List of counties in North Carolina List List

| County | FIPS_Code | County_Seat | Created | Origin | Etymology | Population_estimate_2011 | Area_ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 97489 | 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 | 57712 | 954 sq mi , (2,471 km2) |
| Craven County | 049 | New Bern | 1705 | Bath County | William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven (1608–1697), who was a Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina | 104786 | 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 | 324885 | 658 sq mi , (1,704 km2) |