Map showing the population density of North Carolina.

The U.S. State of North Carolina is divided into 100 counties. North Carolina ranks 28^th in size by area, but has the seventh most counties in the country.^[1]

Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Charles II of England rewarded eight persons on March 24, 1663, for their faithful support in his efforts to regain the throne of England. He granted the eight grantees, called Lords Proprietor, the land called Carolina, in honor of Charles I, his father. The Province of Carolina from 1663 to 1729, was a North American British colony. In 1729, the Province of North Carolina was officially divided from the Province of South Carolina.

North Carolina county history stretches over 340 years, beginning in 1668 with the creation of Albemarle County and ending with the 1911 creation of Avery and Hoke counties. Five counties have since been divided or abolished altogether, the last being Dobbs County in 1791.

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS),^[2] which is used by the United States government to uniquely identify states and counties, is provided with each entry. North Carolina's FIPS code is 37, which when combined with the county code is written as 37XXX.

List

County	FIPS Code [2]	County Seat [3]	Created [3]	Origin [4]	Etymology [4]	Population (2000)[3][5]	Area [3][5]	Map
Alamance County	001	Graham	1849	Orange County	The Battle of Alamance which was derived from the local Native American word meaning "blue clay" found in the Great Alamance Creek	&0000000000130800.000000130,800	&0000000000000435.000000435 sq mi (&0000000000001127.0000001,127 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	&0000000000033603.00000033,603	&0000000000000263.000000263 sq mi (&0000000000000681.000000681 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"	&0000000000010667.00000010,667	&0000000000000236.000000236 sq mi (&0000000000000611.000000611 km²)
Anson County	007	Wadesboro	1750	Bladen County	George, Lord Anson (1697–1762), a celebrated English admiral who circumnavigated the globe	&0000000000025275.00000025,275	&0000000000000537.000000537 sq mi (&0000000000001391.0000001,391 km²)
Ashe County	009	Jefferson	1799	Wilkes County	Samuel Ashe (1725–1813), a Revolutionary patriot, superior court judge, and governor of North Carolina	&0000000000024384.00000024,384	&0000000000000427.000000427 sq mi (&0000000000001106.0000001,106 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	&0000000000017167.00000017,167	&0000000000000247.000000247 sq mi (&0000000000000640.000000640 km²)
Beaufort County	013	Washington	1712	Original county	Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort, who in 1709 became one of the Lords Proprietor	&0000000000044958.00000044,958	&0000000000000959.000000959 sq mi (&0000000000002484.0000002,484 km²)
Bertie County	015	Windsor	1722	Chowan County	James or Henry Bertie, two Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina	&0000000000019773.00000019,773	&0000000000000741.000000741 sq mi (&0000000000001919.0000001,919 km²)
Bladen County	017	Elizabethtown	1734	New Hanover County	Martin Bladen, a member of the Board of Trade	&0000000000032278.00000032,278	&0000000000000887.000000887 sq mi (&0000000000002297.0000002,297 km²)
Brunswick County	019	Bolivia	1764	Bladen County and New Hanover County	George I of Great Britain (1660–1727), Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg	&0000000000073143.00000073,143	&0000000000001050.0000001,050 sq mi (&0000000000002719.0000002,719 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	&0000000000206330.000000206,330	&0000000000000660.000000660 sq mi (&0000000000001709.0000001,709 km²)
Burke County	023	Morganton	1777	Rowan County	Thomas Burke (1747–1783), a member of the Continental Congress and governor of North Carolina	&0000000000089148.00000089,148	&0000000000000515.000000515 sq mi (&0000000000001334.0000001,334 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	&0000000000131063.000000131,063	&0000000000000365.000000365 sq mi (&0000000000000945.000000945 km²)
Caldwell County	027	Lenoir	1841	Burke County and Wilkes County	Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), the first president of the University of North Carolina	&0000000000077415.00000077,415	&0000000000000474.000000474 sq mi (&0000000000001228.0000001,228 km²)
Camden County	029	Camden	1777	Pasquotank County	Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden (1714–1794), who opposed the taxation of the American colonists	&0000000000006885.0000006,885	&0000000000000306.000000306 sq mi (&0000000000000793.000000793 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	&0000000000059383.00000059,383	&0000000000001341.0000001,341 sq mi (&0000000000003473.0000003,473 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	&0000000000023501.00000023,501	&0000000000000428.000000428 sq mi (&0000000000001109.0000001,109 km²)
Catawba County	035	Newton	1842	Lincoln County	Catawba Nation	&0000000000141685.000000141,685	&0000000000000414.000000414 sq mi (&0000000000001072.0000001,072 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	&0000000000049329.00000049,329	&0000000000000709.000000709 sq mi (&0000000000001836.0000001,836 km²)
Cherokee County	039	Murphy	1839	Macon County	Cherokee Nation	&0000000000024298.00000024,298	&0000000000000497.000000497 sq mi (&0000000000001287.0000001,287 km²)
Chowan County	041	Edenton	1668	Albemarle County	Chowan Native American tribe	&0000000000014526.00000014,526	&0000000000000233.000000233 sq mi (&0000000000000603.000000603 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	&0000000000008775.0000008,775	&0000000000000221.000000221 sq mi (&0000000000000572.000000572 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	&0000000000096287.00000096,287	&0000000000000469.000000469 sq mi (&0000000000001215.0000001,215 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	&0000000000054749.00000054,749	&0000000000000954.000000954 sq mi (&0000000000002471.0000002,471 km²)
Craven County	049	New Bern	1712	Bath County	William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven (1608–1697), who was a Lords Proprietor of colonial North Carolina	&0000000000091436.00000091,436	&0000000000000774.000000774 sq mi (&0000000000002005.0000002,005 km²)
Cumberland County	051	Fayetteville	1754	Bladen County	Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (1721–1765), a military leader and son of George II	&0000000000302963.000000302,963	&0000000000000658.000000658 sq mi (&0000000000001704.0000001,704 km²)
Currituck County	053	Currituck	1668	Albemarle County	Traditionally said to be an American Indian word for wild geese, also rendered "Coratank"	&0000000000018190.00000018,190	&0000000000000526.000000526 sq mi (&0000000000001362.0000001,362 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	&0000000000029967.00000029,967	&0000000000001562.0000001,562 sq mi (&0000000000004046.0000004,046 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	&0000000000147246.000000147,246	&0000000000000567.000000567 sq mi (&0000000000001469.0000001,469 km²)
Davie County	059	Mocksville	1836	Rowan County	William Richardson Davie (1756–1820), a member of the Federal Convention and governor of North Carolina	&0000000000034835.00000034,835	&0000000000000267.000000267 sq mi (&0000000000000692.000000692 km²)
Duplin County	061	Kenansville	1750	New Hanover County	Thomas Hay, Viscount Dupplin (1710–1787), who was the 9th Earl of Kinnoull	&0000000000049063.00000049,063	&0000000000000819.000000819 sq mi (&0000000000002121.0000002,121 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	&0000000000223314.000000223,314	&0000000000000298.000000298 sq mi (&0000000000000772.000000772 km²)
Edgecombe County	065	Tarboro	1741	Bertie County	Richard Edgcumbe, 1st Baron Edgcumbe (1680–1758), a Lord High Treasurer and Paymaster-General for Ireland	&0000000000055606.00000055,606	&0000000000000507.000000507 sq mi (&0000000000001313.0000001,313 km²)
Forsyth County	067	Winston-Salem	1849	Stokes County	Benjamin Forsyth (d. 1814), an American officer during the War of 1812	&0000000000306067.000000306,067	&0000000000000413.000000413 sq mi (&0000000000001070.0000001,070 km²)
Franklin County	069	Louisburg	1779	Bute County	Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), an author, politician, statesman, and Founding Father of the United States	&0000000000047260.00000047,260	&0000000000000495.000000495 sq mi (&0000000000001282.0000001,282 km²)
Gaston County	071	Gastonia	1846	Lincoln County	William Gaston (1778–1844), a United States Congressman and justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court	&0000000000190365.000000190,365	&0000000000000364.000000364 sq mi (&0000000000000943.000000943 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	&0000000000010516.00000010,516	&0000000000000346.000000346 sq mi (&0000000000000896.000000896 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	&0000000000007993.0000007,993	&0000000000000302.000000302 sq mi (&0000000000000782.000000782 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	&0000000000048498.00000048,498	&0000000000000537.000000537 sq mi (&0000000000001391.0000001,391 km²)
Greene County	079	Snow Hill	1791	Dobbs County Originally named Glasgow County	Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War	&0000000000018794.00000018,794	&0000000000000266.000000266 sq mi (&0000000000000689.000000689 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	&0000000000421048.000000421,048	&0000000000000658.000000658 sq mi (&0000000000001704.0000001,704 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	&0000000000057370.00000057,370	&0000000000000731.000000731 sq mi (&0000000000001893.0000001,893 km²)
Harnett County	085	Lillington	1855	Cumberland County	Cornelius Harnett (1723–1781), an American Revolutionary and delegate in the Continental Congress	&0000000000091025.00000091,025	&0000000000000601.000000601 sq mi (&0000000000001557.0000001,557 km²)
Haywood County	087	Waynesville	1808	Buncombe County	John Haywood (1754–1827), a North Carolina State Treasurer	&0000000000054033.00000054,033	&0000000000000555.000000555 sq mi (&0000000000001437.0000001,437 km²)
Henderson County	089	Hendersonville	1838	Buncombe County	Leonard Henderson (1772–1833), Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court	&0000000000089173.00000089,173	&0000000000000375.000000375 sq mi (&0000000000000971.000000971 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	&0000000000022601.00000022,601	&0000000000000360.000000360 sq mi (&0000000000000932.000000932 km²)
Hoke County	093	Raeford	1911	Cumberland County and Robeson County	Robert Hoke (1837–1912), a Confederate general during the American Civil War	&0000000000033646.00000033,646	&0000000000000392.000000392 sq mi (&0000000000001015.0000001,015 km²)
Hyde County	095	Swan Quarter	1705	Original county Originally named Wickham County	Edward Hyde (c. 1650–1712), a governor of colonial North Carolina	&0000000000005826.0000005,826	&0000000000001424.0000001,424 sq mi (&0000000000003688.0000003,688 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	&0000000000122660.000000122,660	&0000000000000597.000000597 sq mi (&0000000000001546.0000001,546 km²)
Jackson County	099	Sylva	1851	Haywood County and Macon County	Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), the 7th President of the United States	&0000000000033121.00000033,121	&0000000000000494.000000494 sq mi (&0000000000001279.0000001,279 km²)
Johnston County	101	Smithfield	1746	Craven County	Gabriel Johnston (1699–1752), a governor of colonial North Carolina	&0000000000121965.000000121,965	&0000000000000796.000000796 sq mi (&0000000000002062.0000002,062 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	&0000000000010381.00000010,381	&0000000000000473.000000473 sq mi (&0000000000001225.0000001,225 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	&0000000000049040.00000049,040	&0000000000000259.000000259 sq mi (&0000000000000671.000000671 km²)
Lenoir County	107	Kinston	1791	Dobbs County Originally named Glasgow County	William Lenoir (1751–1839), a captain in the American Revolutionary War who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain	&0000000000059648.00000059,648	&0000000000000402.000000402 sq mi (&0000000000001041.0000001,041 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	&0000000000063780.00000063,780	&0000000000000307.000000307 sq mi (&0000000000000795.000000795 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	&0000000000042151.00000042,151	&0000000000000446.000000446 sq mi (&0000000000001155.0000001,155 km²)
Macon County	113	Franklin	1828	Haywood County	Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837), a member and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives	&0000000000029811.00000029,811	&0000000000000519.000000519 sq mi (&0000000000001344.0000001,344 km²)
Madison County	115	Marshall	1851	Buncombe County and Yancey County	James Madison (1751–1836), the 4th President of the United States	&0000000000019635.00000019,635	&0000000000000452.000000452 sq mi (&0000000000001171.0000001,171 km²)
Martin County	117	Williamston	1774	Halifax County and Tyrrell County	Josiah Martin (1737–1786), the last governor of colonial North Carolina	&0000000000025593.00000025,593	&0000000000000461.000000461 sq mi (&0000000000001194.0000001,194 km²)
Mecklenburg County	119	Charlotte	1762	Anson County	Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744–1818), the queen consort of George III of the United Kingdom	&0000000000695454.000000695,454	&0000000000000546.000000546 sq mi (&0000000000001414.0000001,414 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	&0000000000015687.00000015,687	&0000000000000222.000000222 sq mi (&0000000000000575.000000575 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	&0000000000026822.00000026,822	&0000000000000502.000000502 sq mi (&0000000000001300.0000001,300 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	&0000000000074769.00000074,769	&0000000000000706.000000706 sq mi (&0000000000001829.0000001,829 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	&0000000000087420.00000087,420	&0000000000000543.000000543 sq mi (&0000000000001406.0000001,406 km²)
New Hanover County	129	Wilmington	1729	Craven County	The royal family of England, members of the House of Hanover	&0000000000160307.000000160,307	&0000000000000328.000000328 sq mi (&0000000000000850.000000850 km²)
Northampton County	131	Jackson	1741	Bertie County	James Compton, 5th Earl of Northampton (1687–1754), a British peer and politician	&0000000000022086.00000022,086	&0000000000000551.000000551 sq mi (&0000000000001427.0000001,427 km²)
Onslow County	133	Jacksonville	1734	New Hanover County	Arthur Onslow (1691–1768), Speaker of the British House of Commons	&0000000000150355.000000150,355	&0000000000000909.000000909 sq mi (&0000000000002354.0000002,354 km²)
Orange County	135	Hillsborough	1752	Bladen County, Granville County, and Johnston County	William V, Prince of Orange (1748–1806), the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic	&0000000000118227.000000118,227	&0000000000000401.000000401 sq mi (&0000000000001039.0000001,039 km²)
Pamlico County	137	Bayboro	1872	Beaufort County and Craven County	Pamlico Sound and the Pamlico Native American tribe	&0000000000012934.00000012,934	&0000000000000566.000000566 sq mi (&0000000000001466.0000001,466 km²)
Pasquotank County	139	Elizabeth City	1668	Albemarle County	Derived from the Native American word pasketanki which meant "where the current of the stream divides or forks"	&0000000000034897.00000034,897	&0000000000000289.000000289 sq mi (&0000000000000749.000000749 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	&0000000000041082.00000041,082	&0000000000000933.000000933 sq mi (&0000000000002416.0000002,416 km²)
Perquimans County	143	Hertford	1668	Albemarle County	Perquimans Native American tribe	&0000000000011368.00000011,368	&0000000000000329.000000329 sq mi (&0000000000000852.000000852 km²)
Person County	145	Roxboro	1791	Caswell County	Thomas Person, an American Revolutionary War patriot	&0000000000035623.00000035,623	&0000000000000404.000000404 sq mi (&0000000000001046.0000001,046 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	&0000000000133798.000000133,798	&0000000000000655.000000655 sq mi (&0000000000001696.0000001,696 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	&0000000000018324.00000018,324	&0000000000000239.000000239 sq mi (&0000000000000619.000000619 km²)
Randolph County	151	Asheboro	1779	Guilford County	Peyton Randolph (c. 1721–1755), the first President of the Continental Congress	&0000000000130454.000000130,454	&0000000000000790.000000790 sq mi (&0000000000002046.0000002,046 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	&0000000000046564.00000046,564	&0000000000000480.000000480 sq mi (&0000000000001243.0000001,243 km²)
Robeson County	155	Lumberton	1787	Bladen County	Thomas Robeson, an officer in the American Revolutionary War	&0000000000123339.000000123,339	&0000000000000951.000000951 sq mi (&0000000000002463.0000002,463 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	&0000000000091928.00000091,928	&0000000000000572.000000572 sq mi (&0000000000001481.0000001,481 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	&0000000000130340.000000130,340	&0000000000000524.000000524 sq mi (&0000000000001357.0000001,357 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	&0000000000062889.00000062,889	&0000000000000566.000000566 sq mi (&0000000000001466.0000001,466 km²)
Sampson County	163