# List of counties in North Carolina

The U.S. state of North Carolina is divided up into **100 counties**.

## List of counties in North Carolina

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| County  | FIPS Code  | County Seat  | Created  | Origin  | Meaning of name  | Population (2020) | Area  | Map  |
| Alamance County | 001 | Graham | 1849 | Orange County | The Battle of Alamance which was derived from the local Indian word meaning ""blue clay"" found in the Great Alamance Creek | 171,415 | 435 sq mi (1,127 km2) |  |
| Alexander County | 003 | Taylorsville | 1847 | Caldwell County, Iredell County, and Wilkes County | William J. Alexander, member of the legislature and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons | 36,444 | 263 sq mi (681 km2) |  |
| Alleghany County | 005 | Sparta | 1859 | Ashe County | Derived from a corruption of the Delaware Indian name for the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers and is said to have meant ""a fine stream"" | 10,888 | 236 sq mi (611 km2) |  |
| Anson County | 007 | Wadesboro | 1750 | Bladen County | George, Lord Anson (1697–1762), a celebrated English admiral who circumnavigated the globe | 22,055 | 537 sq mi (1,391 km2) |  |
| Ashe County | 009 | Jefferson | 1799 | Wilkes County | Samuel Ashe (1725–1813), a Revolutionary patriot, superior court judge, and governor of North Carolina | 26,577 | 427 sq mi (1,106 km2) |  |
| Avery County | 011 | Newland | 1911 | Caldwell County, Mitchell County, and Watauga County | Waightstill Avery (1741–1821), a soldier of the Revolution and Attorney General of North Carolina | 17,806 | 247 sq mi (640 km2) |  |
| Beaufort County | 013 | Washington | 1712 | Bath County | Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort, who in 1709 became one of the Lords Proprietor | 44,652 | 959 sq mi (2,484 km2) |  |
| Bertie County | 015 | Windsor | 1722 | Chowan County | James or Henry Bertie, two Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina | 17,934 | 741 sq mi (1,919 km2) |  |
| Bladen County | 017 | Elizabethtown | 1734 | New Hanover County | Martin Bladen, a member of the Board of Trade | 29,606 | 887 sq mi (2,297 km2) |  |
| Brunswick County | 019 | Bolivia | 1764 | Bladen County and New Hanover County | George I of Great Britain (1660–1727), Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg | 136,693 | 860 sq mi (2,227 km2) |  |
| Buncombe County | 021 | Asheville | 1791 | Burke County and Rutherford County | Edward Buncombe, a Revolutionary soldier, who was wounded and captured at the Battle of Germantown, and died a paroled prisoner in Philadelphia | 269,452 | 660 sq mi (1,709 km2) |  |
| Burke County | 023 | Morganton | 1777 | Rowan County | Thomas Burke (1747–1783), a member of the Continental Congress and governor of North Carolina | 87,570 | 515 sq mi (1,334 km2) |  |
| Cabarrus County | 025 | Concord | 1792 | Mecklenburg County | Stephen Cabarrus (1754–1808), member of the legislature and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons | 225,804 | 365 sq mi (945 km2) |  |
| Caldwell County | 027 | Lenoir | 1841 | Burke County and Wilkes County | Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), the first president of the University of North Carolina | 80,652 | 474 sq mi (1,228 km2) |  |
| Camden County | 029 | Camden | 1777 | Pasquotank County | Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden (1714–1794), who opposed the taxation of the American colonists | 10,355 | 306 sq mi (793 km2) |  |
| Carteret County | 031 | Beaufort | 1722 | Craven County | John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690–1763), who inherited one-eighth share in the Province of Carolina through his great-grandfather George Carteret | 67,686 | 1,341 sq mi (3,473 km2) |  |
| Caswell County | 033 | Yanceyville | 1777 | Orange County | Richard Caswell (1729–1789), member of the first Continental Congress and first governor of North Carolina after the Declaration of Independence | 22,736 | 428 sq mi (1,109 km2) |  |
| Catawba County | 035 | Newton | 1842 | Lincoln County | Catawba Indians | 160,610 | 414 sq mi (1,072 km2) |  |
| Chatham County | 037 | Pittsboro | 1771 | Orange County | William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778), Secretary of State during the French and Indian War and was later Prime Minister of Great Britain | 76,285 | 709 sq mi (1,836 km2) |  |
| Cherokee County | 039 | Murphy | 1839 | Macon County | Cherokee Indians | 28,774 | 497 sq mi (1,287 km2) |  |
| Chowan County | 041 | Edenton | 1668 | Albemarle County | Chowan Indian tribe | 13,708 | 233 sq mi (603 km2) |  |
| Clay County | 043 | Hayesville | 1861 | Cherokee County | Henry Clay (1777–1852), statesman and orator who represented Kentucky in both the House of Representatives and Senate | 11,089 | 221 sq mi (572 km2) |  |
| Cleveland County | 045 | Shelby | 1841 | Lincoln County and Rutherford County | Benjamin Cleveland (1738–1806), a colonel in the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain | 99,519 | 469 sq mi (1,215 km2) |  |
| Columbus County | 047 | Whiteville | 1808 | Bladen County and Brunswick County | Christopher Columbus (1451–1507), navigator, explorer, and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas | 50,623 | 954 sq mi (2,471 km2) |  |
| Craven County | 049 | New Bern | 1705 | Bath County | William, Earl of Craven (1608–1697), who was a Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina | 100,720 | 774 sq mi (2,005 km2) |  |
| Cumberland County | 051 | Fayetteville | 1754 | Bladen County | Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (1721–1765), a military leader and son of George II | 334,728 | 658 sq mi (1,704 km2) |  |
| Currituck County | 053 | Currituck | 1668 | Albemarle County | Traditionally said to be an Indian word for wild geese, also rendered ""Coratank"" | 28,100 | 526 sq mi (1,362 km2) |  |
| Dare County | 055 | Manteo | 1870 | Currituck County, Hyde County, and Tyrrell County | Virginia Dare (b. 1587), the first child born of English parents in America | 36,915 | 1,562 sq mi (4,046 km2) |  |
| Davidson County | 057 | Lexington | 1822 | Rowan County | William Lee Davidson (1746–1781), an American Revolutionary War general who was mortally wounded at Cowan's Ford | 168,930 | 567 sq mi (1,469 km2) |  |
| Davie County | 059 | Mocksville | 1836 | Rowan County | William Richardson Davie (1756–1820), a member of the Federal Convention and governor of North Carolina | 42,712 | 267 sq mi (692 km2) |  |
| Duplin County | 061 | Kenansville | 1750 | New Hanover County | Thomas Hay, Viscount Dupplin (1710–1787), who was the 9th earl of Kinnoull | 48,715 | 819 sq mi (2,121 km2) |  |
| Durham County | 063 | Durham | 1881 | Orange County and Wake County | The city of Durham which was named in honor of Dr. Bartlett Snipes Durham who donated the land on which the railroad station was located | 324,833 | 298 sq mi (772 km2) |  |
| Edgecombe County | 065 | Tarboro | 1741 | Bertie County | Richard Edgcumbe, 1st Baron Edgcumbe (1680–1758), a Lord High Treasurer and Paymaster-General for Ireland | 48,900 | 507 sq mi (1,313 km2) |  |
| Forsyth County | 067 | Winston-Salem | 1849 | Stokes County | Benjamin Forsyth (d. 1814), an American officer during the War of 1812 | 382,590 | 413 sq mi (1,070 km2) |  |
| Franklin County | 069 | Louisburg | 1779 | Bute County | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), an author, politician, statesman, and Founding Father of the United States | 68,573 | 495 sq mi (1,282 km2) |  |
| Gaston County | 071 | Gastonia | 1846 | Lincoln County | William Gaston (1778–1844), a United States Congressman and justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court | 227,943 | 364 sq mi (943 km2) |  |
| Gates County | 073 | Gatesville | 1779 | Chowan County, Hertford County, and Perquimans County | Horatio Gates (1727–1806), an American general during the Revolution at the Battle of Saratoga | 10,478 | 346 sq mi (896 km2) |  |
| Graham County | 075 | Robbinsville | 1872 | Cherokee County | William Alexander Graham (1804–1875), a United States Senator, governor of North Carolina, and United States Secretary of the Navy | 8,030 | 302 sq mi (782 km2) |  |
| Granville County | 077 | Oxford | 1746 | Edgecombe County | John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (1690–1763), who inherited one-eighth share in the Province of Carolina through his great-grandfather George Carteret | 60,992 | 537 sq mi (1,391 km2) |  |
| Greene County | 079 | Snow Hill | 1799 | Dobbs County Originally named Glasgow County | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War | 20,451 | 266 sq mi (689 km2) |  |
| Guilford County | 081 | Greensboro | 1771 | Orange County and Rowan County | Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford (1704–1790), a British politician and father of Prime Minister of Great Britain Frederick North | 541,299 | 658 sq mi (1,704 km2) |  |
| Halifax County | 083 | Halifax | 1758 | Edgecombe County | George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax (1716–1771), a British statesman and President of the Board of Trade | 48,622 | 731 sq mi (1,893 km2) |  |
| Harnett County | 085 | Lillington | 1855 | Cumberland County | Cornelius Harnett (1723–1781), an American Revolutionary and delegate in the Continental Congress | 133,568 | 601 sq mi (1,557 km2) |  |
| Haywood County | 087 | Waynesville | 1808 | Buncombe County | John Haywood (1754–1827), a North Carolina State Treasurer | 62,089 | 555 sq mi (1,437 km2) |  |
| Henderson County | 089 | Hendersonville | 1838 | Buncombe County | Leonard Henderson (1772–1833), Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court | 116,281 | 375 sq mi (971 km2) |  |
| Hertford County | 091 | Winton | 1759 | Bertie County, Chowan County, and Northampton County | Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford (1718–1794), who was Lord of the Bedchamber to George II and George III | 21,552 | 360 sq mi (932 km2) |  |
| Hoke County | 093 | Raeford | 1911 | Cumberland County and Robeson County | Robert Hoke (1837–1912), a Confederate general during the American Civil War | 52,082 | 392 sq mi (1,015 km2) |  |
| Hyde County | 095 | Swan Quarter | 1712 | Bath County | Edward Hyde (c. 1650–1712), a governor of colonial North Carolina | 4,589 | 1,424 sq mi (3,688 km2) |  |
| Iredell County | 097 | Statesville | 1788 | Rowan County | James Iredell (1751–1799), a comptroller at the port of Edenton and one of the original justices of the Supreme Court of the United States | 186,693 | 597 sq mi (1,546 km2) |  |
| Jackson County | 099 | Sylva | 1851 | Haywood County and Macon County | Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), the 7th President of the United States | 43,109 | 494 sq mi (1,279 km2) |  |
| Johnston County | 101 | Smithfield | 1746 | Craven County | Gabriel Johnston (1699–1752), a governor of colonial North Carolina | 215,999 | 796 sq mi (2,062 km2) |  |
| Jones County | 103 | Trenton | 1779 | Craven County | Willie Jones (1740–1801), opposed the ratification of the United States Constitution and declined an invitation to the Constitutional Convention | 9,172 | 473 sq mi (1,225 km2) |  |
| Lee County | 105 | Sanford | 1907 | Chatham County and Moore County | Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), a career United States Army officer and general of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War | 63,285 | 259 sq mi (671 km2) |  |
| Lenoir County | 107 | Kinston | 1791 | Dobbs County | William Lenoir (1751–1839), a captain in the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain | 55,122 | 402 sq mi (1,041 km2) |  |
| Lincoln County | 109 | Lincolnton | 1779 | Tryon County | Benjamin Lincoln (1733–1810), a major general during the American Revolutionary War who participated in the Siege of Yorktown | 86,810 | 307 sq mi (795 km2) |  |
| Macon County | 113 | Franklin | 1828 | Haywood County | Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837), a member and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives | 37,014 | 519 sq mi (1,344 km2) |  |
| Madison County | 115 | Marshall | 1851 | Buncombe County and Yancey County | James Madison (1751–1836), the 4th President of the United States | 21,193 | 452 sq mi (1,171 km2) |  |
| Martin County | 117 | Williamston | 1774 | Halifax County and Tyrrell County | Josiah Martin (1737–1786), the last governor of colonial North Carolina | 22,031 | 461 sq mi (1,194 km2) |  |
| McDowell County | 111 | Marion | 1842 | Burke County and Rutherford County | Joseph McDowell (1756–1801), a soldier in the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain | 44,578 | 446 sq mi (1,155 km2) |  |
| Mecklenburg County | 119 | Charlotte | 1762 | Anson County | Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744–1818), the queen consort of George III of the United Kingdom | 1,115,482 | 546 sq mi (1,414 km2) |  |
| Mitchell County | 121 | Bakersville | 1861 | Burke County, Caldwell County, McDowell County, Watauga County, and Yancey County | Elisha Mitchell (1793–1857), a professor at the University of North Carolina who measured the height of Mount Mitchell | 14,903 | 222 sq mi (575 km2) |  |
| Montgomery County | 123 | Troy | 1779 | Anson County | Richard Montgomery (1738–1775), a major general during the Revolutionary War who was killed at the Battle of Quebec | 25,751 | 502 sq mi (1,300 km2) |  |
| Moore County | 125 | Carthage | 1784 | Cumberland County | Alfred Moore (1755–1810), a captain in the Revolutionary War and justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | 99,727 | 706 sq mi (1,829 km2) |  |
| Nash County | 127 | Nashville | 1777 | Edgecombe County | Francis Nash (1742–1777), a brigadier general in the Revolutionary War who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Germantown | 94,970 | 543 sq mi (1,406 km2) |  |
| New Hanover County | 129 | Wilmington | 1729 | Craven County | The royal family of England, members of the House of Hanover | 225,702 | 328 sq mi (850 km2) |  |
| Northampton County | 131 | Jackson | 1741 | Bertie County | James Compton, 5th Earl of Northampton (1687–1754), a British peer and politician | 17,471 | 551 sq mi (1,427 km2) |  |
| Onslow County | 133 | Jacksonville | 1734 | New Hanover County | Arthur Onslow (1691–1768), Speaker of the House of Commons | 204,576 | 909 sq mi (2,354 km2) |  |
| Orange County | 135 | Hillsborough | 1752 | Bladen County, Granville County, and Johnston County | Prince William V of Orange (1748–1806), the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic | 148,696 | 401 sq mi (1,039 km2) |  |
| Pamlico County | 137 | Bayboro | 1872 | Beaufort County and Craven County | Pamlico Sound and the Pamlico Indian tribe | 12,276 | 566 sq mi (1,466 km2) |  |
| Pasquotank County | 139 | Elizabeth City | 1668 | Albemarle County | Derived from the Indian word ""pasketanki"" which meant ""where the current of the stream divides or forks"" | 40,568 | 289 sq mi (749 km2) |  |
| Pender County | 141 | Burgaw | 1875 | New Hanover County | William Dorsey Pender (1834–1863), Confederate soldier who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg of the American Civil War | 60,203 | 933 sq mi (2,416 km2) |  |
| Perquimans County | 143 | Hertford | 1668 | Albemarle County | The Indian word ""perquimans"" means ""land of beautiful women"" and was coined by a sect of the Yeopim tribe, later becoming the 'Perquiman' | 13,005 | 329 sq mi (852 km2) |  |
| Person County | 145 | Roxboro | 1791 | Caswell County | Thomas Person, an American Revolutionary War patriot | 39,097 | 404 sq mi (1,046 km2) |  |
| Pitt County | 147 | Greenville | 1760 | Beaufort County | William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778), Secretary of State during the French and Indian War and was later Prime Minister of Great Britain | 170,243 | 655 sq mi (1,696 km2) |  |
| Polk County | 149 | Columbus | 1855 | Henderson County and Rutherford County | William Polk (1758–1834), officer in the American Revolutionary War and first president of the State Bank of North Carolina | 19,328 | 239 sq mi (619 km2) |  |
| Randolph County | 151 | Asheboro | 1779 | Guilford County | Peyton Randolph (c. 1721–1755), the first President of the Continental Congress | 144,171 | 790 sq mi (2,046 km2) |  |
| Richmond County | 153 | Rockingham | 1779 | Anson County | Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond (1735–1806), a firm supporter of the American colonists and advocated removal of British troops | 42,946 | 480 sq mi (1,243 km2) |  |
| Robeson County | 155 | Lumberton | 1787 | Bladen County | Thomas Robeson, an officer in the American Revolutionary War | 116,530 | 951 sq mi (2,463 km2) |  |
| Rockingham County | 157 | Wentworth | 1785 | Guilford County | Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1730–1782), a British statesmen and two-time Prime Minister of Great Britain | 91,096 | 572 sq mi (1,481 km2) |  |
| Rowan County | 159 | Salisbury | 1753 | Anson County | Matthew Rowan (d. 1769), was the acting Governor of colonial North Carolina following the death of Governor Nathaniel Rice | 146,875 | 524 sq mi (1,357 km2) |  |
| Rutherford County | 161 | Rutherfordton | 1779 | Tryon County | Griffith Rutherford (c. 1721–1805), an officer in the American Revolutionary War and a political leader in North Carolina | 64,444 | 566 sq mi (1,466 km2) |  |
| Sampson County | 163 | Clinton | 1784 | Duplin County | John Sampson, a member of Josiah Martin's council | 59,036 | 947 sq mi (2,453 km2) |  |
| Scotland County | 165 | Laurinburg | 1899 | Richmond County | The country Scotland, part of the United Kingdom | 34,174 | 321 sq mi (831 km2) |  |
| Stanly County | 167 | Albemarle | 1841 | Montgomery County | John Stanly (1774–1834), a United States Congressman and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons | 62,504 | 404 sq mi (1,046 km2) |  |
| Stokes County | 169 | Danbury | 1789 | Surry County | John Stokes, a soldier of the Revolution who was seriously wounded at the Waxhaw massacre | 44,520 | 456 sq mi (1,181 km2) |  |
| Surry County | 171 | Dobson | 1771 | Rowan County | The county of Surrey in England, birthplace of then governor William Tryon | 71,359 | 538 sq mi (1,393 km2) |  |
| Swain County | 173 | Bryson City | 1871 | Jackson County and Macon County | David Lowry Swain (1801–1868), a governor of North Carolina and president of the University of North Carolina | 14,117 | 541 sq mi (1,401 km2) |  |
| Transylvania County | 175 | Brevard | 1861 | Henderson County and Jackson County | Derived from the Latin words, trans meaning *across* and sylva meaning *woods* | 32,986 | 381 sq mi (987 km2) |  |
| Tyrrell County | 177 | Columbia | 1729 | Chowan County, Currituck County, and Pasquotank County | John Tyrrell, at one time was a Lords Proprietor | 3,245 | 600 sq mi (1,554 km2) |  |
| Union County | 179 | Monroe | 1842 | Anson County and Mecklenburg County | Created as a compromise after a dispute between local Whigs and Democrats as to whether it should be named Clay or Jackson county | 238,267 | 640 sq mi (1,658 km2) |  |
| Vance County | 181 | Henderson | 1881 | Franklin County, Granville County, and Warren County | Zebulon Baird Vance (1830–1894), a Confederate military officer in the American Civil War, twice governor of North Carolina, and United States Senator | 42,578 | 270 sq mi (699 km2) |  |
| Wake County | 183 | Raleigh | 1771 | Cumberland County, Johnston County, and Orange County | Margaret Wake, the wife of British colonial governor William Tryon | 1,129,410 | 857 sq mi (2,220 km2) |  |
| Warren County | 185 | Warrenton | 1779 | Bute County | Joseph Warren (1741–1775), a Patriot and volunteer private who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill | 18,642 | 444 sq mi (1,150 km2) |  |
| Washington County | 187 | Plymouth | 1799 | Tyrrell County | George Washington (1732–1799), the 1st President of the United States | 11,003 | 424 sq mi (1,098 km2) |  |
| Watauga County | 189 | Boone | 1849 | Ashe County, Caldwell County, Wilkes County, and Yancey County | The Watauga River, which came from an Indian word meaning ""beautiful water"" | 54,086 | 313 sq mi (811 km2) |  |
| Wayne County | 191 | Goldsboro | 1779 | Dobbs County | Anthony Wayne (1745–1796), a general in the American Revolutionary War | 117,333 | 557 sq mi (1,443 km2) |  |
| Wilkes County | 193 | Wilkesboro | 1777 | Surry County | John Wilkes (1725–1797), an English radical, journalist and politician | 65,969 | 760 sq mi (1,968 km2) |  |
| Wilson County | 195 | Wilson | 1855 | Edgecombe County, Johnston County, Nash County, and Wayne County | Louis D. Wilson, a state legislator from Edgecombe County who died of fever at Veracruz during the Mexican–American War | 78,784 | 374 sq mi (969 km2) |  |
| Yadkin County | 197 | Yadkinville | 1850 | Surry County | The Yadkin River | 37,214 | 337 sq mi (873 km2) |  |
| Yancey County | 199 | Burnsville | 1833 | Buncombe County and Burke County | Bartlett Yancey (1785–1828), a United States Congressman, Speaker of the North Carolina Senate, and early advocate for the North Carolina Public School System | 18,470 | 313 sq mi (811 km2) |  |

## Map of counties in North Carolina

Counties of North Carolina.