List of counties in South Carolina

The U.S. state of South Carolina is made up of 46 counties.  This is the maximum allowable by state law.

History
In the colonial period, the land around the coast was divided into parishes.  The parishes matched the Church of England. There were also several counties that had judicial and electoral functions. As people settled the backcountry, judicial districts and additional counties were formed. This structure continued and grew after the Revolutionary War. In 1800, all counties were renamed as districts. In 1868, the districts were changed back to counties.Edgar, Walter, ed. The South Carolina Encyclopedia, University of South Carolina Press, 2006, pp. 230-234,  The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has maps that show the boundaries of counties, districts, and parishes starting in 1682.South Carolina Department of Archives and History maps.

Alphabetical list

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Former parishes, counties and districts
Parishes
 St. Luke's Parish formed by the Colonial Assembly on 23 May 1767, located on Hilton Head Island and the adjacent mainland.

Counties
 Craven County formed in 1682 by the Lords Proprietors
 Granville County formed in 1686 by the Lords Proprietors
 Orange County (1785-1791)
 Lewisburg County (1785-1791)
 Winton County is present-day Barnwell County
 Liberty County is present-day Marion County
 Winyah County is the former name of Georgetown County
 Claremont County
 Salem County

Districts
 Cheraw District formed in 1769
 Camden District formed in 1769
 Ninety-Six District formed in 1769
 Pinckney District (1791-1798)
 Washington District (1785-1798)
 Pendleton District formed in 1789 from Cherokee lands

References

South Carolina
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