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| Halifax County | 083 | Halifax | 1758 | Edgecombe County | Named for 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) |
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| Harnett County | 085 | Lillington | 1855 | Cumberland County | Named for Cornelius Harnett (1723–1781), an American Revolutionary and a delegate in the Continental Congress. | 141,477 | 601 sq mi (1,557 km2) |
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| Haywood County | 087 | Waynesville | 1808 | Buncombe County | Named for John Haywood (1754–1827), who was the North Carolina State Treasurer. | 62,969 | 555 sq mi (1,437 km2) |
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| Henderson County | 089 | Hendersonville | 1838 | Buncombe County | Named for Leonard Henderson (1772–1833), Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. | 119,230 | 375 sq mi (971 km2) |
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| Hertford County | 091 | Winton | 1759 | Bertie County, Chowan County, and Northampton County | Named for Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford (1718–1794), who served King George II and George III. | 19,453 | 360 sq mi (932 km2) |
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| Hoke County | 093 | Raeford | 1911 | Cumberland County and Robeson County | Named for Robert Hoke (1837–1912), a Confederate general during the American Civil War. | 54,446 | 392 sq mi (1,015 km2) |
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| Hyde County | 095 | Swan Quarter | 1712 | Bath County | Named for Edward Hyde (1667–1712), a governor of colonial North Carolina. | 4,607 | 1,459 sq mi (3,779 km2) |
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| Iredell County | 097 | Statesville | 1788 | Rowan County | Named for James Iredell (1751–1799), an early justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. | 199,710 | 597 sq mi (1,546 km2) |
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| Jackson County | 099 | Sylva | 1851 | Haywood County and Macon County | Named for Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), the 7th President of the United States. | 44,574 | 495 sq mi (1,282 km2) |
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| Johnston County | 101 | Smithfield | 1746 | Craven County | Named for Gabriel Johnston (1699–1752), a governor of colonial North Carolina. | 241,955 | 796 sq mi (2,062 km2) |
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| Jones County | 103 | Trenton | 1779 | Craven County | Named for Willie Jones (1740–1801), who was against the ratification (approval) of the U.S. Constitution. | 9,401 | 474 sq mi (1,228 km2) |
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| Lee County | 105 | Sanford | 1907 | Chatham County and Moore County | Named for Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), a general of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. | 67,059 | 259 sq mi (671 km2) |
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| Lenoir County | 107 | Kinston | 1791 | Dobbs County | Named for William Lenoir (1751–1839), a captain in the American Revolutionary War who fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain. | 54,895 | 401 sq mi (1,039 km2) |
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| Lincoln County | 109 | Lincolnton | 1779 | Tryon County | Named for Benjamin Lincoln (1733–1810), a major general during the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Siege of Yorktown. | 95,675 | 305 sq mi (790 km2) |
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| Macon County | 113 | Franklin | 1828 | Haywood County | Named for Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837), a member and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. | 38,412 | 520 sq mi (1,347 km2) |
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| Madison County | 115 | Marshall | 1851 | Buncombe County and Yancey County | Named for James Madison (1751–1836), the 4th President of the United States. | 22,071 | 451 sq mi (1,168 km2) |
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| Martin County | 117 | Williamston | 1774 | Halifax County and Tyrrell County | Named for Josiah Martin (1737–1786), the last governor of colonial North Carolina. | 21,447 | 457 sq mi (1,184 km2) |
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| McDowell County | 111 | Marion | 1842 | Burke County and Rutherford County | Named for Joseph McDowell (1756–1801), a soldier in the American Revolutionary War who fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain. | 44,893 | 445 sq mi (1,153 km2) |
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| Mecklenburg County | 119 | Charlotte | 1762 | Anson County | Named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744–1818), who was the queen of King George III of the United Kingdom. | 1,163,701 | 546 sq mi (1,414 km2) |
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| Mitchell County | 121 | Bakersville | 1861 | Burke County, Caldwell County, McDowell County, Watauga County, and Yancey County | Named for 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) |
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| Montgomery County | 123 | Troy | 1779 | Anson County | Named for Richard Montgomery (1738–1775), a major general during the American Revolutionary War who was killed in battle. | 26,085 | 502 sq mi (1,300 km2) |
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| Moore County | 125 | Carthage | 1784 | Cumberland County | Named for Alfred Moore (1755–1810), a captain in the American Revolutionary War and a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. | 106,898 | 706 sq mi (1,829 km2) |
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| Nash County | 127 | Nashville | 1777 | Edgecombe County | Named for Francis Nash (1742–1777), a general in the American Revolutionary War who was badly wounded in battle. | 96,551 | 543 sq mi (1,406 km2) |
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| New Hanover County | 129 | Wilmington | 1729 | Craven County | Named for the royal family of England, the House of Hanover. | 238,852 | 329 sq mi (852 km2) |
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| Northampton County | 131 | Jackson | 1741 | Bertie County | Named for James Compton, 5th Earl of Northampton (1687–1754), a British noble and politician. | 16,715 | 551 sq mi (1,427 km2) |
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| Onslow County | 133 | Jacksonville | 1734 | New Hanover County | Named for Arthur Onslow (1691–1768), Speaker of the House of Commons (a leader in the British Parliament). | 213,676 | 905 sq mi (2,344 km2) |
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| Orange County | 135 | Hillsborough | 1752 | Bladen County, Granville County, and Johnston County | The exact reason for the name is unknown. It might be named after Prince William V of Orange (1748–1806), or William of Orange (1650–1702), who became King of England. | 150,626 | 401 sq mi (1,039 km2) |
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| Pamlico County | 137 | Bayboro | 1872 | Beaufort County and Craven County | Named for Pamlico Sound and the Pamlico Native American tribe. | 12,423 | 562 sq mi (1,456 km2) |
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| Pasquotank County | 139 | Elizabeth City | 1668 | Albemarle County | Comes from the Native American word "pasketanki," meaning "where the current of the stream divides or forks." | 41,444 | 289 sq mi (749 km2) |
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| Pender County | 141 | Burgaw | 1875 | New Hanover County | Named for William Dorsey Pender (1834–1863), a Confederate soldier who was badly wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. | 68,521 | 934 sq mi (2,419 km2) |
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| Perquimans County | 143 | Hertford | 1668 | Albemarle County | The Native American word "perquimans" means "land of beautiful women." It was named by a group of the Yeopim tribe. | 13,377 | 329 sq mi (852 km2) |
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| Person County | 145 | Roxboro | 1791 | Caswell County | Named for Thomas Person, a patriot during the American Revolutionary War. | 39,737 | 404 sq mi (1,046 km2) |
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| Pitt County | 147 | Greenville | 1760 | Beaufort County | Named for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778), who was a Secretary of State during the French and Indian War and later a Prime Minister of Great Britain. | 175,119 | 656 sq mi (1,699 km2) |
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| Polk County | 149 | Columbus | 1855 | Henderson County and Rutherford County | Named for William Polk (1758–1834), an officer in the American Revolutionary War and the first president of the State Bank of North Carolina. | 20,060 | 238 sq mi (616 km2) |
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| Randolph County | 151 | Asheboro | 1779 | Guilford County | Named for Peyton Randolph (around 1721–1755), the first President of the Continental Congress. | 147,458 | 790 sq mi (2,046 km2) |
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| Richmond County | 153 | Rockingham | 1779 | Anson County | Named for Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond (1735–1806), who strongly supported the American colonists and wanted British troops removed. | 42,324 | 480 sq mi (1,243 km2) |
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| Robeson County | 155 | Lumberton | 1787 | Bladen County | Named for Thomas Robeson, an officer in the American Revolutionary War. | 117,365 | 949 sq mi (2,458 km2) |
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| Rockingham County | 157 | Wentworth | 1785 | Guilford County | Named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1730–1782), a British statesman and a two-time Prime Minister of Great Britain. | 92,518 | 573 sq mi (1,484 km2) |
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| Rowan County | 159 | Salisbury | 1753 | Anson County | Named for Matthew Rowan (died 1769), who was the acting Governor of colonial North Carolina. | 151,661 | 524 sq mi (1,357 km2) |
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| Rutherford County | 161 | Rutherfordton | 1779 | Tryon County | Named for Griffith Rutherford (around 1721–1805), an officer in the American Revolutionary War and a political leader in North Carolina. | 65,507 | 567 sq mi (1,469 km2) |
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| Sampson County | 163 | Clinton | 1784 | Duplin County | Named for John Sampson, a member of Governor Josiah Martin's council. | 59,601 | 948 sq mi (2,455 km2) |
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| Scotland County | 165 | Laurinburg | 1899 | Richmond County | Named for the country Scotland, which is part of the United Kingdom. | 34,376 | 321 sq mi (831 km2) |
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| Stanly County | 167 | Albemarle | 1841 | Montgomery County | Named for John Stanly (1774–1834), a U.S. Congressman and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons. | 65,699 | 405 sq mi (1,049 km2) |
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| Stokes County | 169 | Danbury | 1789 | Surry County | Named for John Stokes, a soldier of the Revolution who was seriously wounded in battle. | 45,532 | 456 sq mi (1,181 km2) |
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| Surry County | 171 | Dobson | 1771 | Rowan County | Named for the county of Surrey in England, which was the birthplace of the governor at the time, William Tryon. | 71,462 | 537 sq mi (1,391 km2) |
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| Swain County | 173 | Bryson City | 1871 | Jackson County and Macon County | Named for 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) |
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| Transylvania County | 175 | Brevard | 1861 | Henderson County and Jackson County | Comes from the Latin words, trans meaning "across" and sylva meaning "woods." So, "across the woods." | 33,549 | 380 sq mi (984 km2) |
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| Tyrrell County | 177 | Columbia | 1729 | Chowan County, Currituck County, and Pasquotank County | Named for John Tyrrell, who was once one of the Lords Proprietor. | 3,461 | 597 sq mi (1,546 km2) |
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| Union County | 179 | Monroe | 1842 | Anson County and Mecklenburg County | Created as a compromise after a disagreement between local political groups (Whigs and Democrats) about whether to name it Clay or Jackson county. | 256,452 | 640 sq mi (1,658 km2) |
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| Vance County | 181 | Henderson | 1881 | Franklin County, Granville County, and Warren County | Named for Zebulon Baird Vance (1830–1894), a Confederate military officer in the American Civil War. He was also a two-time governor of North Carolina and a U.S. Senator. | 42,301 | 269 sq mi (697 km2) |
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| Wake County | 183 | Raleigh | 1771 | Cumberland County, Johnston County, and Orange County | Named for Margaret Wake, the wife of British colonial governor William Tryon. | 1,190,275 | 857 sq mi (2,220 km2) |
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| Warren County | 185 | Warrenton | 1779 | Bute County | Named for Joseph Warren (1741–1775), a Patriot who was killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill. | 18,836 | 444 sq mi (1,150 km2) |
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| Washington County | 187 | Plymouth | 1799 | Tyrrell County | Named for George Washington (1732–1799), the 1st president of the United States. | 10,713 | 422 sq mi (1,093 km2) |
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| Watauga County | 189 | Boone | 1849 | Ashe County, Caldwell County, Wilkes County, and Yancey County | Named for the Watauga River, which comes from a Native American word meaning "beautiful water." | 54,748 | 313 sq mi (811 km2) |
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| Wayne County | 191 | Goldsboro | 1779 | Dobbs County | Named for Anthony Wayne (1745–1796), a general in the American Revolutionary War. | 118,686 | 558 sq mi (1,445 km2) |
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| Wilkes County | 193 | Wilkesboro | 1777 | Surry County | Named for John Wilkes (1725–1797), an English journalist and politician. | 66,013 | 756 sq mi (1,958 km2) |
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| Wilson County | 195 | Wilson | 1855 | Edgecombe County, Johnston County, Nash County, and Wayne County | Named for Louis D. Wilson, a state lawmaker who died during the Mexican–American War. | 78,970 | 373 sq mi (966 km2) |
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| Yadkin County | 197 | Yadkinville | 1850 | Surry County | Named for the Yadkin River. | 37,774 | 338 sq mi (875 km2) |
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| Yancey County | 199 | Burnsville | 1833 | Buncombe County and Burke County | Named for Bartlett Yancey (1785–1828), a U.S. Congressman, a leader in the state Senate, and an early supporter of North Carolina's public school system. | 18,938 | 313 sq mi (811 km2) |
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Historic Counties
Some counties in North Carolina's history no longer exist today. They were either divided into new counties or completely removed.
| County | Created | Abolished | What Happened to It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albemarle County | 1664 | 1738 | Divided into Chowan County, Currituck County, Pasquotank County, and Perquimans County. |
| Bath County | 1696 | 1738 | Divided into Beaufort County, Craven County, and Hyde County. |
| Bute County | 1764 | 1779 | Divided into Franklin County and Warren County. |
| Dobbs County | 1758 | 1791 | Divided into Greene County, Lenoir County, and Wayne County. |
| Tryon County | 1768 | 1779 | Divided into Lincoln County and Rutherford County. |
For a few months in 1784, Cumberland County was known as Fayette County. It even sent representatives to the state government under that name.
Proposed Counties That Weren't Created
Throughout North Carolina's history, two counties were officially suggested but never actually created. These were Hooper County (in 1851) and Lillington County (in 1859). Hooper County was planned to be made from parts of Richmond and Robeson Counties. Lillington County was meant to be created from parts of New Hanover County. Both ideas were voted on but did not pass. Later, Scotland County was created in the area where Hooper County was proposed, and Pender County was created where Lillington County was suggested.
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Condados de Carolina del Norte para niños
- 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
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