List of counties in California - wikipedia List of counties in California See also : List of United States counties and county - equivalents California IM SD RV OR SB LA KE VE BR LO MT BN FR KG TL IN MN AL TU MR MD ME SC SZ SM SF AM CC SJ ST CA AD ED SA SL YO NA MA SN MC LK CO SR YU PL NV SE BU GL TE PM LS MO SH SK TR HU DN Location State of California Number 58 Counties Populations 1,110 ( Alpine ) -- 10,170,292 ( Los Angeles ) Areas 47 square miles ( 120 km ) ( San Francisco City and County ) -- 20,062 square miles ( 51,960 km ) ( San Bernardino ) Government County government Subdivisions Communities, Charter city The state of California is divided into 58 counties. The region was first divided into twenty - seven counties on February 18, 1850. These were further sub-divided to form sixteen additional counties by 1860. Another fourteen were counties formed through further sub-division from 1861 to 1893. The last, Imperial County, was formed in 1907. California is home to San Bernardino County, the largest county in the contiguous United States, as well as Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States. More counties in California are named for saints than in any other state. CA Counties Contents 1 List 2 Defunct counties 3 See also 4 Notes 5 External links List County FIPS County Code County seat Established Formed from Etymology Population Area Map Alameda County 001 Oakland 1853 Contra Costa and Santa Clara The oak and other trees, once abundant in the region ; alameda is Spanish for `` avenue shaded by trees '' or `` cottonwood grove. '' 7006163821500000000 ♠ 1,638,215 7002738000000000000 ♠ 738 sq mi ( 7003191100000000000 ♠ 1,911 km ) Alpine County 003 Markleeville 1864 Amador, El Dorado, Calaveras, Mono and Tuolumne Location high in the Sierra Nevada ; alpine refers to the Alps or other mountains. 7003111000000000000 ♠ 1,110 7002739000000000000 ♠ 739 sq mi ( 7003191400000000000 ♠ 1,914 km ) Amador County 005 Jackson 1854 Calaveras Jose Maria Amador ( 1794 -- 1883 ), a soldier, rancher, and miner who, along with several Native Americans, established a successful gold mining camp near present - day Amador City in 1848. 7004370010000000000 ♠ 37,001 7002606000000000000 ♠ 606 sq mi ( 7003157000000000000 ♠ 1,570 km ) Butte County 007 Oroville 1850 original Sutter Buttes, which were mistakenly thought to be in the county at the time of its establishment. 7005225411000000000 ♠ 225,411 7003164000000000000 ♠ 1,640 sq mi ( 7003424800000000000 ♠ 4,248 km ) Calaveras County 009 San Andreas 1850 original Calaveras River ; calaveras is Spanish for `` skulls. '' 7004448280000000000 ♠ 44,828 7003102000000000000 ♠ 1,020 sq mi ( 7003264200000000000 ♠ 2,642 km ) Colusa County 011 Colusa 1850 original Rancho Colus land grant from Mexico. 7004214820000000000 ♠ 21,482 7003115100000000000 ♠ 1,151 sq mi ( 7003298100000000000 ♠ 2,981 km ) Contra Costa County 013 Martinez 1850 original Location across San Francisco Bay from San Francisco ; contra costa is Spanish for `` opposite coast. '' 7006112674500000000 ♠ 1,126,745 7002720000000000000 ♠ 720 sq mi ( 7003186500000000000 ♠ 1,865 km ) Del Norte County 015 Crescent City 1857 Klamath Location along California 's northern border ; del norte is Spanish for `` northern. '' 7004272540000000000 ♠ 27,254 7003100800000000000 ♠ 1,008 sq mi ( 7003261100000000000 ♠ 2,611 km ) El Dorado County 017 Placerville 1850 original El Dorado, a mythical city of gold, owing to the area 's significance in the California Gold Rush. 7005184452000000000 ♠ 184,452 7003171200000000000 ♠ 1,712 sq mi ( 7003443400000000000 ♠ 4,434 km ) Fresno County 019 Fresno 1856 Mariposa, Merced and Tulare The city of Fresno ; fresno is Spanish for `` ash tree. '' 7005974861000000000 ♠ 974,861 7003596300000000000 ♠ 5,963 sq mi ( 7004154440000000000 ♠ 15,444 km ) Glenn County 021 Willows 1891 Colusa Dr. Hugh J. Glenn, a California businessman and politician. 7004280170000000000 ♠ 28,017 7003131500000000000 ♠ 1,315 sq mi ( 7003340600000000000 ♠ 3,406 km ) Humboldt County 023 Eureka 1853 Trinity Alexander von Humboldt, a German naturalist and explorer. 7005135727000000000 ♠ 135,727 7003357300000000000 ♠ 3,573 sq mi ( 7003925400000000000 ♠ 9,254 km ) Imperial County 025 El Centro 1907 San Diego Imperial Valley, named after the Imperial Land Company. 7005180191000000000 ♠ 180,191 7003417500000000000 ♠ 4,175 sq mi ( 7004108130000000000 ♠ 10,813 km ) Inyo County 027 Independence 1866 Mono and Tulare Exact etymology disputed ; early settlers believed Inyo to be the native name for area mountains, but it may be the name of a Mono Indian leader. 7004182600000000000 ♠ 18,260 7004101920000000000 ♠ 10,192 sq mi ( 7004263970000000000 ♠ 26,397 km ) Kern County 029 Bakersfield 1866 Los Angeles and Tulare Edward Kern, cartographer for John C. Fremont 's 1845 expedition. 7005882176000000000 ♠ 882,176 7003814200000000000 ♠ 8,142 sq mi ( 7004210880000000000 ♠ 21,088 km ) Kings County 031 Hanford 1893 Tulare Kings River ; original Spanish name Rio de los Santos Reyes ( `` River of the Holy Kings '' ). 7005150965000000000 ♠ 150,965 7003139000000000000 ♠ 1,390 sq mi ( 7003360000000000000 ♠ 3,600 km ) Lake County 033 Lakeport 1861 Napa Clear Lake. 7004645910000000000 ♠ 64,591 7003125800000000000 ♠ 1,258 sq mi ( 7003325800000000000 ♠ 3,258 km ) Lassen County 035 Susanville 1864 Plumas and Shasta, and now defunct Lake County, Nevada Peter Lassen, a Danish naturalist and explorer. 7004313450000000000 ♠ 31,345 7003455800000000000 ♠ 4,558 sq mi ( 7004118050000000000 ♠ 11,805 km ) Los Angeles County 037 Los Angeles 1850 original The city of Los Angeles, derived from the original Spanish name El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula ( `` The Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels of the River of Porziuncola '' ). 7007101702920000000 ♠ 10,170,292 7003406000000000000 ♠ 4,060 sq mi ( 7004105150000000000 ♠ 10,515 km ) Madera County 039 Madera 1893 Mariposa The city of Madera, which was named for the forested landscape ; madera is Spanish for `` wood. '' 7005154998000000000 ♠ 154,998 7003213800000000000 ♠ 2,138 sq mi ( 7003553700000000000 ♠ 5,537 km ) Marin County 041 San Rafael 1850 original Exact etymology disputed ; probably a corrupted abbreviation of Bahía de Nuestra Señora del Rosario la Marina, the Spanish name for area headlands along San Francisco Bay. 7005261221000000000 ♠ 261,221 7002520000000000000 ♠ 520 sq mi ( 7003134700000000000 ♠ 1,347 km ) Mariposa County 043 Mariposa 1850 original The city of Mariposa ; mariposa is Spanish for `` butterfly. '' 7004175310000000000 ♠ 17,531 7003145100000000000 ♠ 1,451 sq mi ( 7003375800000000000 ♠ 3,758 km ) Mendocino County 045 Ukiah 1850 original Antonio de Mendoza, first viceroy of New Spain. 7004876490000000000 ♠ 87,649 7003350900000000000 ♠ 3,509 sq mi ( 7003908800000000000 ♠ 9,088 km ) Merced County 047 Merced 1855 Mariposa The city of Merced, derived from the original Spanish name El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced ( `` River of Our Lady of Mercy '' ). 7005268455000000000 ♠ 268,455 7003192900000000000 ♠ 1,929 sq mi ( 7003499600000000000 ♠ 4,996 km ) Modoc County 049 Alturas 1874 Siskiyou The Modoc people. 7003896500000000000 ♠ 8,965 7003394400000000000 ♠ 3,944 sq mi ( 7004102150000000000 ♠ 10,215 km ) Mono County 051 Bridgeport 1861 Calaveras, Fresno and Mariposa Mono Lake ; derived from Monachi, a Yokut name for native peoples of the Sierra Nevada. 7004139090000000000 ♠ 13,909 7003304400000000000 ♠ 3,044 sq mi ( 7003788400000000000 ♠ 7,884 km ) Monterey County 053 Salinas 1850 original Monterey Bay ; monterey is a Spanish portmanteau of monte ( `` hill '' ) and rey ( `` king '' ). 7005433898000000000 ♠ 433,898 7003332200000000000 ♠ 3,322 sq mi ( 7003860400000000000 ♠ 8,604 km ) Napa County 055 Napa 1850 original Disputed origin ; possibly derived from the Patwin word napo, meaning `` home. '' 7005142456000000000 ♠ 142,456 7002754000000000000 ♠ 754 sq mi ( 7003195300000000000 ♠ 1,953 km ) Nevada County 057 Nevada City 1851 Yuba The bordering state of Nevada ; nevada is Spanish for `` snow - covered, '' referencing the area 's high elevation. 7004988770000000000 ♠ 98,877 7002958000000000000 ♠ 958 sq mi ( 7003248100000000000 ♠ 2,481 km ) Orange County 059 Santa Ana 1889 Los Angeles Oranges, which were widely cultivated in the area at the time the county was established. 7006316977600000000 ♠ 3,169,776 7002790000000000000 ♠ 790 sq mi ( 7003204600000000000 ♠ 2,046 km ) Placer County 061 Auburn 1851 Sutter and Yuba Placer is a Spanish term for gravel deposits containing gold, a reference to the California Gold Rush, which was centered in the area. 7005375391000000000 ♠ 375,391 7003150300000000000 ♠ 1,503 sq mi ( 7003389300000000000 ♠ 3,893 km ) Plumas County 063 Quincy 1854 Butte The Feather River ; plumas is Spanish for `` feathers. '' 7004184090000000000 ♠ 18,409 7003255400000000000 ♠ 2,554 sq mi ( 7003661500000000000 ♠ 6,615 km ) Riverside County 065 Riverside 1893 San Bernardino and San Diego The city of Riverside, named for its location on the Santa Ana River. 7006236102600000000 ♠ 2,361,026 7003720800000000000 ♠ 7,208 sq mi ( 7004186690000000000 ♠ 18,669 km ) Sacramento County 067 Sacramento 1850 original The city of Sacramento, named after the Santisimo Sacramento ( Spanish for `` Most Holy Sacrament '' ). 7006150133500000000 ♠ 1,501,335 7002966000000000000 ♠ 966 sq mi ( 7003250200000000000 ♠ 2,502 km ) San Benito County 069 Hollister 1874 Monterey Saint Benedict ( Benito is a Spanish diminutive of Benedict ). 7004587920000000000 ♠ 58,792 7003138900000000000 ♠ 1,389 sq mi ( 7003359700000000000 ♠ 3,597 km ) San Bernardino County 071 San Bernardino 1853 Los Angeles The city of San Bernardino, named after Saint Bernardino of Siena ( Spanish for Saint Bernardine ). 7006212813300000000 ♠ 2,128,133 7004200620000000000 ♠ 20,062 sq mi ( 7004519600000000000 ♠ 51,960 km ) San Diego County 073 San Diego 1850 original The city of San Diego ( Spanish for Saint Didacus ). 7006329952100000000 ♠ 3,299,521 7003420400000000000 ♠ 4,204 sq mi ( 7004108880000000000 ♠ 10,888 km ) City and County of San Francisco 075 San Francisco 1850 original The city of San Francisco, named after Saint Francis of Assisi ( Spanish for Saint Francis ). 7005864816000000000 ♠ 864,816 7001470000000000000 ♠ 47 sq mi ( 7002122000000000000 ♠ 122 km ) San Joaquin County 077 Stockton 1850 original Spanish for Saint Joachim, father of the Virgin Mary. 7005726106000000000 ♠ 726,106 7003139900000000000 ♠ 1,399 sq mi ( 7003362300000000000 ♠ 3,623 km ) San Luis Obispo County 079 San Luis Obispo 1850 original The city of San Luis Obispo, named after Saint Louis of Toulouse ( Spanish for Saint Louis, the Bishop ). 7005281401000000000 ♠ 281,401 7003330400000000000 ♠ 3,304 sq mi ( 7003855700000000000 ♠ 8,557 km ) San Mateo County 081 Redwood City 1856 San Francisco and Santa Cruz Spanish for Saint Matthew. 7005765135000000000 ♠ 765,135 7002449000000000000 ♠ 449 sq mi ( 7003116300000000000 ♠ 1,163 km ) Santa Barbara County 083 Santa Barbara 1850 original The city of Santa Barbara ( Spanish for Saint Barbara ). 7005444769000000000 ♠ 444,769 7003273800000000000 ♠ 2,738 sq mi ( 7003709100000000000 ♠ 7,091 km ) Santa Clara County 085 San Jose 1850 original Mission Santa Clara de Asís, named for Saint Clare of Assisi ( Spanish for Saint Clare ). 7006191804400000000 ♠ 1,918,044 7003129100000000000 ♠ 1,291 sq mi ( 7003334400000000000 ♠ 3,344 km ) Santa Cruz County 087 Santa Cruz 1850 original The city of Santa Cruz ; santa cruz is Spanish for `` holy cross. '' 7005274146000000000 ♠ 274,146 7002446000000000000 ♠ 446 sq mi ( 7003115500000000000 ♠ 1,155 km ) Shasta County 089 Redding 1850 original Mount Shasta ; the indigenous Shasta people. 7005179533000000000 ♠ 179,533 7003378600000000000 ♠ 3,786 sq mi ( 7003980600000000000 ♠ 9,806 km ) Sierra County 091 Downieville 1852 Yuba Sierra is Spanish for `` mountain range '', a reference to the area 's topography. 7003296700000000000 ♠ 2,967 7002953000000000000 ♠ 953 sq mi ( 7003246800000000000 ♠ 2,468 km ) Siskiyou County 093 Yreka 1852 Shasta and Klamath Siskiyou Mountains ; exact etymology of Siskiyou is disputed. 7004435540000000000 ♠ 43,554 7003628700000000000 ♠ 6,287 sq mi ( 7004162830000000000 ♠ 16,283 km ) Solano County 095 Fairfield 1850 original Chief Solano of the Suisunes. 7005436092000000000 ♠ 436,092 7002828000000000000 ♠ 828 sq mi ( 7003214500000000000 ♠ 2,145 km ) Sonoma County 097 Santa Rosa 1850 original Exact etymology disputed ; probably a Pomo term meaning `` valley of the moon, '' which references a native legend about spiritual activity in the area. 7005502146000000000 ♠ 502,146 7003157600000000000 ♠ 1,576 sq mi ( 7003408200000000000 ♠ 4,082 km ) Stanislaus County 099 Modesto 1854 Tuolumne Stanislaus River, named after Estanislao, a native of the area when California was under Spanish and Mexican rule. 7005538388000000000 ♠ 538,388 7003149500000000000 ♠ 1,495 sq mi ( 7003387200000000000 ♠ 3,872 km ) Sutter County 101 Yuba City 1850 original John Sutter, a Swiss pioneer of California associated with the California Gold Rush. 7004964630000000000 ♠ 96,463 7002603000000000000 ♠ 603 sq mi ( 7003156200000000000 ♠ 1,562 km ) Tehama County 103 Red Bluff 1856 Butte, Colusa and Shasta The city of Tehama, probably a native term describing its location. 7004633080000000000 ♠ 63,308 7003295100000000000 ♠ 2,951 sq mi ( 7003764300000000000 ♠ 7,643 km ) Trinity County 105 Weaverville 1850 original The city of Trinidad, Spanish for `` trinity. '' 7004130690000000000 ♠ 13,069 7003317900000000000 ♠ 3,179 sq mi ( 7003823400000000000 ♠ 8,234 km ) Tulare County 107 Visalia 1852 Mariposa Tulare Lake, which is named after the tule rush ( Schoenoplectus acutus ) that grew in the marshes and sloughs along its shores. 7005459863000000000 ♠ 459,863 7003482400000000000 ♠ 4,824 sq mi ( 7004124940000000000 ♠ 12,494 km ) Tuolumne County 109 Sonora 1850 original Exact etymology disputed ; probably a corruption of the native term talmalamne, which means `` cluster of stone wigwams, '' a reference to local cave dwelling tribes. 7004537090000000000 ♠ 53,709 7003223600000000000 ♠ 2,236 sq mi ( 7003579100000000000 ♠ 5,791 km ) Ventura County 111 Ventura 1872 Santa Barbara The city of Ventura, derived from San Buenaventura, Spanish for St. Bonaventure. 7005850536000000000 ♠ 850,536 7003184600000000000 ♠ 1,846 sq mi ( 7003478100000000000 ♠ 4,781 km ) Yolo County 113 Woodland 1850 original The Yolan people, a local Native American tribe. 7005213016000000000 ♠ 213,016 7003101200000000000 ♠ 1,012 sq mi ( 7003262100000000000 ♠ 2,621 km ) Yuba County 115 Marysville 1850 original Named either by the Maidu people, a local Native American tribe who live on the banks of the Feather and Yuba Rivers, for one of their villages, or by Gabriel Moraga for the wild grapes ( Vitis californica ) that grow abundantly at the edge of the rivers ( uva is Spanish for `` grape '' ). 7004744920000000000 ♠ 74,492 7002630000000000000 ♠ 630 sq mi ( 7003163200000000000 ♠ 1,632 km ) Defunct counties Klamath County was created in 1851 from the northern half of Trinity County. Part of the county 's territory went to Del Norte County in 1857, and in 1874 the remainder was divided between Humboldt and Siskiyou counties. Pautah County was created in 1852 out of territory which, the state of California assumed, was to be ceded to it by the United States Congress from territory in what is now the state of Nevada. When the cession never occurred, the California State Legislature officially abolished the never - organized county in 1859. Buena Vista County - created in 1855 by the California legislature out of the southeastern territory of Tulare County on the west of the Sierra Nevada but was never officially organized. The south of Tulare County was later organized as Kern County in 1866, with additions from Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Coso County - created in 1864 by the California legislature out of territory of Mono County and Tulare County on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada but was never officially organized. The region was later organized in 1866 as Inyo County with additions from Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. See also Local government in California List of school districts in California by county California State Association of Counties Notes Jump up ^ `` Find A County ''. National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 07. Jump up ^ Kane, Joseph Nathan ; Aiken, Charles Curry ( 2005 ). The American Counties : Origins of County Names, Dates of Creation, and Population Data, 1950 - 2000. Scarecrow Press. p. 11. ISBN 978 - 0 - 8108 - 5036 - 1. Jump up ^ `` EPA County FIPS Code Listing ''. EPA.gov. Retrieved February 23, 2008. ^ Jump up to : National Association of Counties. `` NACo - Find a county ''. Retrieved April 30, 2008. Jump up ^ Sanchez, Nellie Van de Grift ( 1914 ). Spanish and Indian Place Names of California : Their Meaning and Their Romance. San Francisco : A.M. Robertson. OCLC 4268886. Jump up ^ `` Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States, States, and Counties : April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015 ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2016. External links California State Association of Counties State map showing the county names and linking to county data California State Association of Counties - The Creation of Our 58 Counties, with Maps of the 58 Counties Each Decade ca. 1850 -- 1900 California State Association of Counties, Map of California Counties : c. 1907 - Present List of United States counties and county equivalents States Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Federal district Washington, D.C. 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Question: how many counties in the state of california
Answer: 58