|
Year |
County |
Created From |
County Seat |
First Settled |
First Settled By |
Population (2020) |
Notes/ Comments |
|
1664 |
Albemarle |
1st Charter |
- |
1650s |
Virginians |
- |
Abolished in 1738 |
|
1664 |
Clarendon |
1st Charter |
Charles Town |
1664 |
New Endlanders, then Barbadians |
- |
Abolished in 1667 |
|
1668 |
Chowan |
Albemarle County |
Edenton |
1660s |
Virginians |
13,708 |
|
|
1668 |
Currituck |
Albemarle County |
Currituck |
1660s |
Virginians |
28,100 |
|
|
1668 |
Pasquotank |
Albemarle County |
Elizabeth
City |
1660s |
Virginians |
40,568 |
|
|
1668 |
Perquimans |
Albemarle County |
Hertford |
1660s |
Virginians |
13,005 |
|
|
1680 |
Albemarle Precinct |
Pasquotank Precinct |
- |
1660s |
Virginians |
- |
Renamed back to Pasquotank in mid-1680s |
|
1680 |
Berkeley Precinct |
Perquimans Precinct |
- |
1660s |
Virginians |
- |
Renamed back to Perquimans in mid-1680s |
|
1680 |
Carteret Precinct |
Currituck Precinct |
- |
1660s |
Virginians |
- |
Renamed back to Currituck in mid-1680s |
|
1680 |
Shaftesbury Precinct |
Chowan Precinct |
- |
1660s |
Virginians |
- |
Renamed back to Chowan in mid-1680s |
|
1696 |
Bath |
Old Albemarle County |
Bath |
1660s |
Virginians |
- |
Abolished in 1738 |
|
1705 |
Archdale |
Bath County |
- |
1690s |
Virginians |
- |
Abolished in 1712 |
|
1705 |
Pamtecough |
Bath County |
- |
1690s |
Virginians |
- |
Abolished in 1712 |
|
1705 |
Wickham |
Bath County |
- |
1690s |
Virginians |
- |
Abolished in 1712 |
|
1712 |
Beaufort |
Pamtecough Precinct |
Washington |
1690s |
Virginians |
44,652 |
|
|
1712 |
Craven |
Archdale Precinct |
New Bern |
1690s |
Virginians |
100,720 |
|
|
1712 |
Hyde |
Wickham Precinct |
Swan Quarter |
1690s |
Virginians |
4,589 |
|
|
1722 |
Bertie |
Chowan County |
Windsor |
1690s |
Virginians |
17,934 |
|
|
1722 |
Carteret |
Craven County |
Beaufort |
~1700 |
From Craven County |
67,686 |
|
|
1729 |
New Hanover |
Craven County |
Wilmington |
1724 |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
225,702 |
|
|
1729 |
Tyrrell |
Chowan, Bertie, Currituck, and Pasquotank Counties |
Columbia |
~1700 |
Virginians |
3,245 |
|
|
1734 |
Bladen |
New Hanover County |
Elizabethtown |
1720 |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
29,606 |
|
|
1734 |
Onslow |
New Hanover County |
Jacksonville |
1705/6 |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
204,576 |
|
|
1741 |
Edgecombe |
Bertie and Beaufort Counties |
Tarboro |
1720s |
Virginians |
48,900 |
|
|
1741 |
Northampton |
Bertie County |
Jackson |
1660s |
Virginians |
17,741 |
|
|
1746 |
Granville |
Edgecombe County |
Oxford |
1720s |
From Edgecombe County/
Virginians |
60,992 |
|
|
1746 |
Johnston |
Craven County |
Smithfield |
1720s |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
215,999 |
|
|
1750 |
Anson |
Bladen County |
Wadesboro |
1730s |
From Bladen County, then Scots-Irish |
22,055 |
|
|
1750 |
Duplin |
New Hanover County |
Kenansville |
1720s |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
48,715 |
|
|
1752 |
Orange |
Johnston, Bladen, and Granville Counties |
Hillsborough |
1740s |
Germans |
148,696 |
|
|
1753 |
Rowan |
Anson County |
Salisbury |
1740s |
Germans, Scots-Irish |
146,875 |
|
|
1754 |
Cumberland |
Bladen County |
Fayetteville |
1729 |
Highland Scots |
334,728 |
|
|
1758 |
Dobbs |
Johnston County |
Kinston |
1730s |
From Johnston County |
- |
Abolished in 1791 |
|
1758 |
Halifax |
Edgecombe County |
Halifax |
1720s |
From Edgecombe County |
48,622 |
|
|
1759 |
Hertford |
Chowan, Bertie, and Northampton Counties |
Winton |
1680s |
Virginians |
21,552 |
|
|
1760 |
Pitt |
Beaufort County |
Greenville |
1714 |
Virginians |
170,243 |
|
|
1762 |
Mecklenburg |
Anson County |
Charlotte |
1740s |
Scots-Irish |
1,115,482 |
|
|
1764 |
Brunswick |
New Hanover County |
Bolivia |
1713 |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
136,693 |
|
|
1764 |
Bute |
Granville County |
Buffalo
Race Path |
1720s |
From Granville County/Virginia |
- |
Abolished in 1779 |
|
1768 |
Tryon |
Mecklenburg County |
Tryon C.H. |
1740s |
Scots-Irish |
- |
Abolished in 1779 |
|
1771 |
Chatham |
Orange County |
Pittsboro |
1750s |
Germans and Scots-Irish |
76,285 |
|
|
1771 |
Guilford |
Rowan and Orange Counties |
Greensboro |
1740s |
Germans, then Quakers |
541,299 |
|
|
1771 |
Surry |
Rowan County |
Dobson |
1740s |
Moravians, Germans, Scots-Irish |
71,359 |
|
|
1771 |
Wake |
Johnston, Cumberland, and Orange Counties |
Raleigh |
1740s |
From Johnston, Cumberland, and Orange Counties |
1,129,410 |
|
|
1774 |
Martin |
Halifax and Tyrrell Counties |
Williamston |
1720s |
From Halifax and Tyrrell Counties |
22,031 |
|
|
1775 |
Pelham |
Never Established |
- |
1740s |
Scots-Irish |
- |
Map-maker's attempt to curry favor with British
Secretary of State for Southern Department. |
|
1776 |
Washington District |
- |
- |
1760s |
Mostly From Virginia, some from Surry County, NC |
- |
Abolished in 1777. Renamed to Washington County. |
|
1777 |
Burke |
Rowan County |
Morganton |
1760s |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
87,570 |
|
|
1777 |
Camden |
Pasquotank County |
Camden |
1680s |
Virginians |
10,355 |
|
|
1777 |
Caswell |
Orange County |
Yanceyville |
1740s |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
22,736 |
|
|
1777 |
Nash |
Edgecombe County |
Nashville |
1730s |
From Edgecombe County |
94,970 |
|
|
1777 |
Washington |
Washington District |
Jonesborough |
1760s |
Mostly From Virginia, some from Surry County, NC |
- |
Ceded to Ohio Territory in 1790, later to become
Tennessee in 1796 |
|
1777 |
Wilkes |
Surry County |
Wilkesboro |
1750s |
Germans, Scots-Irish |
65,969 |
|
|
1779 |
Franklin |
Bute County |
Louisburg |
1750s |
From Granville and Edgecombe Counties |
68,573 |
|
|
1779 |
Gates |
Chowan, Hertford, and Perquimans Counties |
Gatesville |
1690s |
Virginians |
10,478 |
|
|
1779 |
Jones |
Craven County |
Trenton |
1710 |
Swiss/Palatines who settled New Bern |
9,172 |
|
|
1779 |
Lincoln |
Tryon County |
Lincolnton |
1740s |
Germans, Scots-Irish |
86,810 |
|
|
1779 |
Montgomery |
Anson County |
Troy |
1750s |
Scots-Irish |
22,751 |
|
|
1779 |
Randolph |
Guilford County |
Asheboro |
1750s |
From Guilford County |
144,171 |
|
|
1779 |
Richmond |
Anson County |
Rockingham |
1740s |
From Bladen County |
42,946 |
|
|
1779 |
Rutherford |
Tryon County |
Rutherfordton |
1750s |
Scots-Irish |
69,444 |
|
|
1779 |
Sullivan |
Washington County |
- |
1770s |
Scots-Irish |
- |
Ceded to Ohio Territory in 1790, later to become
Tennessee in 1796 |
|
1779 |
Warren |
Bute County |
Warrenton |
1720s |
Virginians |
18,642 |
|
|
1779 |
Wayne |
Dobbs County |
Goldsboro |
1740s |
Scots-Irish |
117,333 |
|
|
1783 |
Davidson |
Indian Lands |
Nashville |
1770s |
Scots-Irish |
- |
Ceded to Ohio Territory in 1790, later to become
Tennessee in 1796 |
|
1783 |
Greene |
Washington County |
Greeneville |
1770s |
Scots-Irish |
- |
Ceded to Ohio Territory in 1790, later to become
Tennessee in 1796 |
|
1784 |
Fayette |
Cumberland County |
Fayetteville |
1729 |
Highland Scots |
- |
Renamed back to Cumberland County in October
1784. |
|
1784 |
Moore |
Cumberland County |
Carthage |
1739 |
Scots-Irish |
99,727 |
|
|
1784 |
Sampson |
Duplin or Pelham County |
Clinton |
1740s |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
59,036 |
|
|
1785 |
Rockingham |
Guilford County |
Wentworth |
1760s |
From Guilford County |
91,096 |
|
|
1787 |
Hawkins |
Sullivan County |
Rogersville |
1770s |
Scots-Irish |
- |
Ceded to Ohio Territory in 1790, later to become
Tennessee in 1796 |
|
1787 |
Sumner |
Davidson County |
- |
1770s |
Scots-Irish |
- |
Ceded to Ohio Territory in 1790, later to become
Tennessee in 1796 |
|
1787 |
Robeson |
Bladen County |
Lumberton |
1730s |
From Bladen County, Scots-Irish |
116,530 |
|
|
1788 |
Iredell |
Rowan County |
Statesville |
1753 |
Scots-Irish and Germans |
186,693 |
|
|
1788 |
Tennessee |
Davidson County |
- |
1770s |
Scots-Irish |
- |
Ceded to Ohio Territory in 1790, later to become
Tennessee in 1796 |
|
1789 |
Stokes |
Surry County |
Danbury |
1750s |
Scots-Irish |
44,520 |
|
|
1791 |
Buncombe |
Burke and Rutherford Counties |
Asheville |
1770s |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
269,452 |
|
|
1791 |
Glasgow |
Dobbs County |
Glasgow C.H. |
1730s |
From Dobbs and Craven Counties |
- |
Abolished in 1799 |
|
1791 |
Lenoir |
Dobbs County |
Kinston |
1730s |
From Dobbs and Craven Counties |
55,122 |
|
|
1791 |
Person |
Caswell County |
Roxboro |
1720s |
Virginians from Halifax County, Virginia |
39,907 |
|
|
1792 |
Cabarrus |
Mecklenburg County |
Concord |
1740s |
Germans, Scots-Irish |
225,804 |
|
|
1799 |
Ashe |
Wilkes County |
Jefferson |
1773 |
From Wilkes County and Virginians |
26,577 |
|
|
1799 |
Greene |
Glasgow County |
Snow Hill |
1710 |
From Craven County |
20,451 |
|
|
1799 |
Washington |
Tyrrell County |
Plymouth |
~1700 |
Virginians |
11,003 |
|
|
1808 |
Columbus |
Bladen and Brunswick Counties |
Whiteville |
1720s |
English/Welsh, then Scots-Irish |
50,623 |
|
|
1808 |
Haywood |
Buncombe County |
Waynesville |
1784 |
Scots-Irish, Revolutionary War Veterans |
62,089 |
|
|
1822 |
Davidson |
Rowan County |
Lexington |
1740s |
Scots-Irish, Germans |
168,930 |
|
|
1828 |
Macon |
Haywood County |
Franklin |
1820 |
From Haywood County |
37,014 |
Treaty of 1819, Cherokees Ceded and Left |
|
1833 |
Yancey |
Burke, Buncombe Counties |
Burnsville |
1760s |
From Burke and Buncombe Counties |
18,470 |
|
|
1836 |
Davie |
Rowan County |
Mocksville |
1740s |
Scots-Irish |
42,712 |
|
|
1838 |
Henderson |
Buncombe County |
Hendersonville |
1770 |
Pioneers from Rutherford County |
116,281 |
|
|
1839 |
Cherokee |
Macon County |
Murphy |
1820s |
From Macon County |
28,774 |
After Trail of Tears of 1838, Cherokees Left |
|
1841 |
Caldwell |
Burke and Wilkes County |
Lenoir |
1760s |
From Burke and Wilkes Counties |
80,652 |
|
|
1841 |
Cleveland |
Rutherford and Lincoln Counties |
Shelby |
1750s |
From Rutherford and Lincoln Counties |
99,519 |
|
|
1841 |
Stanly |
Montgomery County |
Albemarle |
1746 |
From Montgomery County, Germans in 1750s |
62,504 |
|
|
1842 |
Catawba |
Lincoln County |
Newton |
1740s |
Swiss in northern part, English and Scots-Irish in
southeastern part |
160,610 |
|
|
1842 |
McDowell |
Burke and Rutherford Counties |
Marion |
1760s |
From Burke and Rutherford Counties |
44,578 |
|
|
1842 |
Union |
Anson and Mecklenburg Counties |
Monroe |
1740s |
From Anson and Mecklenburg Counties |
238,267 |
|
|
1846 |
Gaston |
Lincoln County |
Gastonia |
1740s |
Virginians and Charlestonians |
227,943 |
|
|
1847 |
Alexander |
Iredell, Caldwell, and Wilkes Counties |
Taylorsville |
1750s |
From Iredell County |
36,444 |
|
|
1849 |
Alamance |
Orange County |
Graham |
1740 |
Germans |
171,415 |
|
|
1849 |
Forsyth |
Stokes County |
Winston-Salem |
1753 |
Moravians |
382,590 |
|
|
1849 |
Watauga |
Ashe, Wilkes, Caldwell, and Yancey Counties |
Boone |
1760s |
Scots-Irish |
54,086 |
|
|
1850 |
Yadkin |
Surry County |
Yadkinville |
1740s |
From Pennsylvania |
37,214 |
|
|
1851 |
Hooper |
Richmond and Robeson Counties |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Voters rejected the creation of this new county. |
|
1851 |
Jackson |
Haywood and Macon Counties |
Sylva |
1796 |
English |
43,109 |
|
|
1851 |
Madison |
Buncombe and Yancey Counties |
Marshall |
1784 |
Revolutionary War Veterans |
21,193 |
|
|
1855 |
Harnett |
Cumberland County |
Lillington |
1720s |
From Cumberland County |
133,568 |
|
|
1855 |
Polk |
Rutherford and Henderson Counties |
Columbus |
1760s |
From Rutherford County |
19,328 |
|
|
1855 |
Wilson |
Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston, and Wayne Counties |
Wilson |
1740s |
From Edgecombe County |
78,784 |
|
|
1859 |
Alleghany |
Ashe County |
Sparta |
1750s |
From Surry County |
10,888 |
|
|
1861 |
Clay |
Cherokee County |
Hayesville |
1830s |
From Cherokee County |
11,089 |
After Trail of Tears of 1838, Cherokees Left |
|
1861 |
Mitchell |
Yancey, Watauga, Caldwell, Burke, and McDowell Counties |
Bakersville |
1770s |
From Watauga County |
14,903 |
|
|
1861 |
Transylvania |
Jackson and Henderson Counties |
Brevard |
1800 |
From Catawba County, George Shuford |
32,986 |
|
|
1870 |
Dare |
Currituck, Tyrrell, and Hyde Counties |
Manteo |
1690s |
Virginians |
36,915 |
|
|
1871 |
Swain |
Jackson and Macon Counties |
Bryson City |
1799 |
From Jackson and Macon Counties |
14,117 |
Cherokees Ceded in 1798, finall pullout in 1819. |
|
1872 |
Graham |
Cherokee County |
Robbinsville |
1838 |
From Cherokee County |
8,030 |
After Trail of Tears of 1838, Cherokees Left |
|
1872 |
Pamlico |
Craven and Beaufort Counties |
Bayboro |
1710s |
From Craven and Beaufort Counties |
12,276 |
Settled after Tuscarora War |
|
1875 |
Pender |
New Hanover County |
Burgaw |
1730s |
Scots-Irish |
60,203 |
Henry McCulloch brought many immigrants over |
|
1881 |
Durham |
Orange and Wake Counties |
Durham |
1740s |
Germans |
324,833 |
|
|
1881 |
Vance |
Granville, Warren, and Franklin Counties |
Henderson |
1750s |
From Granville, Warren, and Franklin Counties |
42,578 |
|
|
1899 |
Scotland |
Richmond County |
Laurinburg |
1730s |
Scots-Irish |
34,174 |
|
|
1907 |
Lee |
Moore and Chatham Counties |
Sanford |
1750s |
Germans, Scots-Irish |
62,285 |
|
|
1911 |
Avery |
Mitchell, Watauga, and Caldwell Counties |
Newland |
1770s |
Scots-Irish |
17,806 |
|
|
1911 |
Hoke |
Cumberland and Robeson Counties |
Raeford |
1740s |
Highland Scots |
52,082 |
|
