List of counties in North Carolina

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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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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),<ref name="EPA">Template:Cite web</ref> 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 37Template:Var.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Clear

List

County	FIPS code<ref name="EPA"/>	County seat<ref name="NACO">Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Abbr<ref name="NACO"/>	Origin<ref name="Ety">Template:Cite web</ref>	Etymology<ref name="Ety"/>	Template:Abbr (2024)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Area<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Map Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow Template:Countyrow

Historic counties

County	Created	Abolished	Fate
Albemarle County	1664<ref name="Alb">Template:Cite web</ref>	1738<ref name="Alb"/>	Partitioned into Bertie County, Chowan County, Currituck County, Pasquotank County, Perquimans County, and Tyrrell County
Bath County	1696<ref name="Bath">Template:Cite web</ref>	1738<ref name="Bath"/>	Partitioned into Beaufort County, Bladen County, Carteret County, Craven County, Hyde County, New Hanover County, and Onslow County
Bute County	1764<ref name="Bute">Template:Cite web</ref>	1779<ref name="Bute"/>	Partitioned into Franklin County and Warren County
Dobbs County	1758<ref name="Dobbs">Template:Cite web</ref>	1791<ref name="Dobbs"/>	Partitioned into Greene County and Lenoir County
Tryon County	1768<ref name="Tryon">Template:Cite web</ref>	1779<ref name="Tryon"/>	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.<ref name="Cheney">Template:Cite book</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

References

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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. Template:ISBN
Powell, William S. The North Carolina Gazetteer. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1968. Reprint, 1985. Template:ISBN

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