# List of U.S. county name etymologies (E–I)

This is a list of U.S. county name etymologies, covering the letters E to I.

## E

| County name | State | Name origin |
| Eagle County | Colorado | The Eagle River, which runs through the county |
| Early County | Georgia | Peter Early, Governor of Georgia from 1813 to 1815, Superior Court Judge, and U.S. Congressman |
| East Baton Rouge Parish | Louisiana | Named for the largest city therein and the state capital, Baton Rouge, which itself comes from the French Baton Rouge, meaning "red stick". Records of Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville describe large reddened poles erected by Indians with fish and bear heads attached in sacrifice. These may have designated boundaries separating the hunting grounds of the Bayou Goula and the Houma tribes. |
| East Carroll Parish | Louisiana | Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last surviving signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence |
| East Feliciana Parish | Louisiana | Either from Spanish feliciana, meaning "happy land", or from "Felicite", the wife of Bernardo de Gálvez, a governor of Spanish Louisiana (1777–1783) |
| Eastland County | Texas | William Mosby Eastland, a soldier during the Texas Revolution and the only officer to die as a result of the so-called "Black Bean" executions following the Mier expedition |
| Eaton County | Michigan | John Eaton (1790–1856), Secretary of War under President Andrew Jackson |
| Eau Claire County | Wisconsin | From the Eau Claire River, French for "clear water." |
| Echols County | Georgia | Robert Milner Echols, a member of the Georgia General Assembly for 24 years and a Georgia State Senate President, who died serving as a brigadier general during the Mexican–American War |
| Ector County | Texas | Mathew Ector, a Confederate general in the American Civil War |
| Eddy County | New Mexico | Charles B. Eddy, the first cattleman in the area |
| Eddy County | North Dakota | Ezra B. Eddy, a Fargo banker |
| Edgar County | Illinois | John Edgar (c. 1750 – 1832), Illinois delegate to the Northwest Territory legislature and at the time the wealthiest man in Illinois |
| Edgecombe County | North Carolina | From Richard Edgcumbe, 1st Baron Edgcumbe, 18th century English politician. |
| Edgefield County | South Carolina | Uncertain origin, there are many theories. |
| Edmonson County | Kentucky | John Edmonson (1764–1813), a military captain killed at the Battle of River Raisin |
| Edmunds County | South Dakota | Governor of Dakota territory Newton Edmunds |
| Edwards County | Illinois | Ninian Edwards (1775–1833), third Governor of the State of Illinois and only governor of the Illinois Territory |
| Edwards County | Kansas | John H. Edwards, Kansas State Senator |
| Edwards County | Texas | Haden Harrison Edwards, an early settler |
| Effingham County | Georgia | Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Effingham (1746–1791), who was sympathetic to the independence movement and refused to take up arms against the revolutionaries |
| Effingham County | Illinois | Either for Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Effingham (1746–1791), who was sympathetic to the independence movement and refused to take up arms against the revolutionaries, or for a local surveyor whose last name was Effingham |
| El Dorado County | California | From the mythical El Dorado, "The Gilded One", in relation to the county's importance during the California Gold Rush |
| El Paso County | Colorado | Named for Ute Pass, an important mountain pass through the Front Range which was known to early Spanish settlers as El Paso or "The Pass" |
| El Paso County | Texas | Short for El Paso del Norte, which is Spanish for "The Pass of the North". It is named for the pass the Rio Grande creates through the mountains on either side of the river. |
| Elbert County | Colorado | Samuel Hitt Elbert, 6th Territorial Governor of Colorado (1873–1874) |
| Elbert County | Georgia | Samuel Elbert (1740–1788), a Revolutionary War hero and an early governor of Georgia |
| Elk County | Kansas | The Elk River |
| Elk County | Pennsylvania | The eastern elk, a subspecies of elk that was formerly native to Pennsylvania but has been extinct since 1877 |
| Elkhart County | Indiana | The Elkhart Native American people |
| Elko County | Nevada | From Elko, Nevada, of uncertain origin; possibly created by Charles Crocker who added an "-o" to "Elk." |
| Elliott County | Kentucky | Either John Lisle Elliott or John Milton Elliott (1820–1885), legislators from Kentucky |
| Ellis County | Kansas | George Ellis |
| Ellis County | Oklahoma | Abraham H. Ellis, a member of the Constitutional Convention |
| Ellis County | Texas | Richard Ellis, president of the convention that produced the Texas Declaration of Independence |
| Ellsworth County | Kansas | Fort Ellsworth |
| Elmore County | Alabama | John Archer Elmore (1762–1834), a Revolutionary War veteran |
| Elmore County | Idaho | The Ida Elmore mines, locally noted for gold and silver production in the 1860s |
| Emanuel County | Georgia | David Emanuel, 24th Governor of Georgia (1801) |
| Emery County | Utah | George W. Emery, 11th Governor of the Utah Territory (1875–1880) |
| Emmett County | Iowa | Robert Emmet (1778–1803), an Irish nationalist and rebel leader |
| Emmet County | Michigan | Robert Emmet (1778–1803), an Irish nationalist and rebel leader |
| Emmons County | North Dakota | James Emmons, a steamboat operator and early Bismarck merchant and entrepreneur |
| City of Emporia | Virginia | Named after Emporia, Kansas |
| Erath County | Texas | George Bernard Erath, an early surveyor and a soldier at the Battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution |
| Erie County | New York | Lake Erie, named in turn after the Erie people |
| Erie County | Ohio | Lake Erie, named in turn after the Erie people |
| Erie County | Pennsylvania | Lake Erie, named in turn after the Erie people |
| Escambia County | Alabama | Escambia Creek, a tributary of the Conecuh River |
| Escambia County | Florida | Unknown; most likely taken from a Native American word |
| Esmeralda County | Nevada | The Esmeralda Mining District, which an early Nevada miner, J.M. Corey, named after the gypsy dancer Esmeralda from Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Esmeralda is Spanish for "emerald". |
| Essex County | Massachusetts | The English county of Essex |
| Essex County | New Jersey | The English county of Essex |
| Essex County | New York | The English county of Essex |
| Essex County | Virginia | The English county of Essex |
| Essex County | Vermont | Either the English county of Essex, or Essex County, New York (itself named after the English county) |
| Estill County | Kentucky | James Estill (1750–1782), a military captain killed at the Battle of Little Mountain |
| Etowah County | Alabama | The Etowah Indian Mounds |
| Eureka County | Nevada | From the Greek word eureka meaning "I have found it" |
| Evangeline Parish | Louisiana | Acadian heroine of the poem Evangeline by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |
| Evans County | Georgia | Clement A. Evans, a Confederate general who led the last charge of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox |

## F

| County name | State | Name origin |
| Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | The city of Fairbanks (itself named for Charles W. Fairbanks, U.S. senator from Indiana and later the 26th Vice President of the United States) and Polaris, the North Star |
| City of Fairfax | Virginia | Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, the proprietor of the Northern Neck (which in colonial times included what is now Northern Virginia) |
| Fairfax County | Virginia | Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, the proprietor of the Northern Neck (which in colonial times included what is now Northern Virginia) |
| Fairfield County | Connecticut | The town of Fairfield, Connecticut, which was named after the salt marshes that once bordered the coast |
| Fairfield County | Ohio | The Fairfield area of the original Lancaster in England |
| Fairfield County | South Carolina | Probably fanciful, but often attributed to a description by British General Charles Cornwallis |
| Faleāsao County | American Samoa | named after Faleasao village |
| Fall River County | South Dakota | Fall River |
| Fallon County | Montana | Benjamin O'Fallon, a federal Indian agent |
| Falls County | Texas | Waterfalls on the Brazos River |
| City of Falls Church | Virginia | The Falls Church, a historic church in the city. The church in turn was named because it was located on what had been the main road to the Great Falls of the Potomac River in colonial times. |
| Fannin County | Georgia | Colonel James Fannin (1809–1836), hero of the Texas Revolution |
| Fannin County | Texas | Colonel James Fannin (1809–1836), hero of the Texas Revolution |
| Faribault County | Minnesota | Jean-Baptiste Faribault (1775–1860), an early settler and fur trader in the region |
| Faulk County | South Dakota | Andrew Jackson Faulk, 3rd Governor of Dakota Territory (1866–1869) |
| Faulkner County | Arkansas | Sandford C. Faulkner (1803–1874), a fiddler and composer of the former state song "The Arkansas Traveler" |
| Fauquier County | Virginia | Francis Fauquier, Lieutenant Governor of the Virginia Colony (1758–1768) |
| Fayette County | Alabama | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fayette County | Georgia | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fayette County | Illinois | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fayette County | Indiana | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fayette County | Iowa | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fayette County | Kentucky | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fayette County | Ohio | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fayette County | Pennsylvania | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fayette County | Tennessee | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fayette County | Texas | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fayette County | West Virginia | From La Fayette, the original spelling for the title used by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French general who played a major role in the Revolutionary War |
| Fentress County | Tennessee | James Fentress, a Tennessee state legislator |
| Fergus County | Montana | Father of Andrew Fergus, one of the area's first settlers |
| Ferry County | Washington | Elisha P. Ferry, first governor of the State of Washington (1889–1893) |
| Fillmore County | Minnesota | Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States (1850–1853) |
| Fillmore County | Nebraska | Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States (1850–1853) |
| Finney County | Kansas | David Wesley Finney, Lieutenant Governor of Kansas (1881–1885) |
| Fisher County | Texas | Samuel Rhoads Fisher, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence |
| Flagler County | Florida | Henry Morrison Flagler (1830–1913), founder of the Florida East Coast Railway |
| Flathead County | Montana | Flathead Nation of Native Americans |
| Fleming County | Kentucky | John Fleming (1735–1791), an early settler of Kentucky |
| Florence County | South Carolina | Florence, a daughter of W.W. Harllee, a president of the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad |
| Florence County | Wisconsin | Originally named for a mining company, which was itself named in honor of Mrs. Florence Hulst, wife of Dr. N.P. Hulst of Milwaukee |
| Floyd County | Georgia | General John Floyd (1769–1839), Indian fighter and U.S. Representative from Georgia |
| Floyd County | Indiana | Either one of three people: Colonel John Floyd of Virginia, early settler Davis Floyd (1776–1834), or early settler John Floyd |
| Floyd County | Iowa | Charles Floyd (1782–1804), a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition who died in Iowa |
| Floyd County | Kentucky | John Floyd (1750–1783), surveyor and pioneer |
| Floyd County | Texas | Dolphin Ward Floyd, who died defending the Alamo during the Texas Revolution |
| Floyd County | Virginia | John B. Floyd, 31st Governor of Virginia (1849–1852) |
| Fluvanna County | Virginia | From a name meaning "Anne's River" in honor of Anne, Queen of Great Britain; formerly applied to the James River west of Columbia, Virginia |
| Foard County | Texas | Robert Levi Foard, an attorney and Civil War soldier |
| Fond du Lac County | Wisconsin | French for "bottom of the lake" or "foot of the lake" |
| Ford County | Illinois | Thomas Ford (1800–1850), 8th Governor of Illinois (1842–1846) |
| Ford County | Kansas | James Hobart Ford, a Union general during the Civil War |
| Forest County | Pennsylvania | Named for the prevalence of forested land in the area |
| Forest County | Wisconsin | Named for the prevalence of forested land in the area |
| Forrest County | Mississippi | Nathan Bedford Forrest, a notorious Confederate General during the Civil War |
| Forsyth County | Georgia | John Forsyth (1780–1841), Secretary of State under President Martin Van Buren |
| Forsyth County | North Carolina | Colonel Benjamin Forsyth, who was killed in the War of 1812 |
| Fort Bend County | Texas | Fort Bend, a military blockhouse built at a bend in the Brazos River |
| Foster County | North Dakota | Either James S. Foster, or his brother George I. Foster |
| Fountain County | Indiana | An alternate spelling for the surname of James Fontaine, an officer who was killed at the Battle of the Maumee in 1790 |
| Franklin County | Alabama | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Arkansas | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Florida | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Georgia | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Illinois | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Indiana | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Iowa | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Kansas | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Kentucky | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Maine | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Massachusetts | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Mississippi | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Missouri | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Nebraska | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | New York | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | North Carolina | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Ohio | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Pennsylvania | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Tennessee | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Vermont | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| City of Franklin | Virginia | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Virginia | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Washington | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin Parish | Louisiana | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States |
| Franklin County | Idaho | Franklin D. Richards (1821–1899), an early apostle of the LDS Church |
| Franklin County | Texas | Generally believed to have been named after Judge Benjamin C. Franklin, the first appointed justice in the Republic of Texas |
| Frederick County | Maryland | Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore, the final proprietor of the Maryland colony |
| Frederick County | Virginia | Prince Frederick Lewis of Wales, the eldest son of King George II of Great Britain |
| City of Fredericksburg | Virginia | Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707–1751) |
| Freeborn County | Minnesota | William S. Freeborn (1816–1900), a member of the Territorial Legislature |
| Freestone County | Texas | Named because water in the area was found to be free of minerals |
| Fremont County | Colorado | John C. Frémont, an explorer of the American West, officer during the Mexican–American War, and presidential candidate in 1856 |
| Fremont County | Idaho | John C. Frémont, an explorer of the American West, officer during the Mexican–American War, and presidential candidate in 1856 |
| Fremont County | Iowa | John C. Frémont, an explorer of the American West, officer during the Mexican–American War, and presidential candidate in 1856 |
| Fremont County | Wyoming | John C. Frémont, an explorer of the American West, officer during the Mexican–American War, and presidential candidate in 1856 |
| Fresno County | California | Fresno Creek, ultimately from the Spanish word fresno, meaning "ash tree" |
| Frio County | Texas | The Frio River, ultimately from the Spanish word frio, meaning "cold" |
| Frontier County | Nebraska | Location on the American frontier |
| Fulton County | Arkansas | William S. Fulton (1795–1844), the last governor of the Arkansas Territory prior to statehood |
| Fulton County | Georgia | Either Robert Fulton, inventor of the first commercially successful steamboat, or Hamilton Fulton, Chief Engineer of the State of Georgia in 1853 |
| Fulton County | Illinois | Robert Fulton, inventor of the first commercially successful steamboat |
| Fulton County | Indiana | Robert Fulton, inventor of the first commercially successful steamboat |
| Fulton County | Kentucky | Robert Fulton, inventor of the first commercially successful steamboat |
| Fulton County | New York | Robert Fulton, inventor of the first commercially successful steamboat |
| Fulton County | Ohio | Robert Fulton, inventor of the first commercially successful steamboat |
| Fulton County | Pennsylvania | Robert Fulton, inventor of the first commercially successful steamboat |
| Furnas County | Nebraska | Robert W. Furnas, 7th Governor of Nebraska (1873–1875) |

## G

| County name | State | Name origin |
| Gadsden County | Florida | James Gadsden (1788–1858), American diplomat and namesake of the Gadsden Purchase |
| Gage County | Nebraska | Reverend W.D. Gage, who served as the chaplain of the first territorial legislature |
| Gaines County | Texas | James Gaines, merchant who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence |
| City of Galax | Virginia | Named for Galax, a flowering plant |
| Gallatin County | Illinois | Albert Gallatin (1761–1849), fourth and longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury |
| Gallatin County | Kentucky | Albert Gallatin (1761–1849), fourth and longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury |
| Gallatin County | Montana | Albert Gallatin (1761–1849), fourth and longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury |
| Gallia County | Ohio | Latin name for France, owing to the large population of French settlers in the area |
| Galveston County | Texas | Bernardo de Gálvez, 5th Governor of Spanish Louisiana (1777–1783) |
| Garden County | Nebraska | Named in the hope that it would become "the Garden of the West" |
| Garfield County | Colorado | James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States (1881) |
| Garfield County | Montana | James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States (1881) |
| Garfield County | Nebraska | James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States (1881) |
| Garfield County | Oklahoma | James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States (1881) |
| Garfield County | Utah | James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States (1881) |
| Garfield County | Washington | James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States (1881) |
| Garland County | Arkansas | Augustus Hill Garland (1832–1899), U.S. senator and 11th Governor of Arkansas |
| Garrard County | Kentucky | James Garrard, 2nd Governor of Kentucky (1796–1804) |
| Garrett County | Maryland | John W. Garrett, president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad |
| Garvin County | Oklahoma | Samuel Garvin, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation |
| Garza County | Texas | Name of a resident pioneer family |
| Gasconade County | Missouri | The Gasconade River, a tributary of the Missouri River which probably derives its name from the French word gascon, meaning "braggart", and could be an old satirical name describing those who boast about their adventures upon returning to St. Louis. Gascony is also a region of southwestern France. |
| Gaston County | North Carolina | William Gaston, a member of Congress and a Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina |
| Gates County | North Carolina | General Horatio Gates, who commanded the Continental Army at the Battle of Saratoga |
| Geary County | Kansas | John W. Geary, a Union general during the Civil War |
| Geauga County | Ohio | From the Onondaga or Seneca word sheauga, meaning "raccoon" |
| Gem County | Idaho | Named for Idaho's state nickname, the "Gem State" |
| Genesee County | Michigan | From the Seneca word je-nis-hi-yeh, meaning "beautiful valley", which originally referred to a valley in western New York |
| Genesee County | New York | From the Seneca word je-nis-hi-yeh, meaning "beautiful valley", which originally referred to a valley in western New York |
| Geneva County | Alabama | Named for the county seat, Geneva, Alabama, itself named after the city of Geneva, New York |
| Gentry County | Missouri | Richard Gentry (1788–1837), a military colonel who was the founder and first mayor of Columbia, Missouri |
| George County | Mississippi | James Z. George, a Confederate colonel and Mississippi jurist |
| Georgetown County | South Carolina | Named for the town of Georgetown, South Carolina, itself named for Prince George, who became King George II of Great Britain |
| Gibson County | Indiana | John Gibson (1740–1822), a veteran of numerous early American wars and a secretary of the Indiana Territory |
| Gibson County | Tennessee | John H. Gibson, a soldier of the Natchez Expedition and the Creek War |
| Gila County | Arizona | The Gila River, whose name comes from a Pima word |
| Gilchrist County | Florida | Albert W. Gilchrist (1858–1926), 20th Governor of Florida |
| Giles County | Tennessee | William Branch Giles, 24th Governor of Virginia (1827–1830) |
| Giles County | Virginia | William Branch Giles, 24th Governor of Virginia (1827–1830) |
| Gillespie County | Texas | Robert Addison Gillespie (1815–1846), a Texas Ranger, Indian fighter, merchant and soldier |
| Gilliam County | Oregon | Cornelius Gilliam, who commanded the forces of the provisional government of Oregon after the Whitman massacre in 1847 |
| Gilmer County | Georgia | George Rockingham Gilmer (1780–1859), 16th Governor of Georgia |
| Gilmer County | West Virginia | Thomas Walker Gilmer, 28th Governor of Virginia (1840–1841) |
| Gilpin County | Colorado | William Gilpin, first Territorial Governor of Colorado (1861–1862) |
| Glacier County | Montana | Glacier National Park, which borders the county and was itself named for the many glaciers on its mountain peaks |
| Glades County | Florida | Florida Everglades |
| Gladwin County | Michigan | Major Henry Gladwin, British commander of Fort Detroit during the siege by Pontiac in 1763–1764 |
| Glascock County | Georgia | General Thomas Glascock (1790–1841), hero of the War of 1812 and the Seminole War of 1817 and a U.S. Representative from Georgia |
| Glasscock County | Texas | George Washington Glasscock (1810–1868), an early settler of Texas |
| Glenn County | California | Dr. Hugh J. Glenn (1824–1883), a California businessman and politician |
| Gloucester County | New Jersey | Either the English county of Gloucester, or Henry, Duke of Gloucester, brother of Charles II of England |
| Gloucester County | Virginia | The English county of Gloucester |
| Glynn County | Georgia | John Glynn (1722–1779), a British Member of Parliament and Serjeant-at-law who was sympathetic to the cause of American independence |
| Gogebic County | Michigan | Probably from the Chippewa bic, which most references interpret as "rock" |
| Golden Valley County | Montana | Probably named in a promotional attempt to lure settlers to the area |
| Golden Valley County | North Dakota | Named because surveyors noticed that the sunlight gave the surrounding grasses a distinct golden color |
| Goliad County | Texas | The Mexican municipality of Goliad, which in turn is named for Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a revolutionary leader during the Mexican War of Independence. "Goliad" is an anagram of Hidalgo, minus the silent "H". |
| Gonzales County | Texas | Rafael Gonzales, governor of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas |
| Goochland County | Virginia | Sir William Gooch, the royal lieutenant governor of Virginia |
| Goodhue County | Minnesota | James Madison Goodhue, the first newspaper editor in Minnesota |
| Gooding County | Idaho | Frank R. Gooding (1859–1928), seventh Governor of Idaho (1905–1909) and a U.S. senator (1921–1928) |
| Gordon County | Georgia | William Washington Gordon (1796–1842), first president of the Central of Georgia Railway |
| Goshen County | Wyoming | Goshen Hole, a valley in the southwest part of the county. The origin of that name is obscure, but is probably associated with the biblical place of the same name in Egypt. |
| Gosper County | Nebraska | John J. Gosper, a Secretary of State of Nebraska |
| Gove County | Kansas | Grenville L. Gove |
| Grady County | Georgia | Henry W. Grady (1850–1889), famous orator and managing editor of the Atlanta Constitution |
| Grady County | Oklahoma | Henry W. Grady (1850–1889), famous orator and managing editor of the Atlanta Constitution |
| Grafton County | New Hampshire | Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, who was the British Prime Minister in 1769, the year the county was established |
| Graham County | Arizona | Mount Graham, located in the Pinaleno Mountains, which in turn was named for Lieutenant Colonel James Duncan Graham, a senior officer in the Army Corps of Topographical Engineers |
| Graham County | Kansas | John L. Graham |
| Graham County | North Carolina | William Alexander Graham, 30th Governor of North Carolina (1845–1849) and U.S. Secretary of the Navy under President Millard Fillmore |
| Grainger County | Tennessee | Mary Grainger Blount, wife of William Blount and "first lady" of the Southwest Territory, which later became Tennessee |
| Grand County | Colorado | The Colorado River, of which a segment above the confluence with the Green River was known as the Grand River prior to 1921. The river's headwaters are located in the eastern part of Grand County, Colorado. |
| Grand County | Utah | The Colorado River, of which a segment above the confluence with the Green River was known as the Grand River prior to 1921. The river's headwaters are located in the eastern part of Grand County, Colorado. |
| Grand Forks County | North Dakota | Named for the town at the forks of the Red River of the North and Red Lake River |
| Grand Isle County | Vermont | Named for the islands in Lake Champlain |
| Grand Traverse County | Michigan | From the French phrase grande travers, meaning "long crossing". It was given first to Grand Traverse Bay by French voyageurs. |
| Granite County | Montana | Granite Peak, the highest point in Montana, which also contained a silver mine named "Granite" |
| Grant County | Arkansas | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | Kansas | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant Parish | Louisiana | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | Minnesota | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | Nebraska | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | New Mexico | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | North Dakota | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | Oklahoma | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | Oregon | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | South Dakota | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | Washington | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | West Virginia | Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States (1869–1877) |
| Grant County | Indiana | Named for Captains Samuel and Moses Grant of Kentucky. |
| Grant County | Kentucky | Samuel Grant (1762–1789 or 1794), John Grant (1754–1826), and/or Squire Grant (1764–1833), early settlers of Kentucky |
| Grant County | Wisconsin | Named for the Grant River, which might have been named for James Grant, an early trapper on the river |
| Granville County | North Carolina | John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville, heir to one of the eight original Lords Proprietors of the Province of Carolina |
| Gratiot County | Michigan | Captain Charles Gratiot (1788–1855), who built Fort Gratiot at the present site of Port Huron |
| Graves County | Kentucky | Benjamin F. Graves (1771–1813), a soldier killed at the Battle of River Raisin |
| Gray County | Kansas | Alfred Gray, a state legislator and secretary of the State Board of Agriculture |
| Gray County | Texas | Peter W. Gray, a Confederate lawyer and soldier in the Civil War |
| Grays Harbor County | Washington | Grays Harbor, which was itself named for Boston fur trader Robert Gray |
| Grayson County | Kentucky | William Grayson (1740–1790), aide-de-camp to George Washington, delegate to the Continental Congress, and U.S. Senator from Virginia |
| Grayson County | Virginia | William Grayson (1740–1790), aide-de-camp to George Washington, delegate to the Continental Congress, and U.S. Senator from Virginia |
| Grayson County | Texas | Peter Wagener Grayson, attorney general of the Republic of Texas |
| Greeley County | Kansas | Horace Greeley (1811–1872), newspaper editor and politician |
| Greeley County | Nebraska | Horace Greeley (1811–1872), newspaper editor and politician |
| Green County | Kentucky | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Green County | Wisconsin | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Green Lake County | Wisconsin | From the original French name for a large lake in the county, Lac Vert, meaning "green lake" |
| Greenbrier County | West Virginia | From the original name for the Greenbrier River as given by French explorers, Riviere de la Ronceverte, meaning "River of the Green Briers", a reference to the predominant vegetation along the river |
| Greene County | Alabama | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Arkansas | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Georgia | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Illinois | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Indiana | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Iowa | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Mississippi | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Missouri | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | New York | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | North Carolina | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Ohio | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Pennsylvania | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Tennessee | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greene County | Virginia | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), Revolutionary War general |
| Greenlee County | Arizona | Mason Greenlee, a pioneer prospector in the area who died in 1903 |
| Greensville County | Virginia | Disputed; possibly for Sir Richard Grenville, leader of the settlement on Roanoke Island, or for Nathanael Greene, a Revolutionary War general |
| Greenup County | Kentucky | Christopher Greenup, 3rd Governor of Kentucky (1804–1808) |
| Greenville County | South Carolina | The city of Greenville, itself possibly named for Nathanael Greene, or perhaps for Isaac Green, an early resident |
| Greenwood County | Kansas | Alfred B. Greenwood, U.S. congressman from Arkansas |
| Greenwood County | South Carolina | Alfred B. Greenwood, U.S. congressman from Arkansas |
| Greer County | Oklahoma | John Alexander Greer, 2nd Lieutenant Governor of Texas (1847–1851) |
| Gregg County | Texas | John Gregg, a Confederate general killed in action during the American Civil War |
| Gregory County | South Dakota | C.H. Gregory, an officer stationed at Fort Randall |
| Grenada County | Mississippi | The Spanish Province of Granada (sic) |
| Griggs County | North Dakota | Alexander Griggs, a steamboat man on the Red River |
| Grimes County | Texas | Jesse Grimes, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and an early settler of the county |
| Grundy County | Illinois | Felix Grundy (1777–1840), Tennessee senator that served as the 13th United States Attorney General |
| Grundy County | Iowa | Felix Grundy (1777–1840), Tennessee senator that served as the 13th United States Attorney General |
| Grundy County | Missouri | Felix Grundy (1777–1840), Tennessee senator that served as the 13th United States Attorney General |
| Grundy County | Tennessee | Felix Grundy (1777–1840), Tennessee senator that served as the 13th United States Attorney General |
| Guadalupe County | New Mexico | Our Lady of Guadalupe from Guadalupe Plain |
| Guadalupe County | Texas | The Guadalupe River |
| Guernsey County | Ohio | The Isle of Guernsey in the English Channel, which was the origin of many of Ohio's early settlers |
| Guilford County | North Carolina | Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford |
| Gulf County | Florida | The Gulf of Mexico |
| Gunnison County | Colorado | John Williams Gunnison, an explorer who surveyed the county during his ill-fated 1853 expedition |
| Guthrie County | Iowa | Edwin B. Guthrie, an officer in the Mexican–American War |
| Gwinnett County | Georgia | Button Gwinnett, one of three signers of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia |

## H

| County name | State | Name origin |
| Haakon County | South Dakota | King Haakon VII of Norway |
| Habersham County | Georgia | Colonel Joseph Habersham (1751–1815), hero of the Revolutionary War and Postmaster General in the Cabinet of George Washington |
| Haines Borough | Alaska | The city of Haines, Alaska, which was itself named for Mrs. F. E. Haines |
| Hale County | Alabama | Stephen F. Hale (1816–1862), a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate States Army |
| Hale County | Texas | Lieutenant John C. Hale, hero of the Battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution |
| Halifax County | North Carolina | George Montague-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax |
| Halifax County | Virginia | George Montague-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax |
| Hall County | Georgia | Dr. Lyman Hall (1724–1790), one of Georgia's delegates to the Continental Congress who signed the Declaration of Independence. He became Governor of Georgia in 1783. |
| Hall County | Nebraska | Augustus Hall, Chief Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court |
| Hall County | Texas | Warren D.C. Hall, Secretary of War for the Republic of Texas |
| Hamblen County | Tennessee | Hezekiah Hamblen, an early settler |
| Hamilton County | Florida | Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers |
| Hamilton County | Illinois | Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers |
| Hamilton County | Indiana | Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers |
| Hamilton County | Kansas | Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers |
| Hamilton County | Nebraska | Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers |
| Hamilton County | New York | Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers |
| Hamilton County | Ohio | Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers |
| Hamilton County | Tennessee | Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers |
| Hamilton County | Iowa | William W. Hamilton, President of the Iowa Senate (1856–1857) |
| Hamilton County | Texas | James Hamilton Jr., 53rd Governor of South Carolina (1830–1832), who gave financial aid to the Republic of Texas |
| Hamlin County | South Dakota | Hannibal Hamlin, 15th Vice President of the United States (1861–1865) |
| Hampden County | Massachusetts | Possibly for John Hampden (1595–1643), a famous 17th-century English parliamentarian |
| Hampshire County | Massachusetts | The English county of Hampshire |
| Hampshire County | West Virginia | The English county of Hampshire |
| City of Hampton | Virginia | Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton (1573–1624) |
| Hampton County | South Carolina | Wade Hampton, 77th Governor of South Carolina (1876–1879) |
| Hancock County | Georgia | John Hancock (1737–1793), president of the Continental Congress and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence |
| Hancock County | Illinois | John Hancock (1737–1793), president of the Continental Congress and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence |
| Hancock County | Indiana | John Hancock (1737–1793), president of the Continental Congress and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence |
| Hancock County | Iowa | John Hancock (1737–1793), president of the Continental Congress and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence |
| Hancock County | Kentucky | John Hancock (1737–1793), president of the Continental Congress and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence |
| Hancock County | Maine | John Hancock (1737–1793), president of the Continental Congress and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence |
| Hancock County | Mississippi | John Hancock (1737–1793), president of the Continental Congress and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence |
| Hancock County | Ohio | John Hancock (1737–1793), president of the Continental Congress and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence |
| Hancock County | Tennessee | John Hancock (1737–1793), president of the Continental Congress and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence |
| Hancock County | West Virginia | John Hancock (1737–1793), president of the Continental Congress and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence |
| Hand County | South Dakota | George H. Hand, an early settler from Akron, Ohio |
| Hanover County | Virginia | Named for the Electorate of Hanover in Germany, because King George I of Great Britain was Elector of Hanover at the time. |
| Hansford County | Texas | John M. Hansford, a Texas state congressman and judge |
| Hanson County | South Dakota | Joseph R. Hanson of Yankton |
| Haralson County | Georgia | General Hugh A. Haralson (1805–1854), U.S. Congressman |
| Hardee County | Florida | Cary A. Hardee (1876–1957), Governor of Florida at the time of the county's creation |
| Hardeman County | Tennessee | Thomas Jones Hardeman, a soldier during the Creek War and War of 1812, and later a member of the Republic of Texas legislature |
| Hardeman County | Texas | Bailey Hardeman and Thomas Jones Hardeman, two early Texas politicians and legislators |
| Hardin County | Illinois | Hardin County, Kentucky |
| Hardin County | Iowa | John J. Hardin (1810–1847), a prominent soldier in the Black Hawk War |
| Hardin County | Kentucky | John Hardin (1753–1792), pioneer |
| Hardin County | Ohio | John Hardin (1753–1792), pioneer |
| Hardin County | Tennessee | Joseph Hardin, a legislator of the Southwest Territory and the State of Franklin |
| Hardin County | Texas | The Hardin family, settlers of nearby Liberty County |
| Harding County | New Mexico | Warren G. Harding, 29th President of the United States (1921–1923), who was inaugurated the same day the county was established |
| Harding County | South Dakota | J.A. Harding, Speaker of the House of the Dakota Territory |
| Hardy County | West Virginia | Samuel Hardy, a distinguished Virginian |
| Harford County | Maryland | Henry Harford, the illegitimate son of Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore |
| Harlan County | Kentucky | Silas Harlan (1753–1782), a soldier in the Battle of Blue Licks |
| Harlan County | Nebraska | Disputed, but probably James Harlan, U.S. Secretary of the Interior |
| Harmon County | Oklahoma | Judson Harmon, 45th Governor of Ohio (1909–1913) |
| Harnett County | North Carolina | Cornelius Harnett, a Revolutionary War soldier who was also a delegate to the Continental Congress |
| Harney County | Oregon | Brigadier General William S. Harney |
| Harper County | Kansas | Sergeant Marion Harper, a Kansas soldier who died in the Civil War |
| Harper County | Oklahoma | Oscar Greene Harper, a local pioneer resident, teacher, and clerk of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention |
| Harris County | Georgia | Charles Harris (1772–1827), a prominent Savannah attorney |
| Harris County | Texas | John Richardson Harris, an early settler of the area |
| Harrison County | Indiana | William Henry Harrison, first governor of the Indiana Territory and 9th president of the United States (1841) |
| Harrison County | Iowa | William Henry Harrison, first governor of the Indiana Territory and 9th president of the United States (1841) |
| Harrison County | Mississippi | William Henry Harrison, first governor of the Indiana Territory and 9th president of the United States (1841) |
| Harrison County | Ohio | William Henry Harrison, first governor of the Indiana Territory and 9th president of the United States (1841) |
| Harrison County | Kentucky | Benjamin Harrison, co-author of the Kentucky Constitution and the 5th Governor of Virginia (1781–1784) |
| Harrison County | West Virginia | Benjamin Harrison, co-author of the Kentucky Constitution and the 5th Governor of Virginia (1781–1784) |
| Harrison County | Missouri | Albert Galliton Harrison (1800–1839), U.S. Representative from Missouri |
| Harrison County | Texas | Jonas Harrison, a lawyer and Texas revolutionary |
| City of Harrisonburg | Virginia | Thomas Harrison, an 18th-century settler who was the city's founder |
| Hart County | Georgia | Nancy Morgan Hart (1735–1830), heroine of the Revolutionary War |
| Hart County | Kentucky | Nathaniel G.S. Hart (1784–1813), a lawyer captured and killed at the Battle of River Raisin |
| Hartford County | Connecticut | The city of Hartford, Connecticut, the county seat and capital of Connecticut, which was itself named after the county of Hertfordshire in England |
| Hartley County | Texas | Oliver C. Hartley and his brother, Rufus K. Hartley, two early Texas legislators |
| Harvey County | Kansas | James M. Harvey, U.S. Senator and 5th Governor of Kansas (1869–1873) |
| Haskell County | Kansas | Dudley C. Haskell, state legislator and U.S. Congressman |
| Haskell County | Oklahoma | Charles N. Haskell, first Governor of Oklahoma (1907–1911) |
| Haskell County | Texas | Charles Ready Haskell, who was killed in the Goliad massacre |
| Hawaii County | Hawaii | The island of Hawaii, whose name derives from the Hawaiian language word meaning "homeland" |
| Hawkins County | Tennessee | U.S. Senator Benjamin Hawkins (1754–1816) |
| Hayes County | Nebraska | Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th President of the United States (1877–1881) |
| Hays County | Texas | John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger and an officer during the Mexican–American War |
| Haywood County | North Carolina | John Haywood, North Carolina state treasurer |
| Haywood County | Tennessee | Judge John Haywood (1762–1826), called "the father of Tennessee history" |
| Heard County | Georgia | Stephen Heard (1740–1815), hero of the Revolutionary War |
| Hemphill County | Texas | John Hemphill, Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court and a U.S. Senator |
| Hempstead County | Arkansas | Edward Hempstead (1780–1817), a delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Missouri Territory |
| Henderson County | Illinois | Henderson County, Kentucky |
| Henderson County | Kentucky | Richard Henderson (1734–1785), founder of the Transylvania colony |
| Henderson County | North Carolina | Leonard Henderson, Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court |
| Henderson County | Tennessee | James Henderson, commander of Tennessee troops preceding the Battle of New Orleans |
| Henderson County | Texas | James Pinckney Henderson, first attorney general of the Republic of Texas |
| Hendricks County | Indiana | William Hendricks, 3rd Governor of Indiana (1822–1825) |
| Hendry County | Florida | Francis A. Hendry (1833–1917), an early Floridian pioneer and politician |
| Hennepin County | Minnesota | Father Louis Hennepin (1626–1705), an early explorer of the Twin Cities area |
| Henrico County | Virginia | Named for the townsite of the short-lived settlement of Henricus, which was itself named for Prince Harri, the eldest son of King James I of England |
| Henry County | Alabama | Patrick Henry, Revolutionary War patriot and first post-colonial Governor of Virginia (1776–1779) |
| Henry County | Georgia | Patrick Henry, Revolutionary War patriot and first post-colonial Governor of Virginia (1776–1779) |
| Henry County | Illinois | Patrick Henry, Revolutionary War patriot and first post-colonial Governor of Virginia (1776–1779) |
| Henry County | Indiana | Patrick Henry, Revolutionary War patriot and first post-colonial Governor of Virginia (1776–1779) |
| Henry County | Kentucky | Patrick Henry, Revolutionary War patriot and first post-colonial Governor of Virginia (1776–1779) |
| Henry County | Missouri | Patrick Henry, Revolutionary War patriot and first post-colonial Governor of Virginia (1776–1779) |
| Henry County | Ohio | Patrick Henry, Revolutionary War patriot and first post-colonial Governor of Virginia (1776–1779) |
| Henry County | Tennessee | Patrick Henry, Revolutionary War patriot and first post-colonial Governor of Virginia (1776–1779) |
| Henry County | Virginia | Patrick Henry, Revolutionary War patriot and first post-colonial Governor of Virginia (1776–1779) |
| Henry County | Iowa | Either Henry Dodge (1782–1867), Governor of the Wisconsin Territory, or James Dougherty Henry, a general in the Black Hawk War |
| Herkimer County | New York | General Nicholas Herkimer, who died in battle during the Revolutionary War |
| Hernando County | Florida | Hernando de Soto (c. 1496/1497 – 1542), a Spanish explorer and conquistador |
| Hertford County | North Carolina | Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Earl of Hertford |
| Hettinger County | North Dakota | Mathias Hettinger, the father-in-law of Tom Hettinger, who was Speaker of the Dakota Territory House of Representatives the year Hettinger (Adams County) was established |
| Hickman County | Kentucky | Paschal Hickman, a military captain killed at the Battle of River Raisin |
| Hickman County | Tennessee | Edwin Hickman, a longhunter killed by Native Americans near present-day Centerville, Tennessee |
| Hickory County | Missouri | Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States (1829–1837), who was nicknamed "Old Hickory" because of his toughness |
| Hidalgo County | New Mexico | Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest who raised the call for Mexico's independence from Spain in 1810 |
| Hidalgo County | Texas | Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest who raised the call for Mexico's independence from Spain in 1810 |
| Highland County | Ohio | Named for the hilly topography which divides the Little Miami and Scioto river watersheds |
| Highland County | Virginia | Named for its high elevation, the highest county in Virginia |
| Highlands County | Florida | Named for the county's hilly terrain |
| Hill County | Montana | James Jerome Hill, a leading railroad executive |
| Hill County | Texas | George Washington Hill, a Secretary of War and Secretary of the Navy for the Republic of Texas |
| Hillsborough County | Florida | Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire (1718–1793), Secretary of State for the Colonies |
| Hillsborough County | New Hampshire | Wills Hill, the Viscount Hillsborough, who was British Secretary of State for the Colonies at the time |
| Hillsdale County | Michigan | Named for its terrain of hills and dales |
| Hinds County | Mississippi | Thomas Hinds, a U.S. Congressman |
| Hinsdale County | Colorado | George A. Hinsdale, a lawyer who was named lieutenant governor when Colorado first applied for statehood (1864–1865). President Andrew Johnson rejected the application and Colorado did not become a state until 1876. |
| Hitchcock County | Nebraska | Phineas Warren Hitchcock, U.S. Senator from Nebraska |
| Hocking County | Ohio | Reputedly a Delaware Indian word meaning "bottle river" |
| Hockley County | Texas | George Washington Hockley, a Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas |
| Hodgeman County | Kansas | Captain Amos Hodgman (sic), wounded in the Civil War |
| Hoke County | North Carolina | Robert F. Hoke, a Confederate general |
| Holmes County | Florida | Holmes Creek, which forms the eastern boundary of the county |
| Holmes County | Mississippi | David Holmes, two-time Governor of Mississippi |
| Holmes County | Ohio | Major Andrew Hunter Holmes, who died in the Battle of Mackinac Island |
| Holt County | Missouri | David Rice Holt, a state legislator |
| Holt County | Nebraska | Joseph Holt, a U.S. Postmaster General and Secretary of War |
| Honolulu County | Hawaii | A Hawaiian language word meaning "sheltered bay" or "place of shelter" |
| Hood County | Texas | John Bell Hood, a Confederate lieutenant general |
| Hood River County | Oregon | Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood, whose name was given to Mount Hood by the first explorer to see it, William Robert Broughton |
| Hooker County | Nebraska | Joseph Hooker, a Union general in the Civil War |
| Hoonah–Angoon Census Area | Alaska | Named for the cities of Hoonah and Angoon; names respectively from the Tlingit Xunaa, which means “lee of the north wind" and Aangóon, "isthmus town." |
| City of Hopewell | Virginia | Hopewell Friends Meeting House (Frederick County, Virginia) |
| Hopkins County | Kentucky | Samuel Hopkins (1753–1819), a Revolutionary War general and U.S. Congressman |
| Hopkins County | Texas | Named for the family of David Hopkins, an early settler in the area |
| Horry County | South Carolina | Colonel Peter Horry of the South Carolina militia during the Revolutionary War |
| Hot Spring County | Arkansas | Naturally occurring hot springs within the county |
| Hot Springs County | Wyoming | Naturally occurring hot springs located in the county seat of Thermopolis |
| Houghton County | Michigan | Dr. Douglass Houghton (1809–1845), first state geologist of Michigan, physician and surgeon, and Mayor of Detroit (1842–1843) |
| Houston County | Alabama | George S. Houston (1811–1879), 24th Governor of Alabama and a U.S. Congressman |
| Houston County | Georgia | John Houstoun (1744–1796), a member of the Continental Congress who served twice as the Governor of Georgia |
| Houston County | Minnesota | Sam Houston (1793–1863), 2nd and 4th President of the Republic of Texas, U.S. Senator, and 7th Governor of Texas |
| Houston County | Tennessee | Sam Houston (1793–1863), 2nd and 4th President of the Republic of Texas, U.S. Senator, and 7th Governor of Texas |
| Houston County | Texas | Sam Houston (1793–1863), 2nd and 4th President of the Republic of Texas, U.S. Senator, and 7th Governor of Texas |
| Howard County | Arkansas | James H. Howard, Arkansas state senator |
| Howard County | Indiana | Tilghman Howard (1797–1844), Congressman from Indiana |
| Howard County | Iowa | Tilghman Howard (1797–1844), Congressman from Indiana |
| Howard County | Maryland | John Eager Howard, a Revolutionary War officer and the 5th Governor of Maryland (1788–1791) |
| Howard County | Missouri | Benjamin Howard (1760–1814), a Congressman from Kentucky, the first governor of the Missouri Territory and a brigadier general during the War of 1812 |
| Howard County | Nebraska | Oliver Otis Howard, a Union general in the Civil War |
| Howard County | Texas | Volney E. Howard, U.S. Congressman from Texas |
| Howell County | Missouri | Disputed; either pioneer James Howell or politician Thomas J. Howell |
| Hubbard County | Minnesota | Lucius Frederick Hubbard (1836–1913), 9th Governor of Minnesota (1882–1887) |
| Hudson County | New Jersey | The Hudson River, which was itself named for 17th-century English explorer Henry Hudson |
| Hudspeth County | Texas | Claude Benton Hudspeth (1877–1941), a state legislator and U.S. Representative from Texas |
| Huerfano County | Colorado | The Huerfano River, which in turn was named for an isolated landmark known as Huerfano Bluff (huerfano is Spanish for "orphan") |
| Hughes County | Oklahoma | William C. Hughes, a delegate to the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention |
| Hughes County | South Dakota | Alexander Hughes, a state legislator |
| Humboldt County | California | Humboldt Bay, which in turn was named for German naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) |
| Humboldt County | Iowa | Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859), German naturalist and explorer |
| Humboldt County | Nevada | Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859), German naturalist and explorer |
| Humphreys County | Mississippi | Benjamin G. Humphreys, a Confederate general and the 26th Governor of Mississippi (1865–1868) |
| Humphreys County | Tennessee | Parry Wayne Humphreys (1778–1839), U.S. Representative from Tennessee |
| Hunt County | Texas | Memucan Hunt, Jr., first Republic of Texas Minister to the United States |
| Hunterdon County | New Jersey | Robert Hunter, a colonial governor of New Jersey, through a corruption of Hunterston, his former home in England |
| Huntingdon County | Pennsylvania | Countess Selina Hastings of Huntingdon |
| Huntington County | Indiana | Samuel Huntington, President of the Continental Congress |
| Huron County | Michigan | From Lake Huron, which was itself named Lac des Hurons by the French for the Native American tribe they called hure, meaning "head", a reference to the fantastic way they dressed their hair |
| Huron County | Ohio | Huron Indians (Wyandot) |
| Hutchinson County | South Dakota | John Hutchinson, a territorial secretary |
| Hutchinson County | Texas | Andrew Hutchinson, an early attorney in Texas |
| Hyde County | North Carolina | Edward Hyde, first Governor of North Carolina (1712) and a grandson of the Earl of Clarendon |
| Hyde County | South Dakota | James Hyde, a territorial legislator |

## I

| County name | State | Origin |
| Iberia Parish | Louisiana | Iberian Peninsula, Europe (made up of Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra) |
| Iberville Parish | Louisiana | Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville, who founded the French colony of Louisiana |
| Ida County | Iowa | Probably named after Ida Smith, the first child of European immigrants to be born in the region |
| Idaho County | Idaho | A steamer called Idaho that was launched on the Columbia River in 1860 |
| Imperial County | California | The Imperial Land Company, a subsidiary of the California Development Company |
| Independence County | Arkansas | Named to honor the Declaration of Independence |
| Indian River County | Florida | The Indian River Lagoon |
| Indiana County | Pennsylvania | Probably named for the Indiana Territory |
| Ingham County | Michigan | Samuel D. Ingham, Secretary of the Treasury under President Andrew Jackson |
| Inyo County | California | The meaning of the word inyo is "dwelling place of the great spirit" in the Mono language |
| Ionia County | Michigan | Ionia, a region of the Ancient Greek civilization (part of modern Turkey) |
| Iosco County | Michigan | A pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft, meaning "water of light" |
| Iowa County | Iowa | The Iowa River, which flows through the county |
| Iowa County | Wisconsin | The Iowa people (Báxoje) |
| Iredell County | North Carolina | James Iredell, one of the first Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States |
| Irion County | Texas | Robert Anderson Irion, a Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas |
| Iron County | Michigan | Named for the abundance of iron ore found in the area |
| Iron County | Missouri | Named for the abundance of iron ore found in the area |
| Iron County | Wisconsin | Named for the abundance of iron ore found in the area |
| Iron County | Utah | Named for the iron mines west of Cedar City |
| Iroquois County | Illinois | The Iroquois people |
| Irwin County | Georgia | Jared Irwin (1751–1818), two-time governor of Georgia who rescinded the Yazoo Act in 1796 |
| Isabella County | Michigan | Queen Isabella I of Castile |
| Isanti County | Minnesota | Named for the Santee Sioux (Izatys) people, meaning "[those that] dwell at Knife Lake" |
| Island County | Washington | The name reflects the fact that the county consists of two large islands, Whidbey and Camano, and seven smaller islands (Baby, Ben Ure, Deception, Kalamut, Minor, Smith, and Strawberry) |
| Isle of Wight County | Virginia | The Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England |
| Issaquena County | Mississippi | Choctaw isi okhina, "deer river" |
| Itasca County | Minnesota | Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi River. The name was coined by Henry Schoolcraft from a combination of the Latin words veritas ("truth") and caput ("head"). |
| Itawamba County | Mississippi | Levi Colbert, a Chickasaw leader who was also known as Itawamba |
| Izard County | Arkansas | George Izard, a general during the War of 1812 and the 2nd Governor of the Arkansas Territory (1825–1828) |