Many county seats are politically not a part of the counties they serve; under Virginia law, all municipalities incorporated as cities are independent cities and are not part of any county. Some of the cities in the Hampton Roads area (Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton, and Suffolk) were formed from an entire county. These cities are no longer county seats, since the counties ceased to exist once the cities were completely formed, but are functionally equivalent to counties.
It is also worthy of note that there are several counties and cities which have the same name, but are separate politically. These currently include Bedford, Fairfax, Franklin, Richmond, and Roanoke, and in the past included Norfolk and Alexandria, whose counties changed their names, ostensibly to end some of the confusion. Similarity in their names does not necessarily mean that the current counties and cities which share names are close geographically. Richmond County is nowhere near the City of Richmond, and Franklin County is even further from the City of Franklin.
County
|
FIPS Code
[1] |
County seat
[2] |
Established
[2] |
Origin
|
Etymology
|
Population
[2] |
Area
[2] |
Map
|
| Accomack County |
001 |
Accomac |
1663 |
? |
Native American for across the water place |
&0000000000038305.00000038,305 |
&0000000000000455.000000455 sq mi
(&0000000000001178.0000001,178 km²) |
 |
| Albemarle County |
003 |
Charlottesville |
1744 |
? |
Willem Anne van Keppel 2nd Earl of Albermale |
&0000000000079236.00000079,236 |
&0000000000000723.000000723 sq mi
(&0000000000001873.0000001,873 km²) |
 |
| Alleghany County |
005 |
Covington |
1822 |
? |
Alleghany Mountains |
&0000000000012926.00000012,926 |
&0000000000000446.000000446 sq mi
(&0000000000001155.0000001,155 km²) |
 |
| Amelia County |
007 |
Amelia Court House |
1734 |
? |
Princess Amelia Sophia |
&0000000000011400.00000011,400 |
&0000000000000357.000000357 sq mi
(&0000000000000925.000000925 km²) |
 |
| Amherst County |
009 |
Amherst |
1761 |
? |
Jeffery Amherst |
&0000000000031894.00000031,894 |
&0000000000000475.000000475 sq mi
(&0000000000001230.0000001,230 km²) |
 |
| Appomattox County |
011 |
Appomattox |
1845 |
? |
Appomattox River |
&0000000000013705.00000013,705 |
&0000000000000334.000000334 sq mi
(&0000000000000865.000000865 km²) |
 |
| Arlington County |
013 |
Arlington |
1801 |
? |
Arlington Estate |
&0000000000189453.000000189,453 |
&0000000000000026.00000026 sq mi
(&0000000000000067.00000067 km²) |
 |
| Augusta County |
015 |
Staunton |
1745 |
? |
Augusta of Saxe-Gotha |
&0000000000065615.00000065,615 |
&0000000000000972.000000972 sq mi
(&0000000000002517.0000002,517 km²) |
 |
| Bath County |
017 |
Warm Springs |
1790 |
? |
Bath England |
&0000000000005048.0000005,048 |
&0000000000000532.000000532 sq mi
(&0000000000001378.0000001,378 km²) |
 |
| Bedford County |
019 |
Bedford |
1753 |
? |
John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford |
&0000000000060371.00000060,371 |
&0000000000000755.000000755 sq mi
(&0000000000001955.0000001,955 km²) |
 |
| Bland County |
021 |
Bland |
1861 |
? |
Richard Bland |
&0000000000006871.0000006,871 |
&0000000000000359.000000359 sq mi
(&0000000000000930.000000930 km²) |
 |
| Botetourt County |
023 |
Fincastle |
1796 |
? |
Baron de Botetourt |
&0000000000030496.00000030,496 |
&0000000000000543.000000543 sq mi
(&0000000000001406.0000001,406 km²) |
 |
| Brunswick County |
025 |
Lawrenceville |
1732 |
? |
Duchy of Brunswick-Luneberg |
&0000000000018419.00000018,419 |
&0000000000000566.000000566 sq mi
(&0000000000001466.0000001,466 km²) |
 |
| Buchanan County |
027 |
Grundy |
1858 |
? |
James Buchanan |
&0000000000026978.00000026,978 |
&0000000000000504.000000504 sq mi
(&0000000000001305.0000001,305 km²) |
 |
| Buckingham County |
029 |
Buckingham |
1785 |
? |
Duke of Buckingham or Buckinghamshire |
&0000000000015623.00000015,623 |
&0000000000000581.000000581 sq mi
(&0000000000001505.0000001,505 km²) |
 |
| Campbell County |
031 |
Rustburg |
1782 |
? |
William Campbell |
&0000000000051078.00000051,078 |
&0000000000000504.000000504 sq mi
(&0000000000001305.0000001,305 km²) |
 |
| Caroline County |
033 |
Bowling Green |
1728 |
? |
Caroline of Ansbach |
&0000000000022121.00000022,121 |
&0000000000000533.000000533 sq mi
(&0000000000001380.0000001,380 km²) |
 |
| Carroll County |
035 |
Hillsville |
1842 |
? |
Charles Carroll |
&0000000000029245.00000029,245 |
&0000000000000476.000000476 sq mi
(&0000000000001233.0000001,233 km²) |
 |
| Charles City County |
036 |
Charles City |
1634 |
? |
Charles I of England |
&0000000000006926.0000006,926 |
&0000000000000182.000000182 sq mi
(&0000000000000471.000000471 km²) |
 |
| Charlotte County |
037 |
Charlotte Court House |
1765 |
? |
Charlotte of Mecklenberg-Strelitz |
&0000000000012472.00000012,472 |
&0000000000000475.000000475 sq mi
(&0000000000001230.0000001,230 km²) |
 |
| Chesterfield County |
041 |
Chesterfield |
1749 |
? |
Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield |
&0000000000259903.000000259,903 |
&0000000000000426.000000426 sq mi
(&0000000000001103.0000001,103 km²) |
 |
| Clarke County |
043 |
Berryville |
1836 |
? |
George Rogers Clarke |
&0000000000012652.00000012,652 |
&0000000000000177.000000177 sq mi
(&0000000000000458.000000458 km²) |
 |
| Craig County |
045 |
New Castle |
1851 |
? |
Robert Craig |
&0000000000005091.0000005,091 |
&0000000000000330.000000330 sq mi
(&0000000000000855.000000855 km²) |
 |
| Culpeper County |
047 |
Culpeper |
1748 |
? |
Thomas Colepeper |
&0000000000034262.00000034,262 |
&0000000000000381.000000381 sq mi
(&0000000000000987.000000987 km²) |
 |
| Cumberland County |
049 |
Cumberland |
1749 |
? |
Prince William, Duke of Cumberland |
&0000000000009017.0000009,017 |
&0000000000000298.000000298 sq mi
(&0000000000000772.000000772 km²) |
 |
| Dickenson County |
051 |
Clintwood |
1880 |
? |
William Dickinson |
&0000000000016395.00000016,395 |
&0000000000000333.000000333 sq mi
(&0000000000000862.000000862 km²) |
 |
| Dinwiddie County |
053 |
Dinwiddie |
1752 |
? |
Robert Dinwiddie |
&0000000000024533.00000024,533 |
&0000000000000504.000000504 sq mi
(&0000000000001305.0000001,305 km²) |
 |
| Essex County |
057 |
Tappahannock |
1692 |
? |
Essex, United Kingdom |
&0000000000009989.0000009,989 |
&0000000000000258.000000258 sq mi
(&0000000000000668.000000668 km²) |
 |
| Fairfax County |
059 |
Fairfax |
1742 |
? |
Thomas Fairfax |
&0000000000969749.000000969,749 |
&0000000000000396.000000396 sq mi
(&0000000000001026.0000001,026 km²) |
 |
| Fauquier County |
061 |
Warrenton |
1759 |
? |
Francis Faquier |
&0000000000055139.00000055,139 |
&0000000000000650.000000650 sq mi
(&0000000000001683.0000001,683 km²) |
 |
| Floyd County |
063 |
Floyd |
1831 |
? |
John Floyd |
&0000000000013874.00000013,874 |
&0000000000000382.000000382 sq mi
(&0000000000000989.000000989 km²) |
 |
| Fluvanna County |
065 |
Palmyra |
1777 |
? |
James River |
&0000000000020047.00000020,047 |
&0000000000000287.000000287 sq mi
(&0000000000000743.000000743 km²) |
 |
| Franklin County |
067 |
Rocky Mount |
1785 |
? |
Benjamin Franklin |
&0000000000047286.00000047,286 |
&0000000000000692.000000692 sq mi
(&0000000000001792.0000001,792 km²) |
 |
| Frederick County |
069 |
Winchester |
1743 |
? |
Frederick Prince of Wales |
&0000000000059209.00000059,209 |
&0000000000000415.000000415 sq mi
(&0000000000001075.0000001,075 km²) |
 |
| Giles County |
071 |
Pearisburg |
1806 |
? |
William Branch Giles |
&0000000000016657.00000016,657 |
&0000000000000358.000000358 sq mi
(&0000000000000927.000000927 km²) |
 |
| Gloucester County |
073 |
Gloucester |
1651 |
? |
Gloucestershire or Duke of Gloucester |
&0000000000034780.00000034,780 |
&0000000000000217.000000217 sq mi
(&0000000000000562.000000562 km²) |
 |
| Goochland County |
075 |
Goochland |
1727 |
? |
William Gooch |
&0000000000016863.00000016,863 |
&0000000000000284.000000284 sq mi
(&0000000000000736.000000736 km²) |
 |
| Grayson County |
077 |
Independence |
1793 |
? |
William Grayson |
&0000000000017917.00000017,917 |
&0000000000000443.000000443 sq mi
(&0000000000001147.0000001,147 km²) |
 |
| Greene County |
079 |
Stanardsville |
1838 |
? |
Nathanael Greene |
&0000000000015244.00000015,244 |
&0000000000000157.000000157 sq mi
(&0000000000000407.000000407 km²) |
 |
| Greensville County |
081 |
Emporia |
1780 |
? |
Nathanael Greene or Richard Greenville |
&0000000000011560.00000011,560 |
&0000000000000296.000000296 sq mi
(&0000000000000767.000000767 km²) |
 |
| Halifax County |
083 |
Halifax |
1752 |
? |
George Montague-Dunk 2nd Earl of Halifax |
&0000000000037355.00000037,355 |
&0000000000000814.000000814 sq mi
(&0000000000002108.0000002,108 km²) |
 |
| Hanover County |
085 |
Hanover |
1720 |
? |
Electorate of Hanover |
&0000000000086320.00000086,320 |
&0000000000000473.000000473 sq mi
(&0000000000001225.0000001,225 km²) |
 |
| Henrico County |
087 |
Richmond |
1617 |
Original county of the Colony under England |
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales |
&0000000000262300.000000262,300 |
&0000000000000238.000000238 sq mi
(&0000000000000616.000000616 km²) |
 |
| Henry County |
089 |
Martinsville |
1777 |
? |
Patrick Henry |
&0000000000057930.00000057,930 |
&0000000000000382.000000382 sq mi
(&0000000000000989.000000989 km²) |
 |
| Highland County |
091 |
Monterey |
1847 |
? |
mountains within the county |
&0000000000002536.0000002,536 |
&0000000000000416.000000416 sq mi
(&0000000000001077.0000001,077 km²) |
 |
| Isle of Wight County |
093 |
Isle of Wight |
1634 |
? |
Isle of Wight |
&0000000000029728.00000029,728 |
&0000000000000316.000000316 sq mi
(&0000000000000818.000000818 km²) |
 |
| James City County |
095 |
Williamsburg |
1617 |
Original county of the Colony under England |
James I of England |
&0000000000048102.00000048,102 |
&0000000000000143.000000143 sq mi
(&0000000000000370.000000370 km²) |
 |
| King and Queen County |
097 |
King and Queen Court House |
1691 |
? |
King William, Queen Mary |
&0000000000006630.0000006,630 |
&0000000000000316.000000316 sq mi
(&0000000000000818.000000818 km²) |
 |
| King George County |
099 |
King George |
1721 |
? |
George I of Great Britain |
&0000000000016803.00000016,803 |
&0000000000000180.000000180 sq mi
(&0000000000000466.000000466 km²) |
 |
| King William County |
101 |
King William |
1702 |
? |
William III of England |
&0000000000013146.00000013,146 |
&0000000000000275.000000275 sq mi
(&0000000000000712.000000712 km²) |
 |
| Lancaster County |
103 |
Lancaster |
1651 |
? |
Lancaster, United Kingdom |
&0000000000011567.00000011,567 |
&0000000000000133.000000133 sq mi
(&0000000000000344.000000344 km²) |
 |
| Lee County |
105 |
Jonesville |
1793 |
? |
Light Horse Harry Lee |
&0000000000023589.00000023,589 |
&0000000000000437.000000437 sq mi
(&0000000000001132.0000001,132 km²) |
 |
| Loudoun County |
107 |
Leesburg |
1757 |
? |
John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun |
&0000000000169599.000000169,599 |
&0000000000000520.000000520 sq mi
(&0000000000001347.0000001,347 km²) |
 |
| Louisa County |
109 |
Louisa |
1742 |
? |
Princess Louisa |
&0000000000025627.00000025,627 |
&0000000000000498.000000498 sq mi
(&0000000000001290.0000001,290 km²) |
 |
| Lunenburg County |
111 |
Lunenburg |
1746 |
? |
Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg |
&0000000000013146.00000013,146 |
&0000000000000432.000000432 sq mi
(&0000000000001119.0000001,119 km²) |
 |
| Madison County |
113 |
Madison |
1793 |
? |
James Madison |
&0000000000012520.00000012,520 |
&0000000000000322.000000322 sq mi
(&0000000000000834.000000834 km²) |
 |
| Mathews County |
115 |
Mathews |
1791 |
? |
Thomas Mathews |
&0000000000009207.0000009,207 |
&0000000000000086.00000086 sq mi
(&0000000000000223.000000223 km²) |
 |
| Mecklenburg County |
117 |
Boydton |
1765 |
? |
Charlotte of Mecklenberg-Strelitz |
&0000000000032380.00000032,380 |
&0000000000000624.000000624 sq mi
(&0000000000001616.0000001,616 km²) |
 |
| Middlesex County |
119 |
Saluda |
1673 |
? |
Middlesex, United Kingdom |
&0000000000009932.0000009,932 |
&0000000000000130.000000130 sq mi
(&0000000000000337.000000337 km²) |
 |
| Montgomery County |
121 |
Christiansburg |
1777 |
? |
Richard Montgomery |
&0000000000083629.00000083,629 |
&0000000000000388.000000388 sq mi
(&0000000000001005.0000001,005 km²) |
 |
| Nelson County |
125 |
Lovingston |
1808 |
? |
Thomas Nelson Jr. |
&0000000000014445.00000014,445 |
&0000000000000472.000000472 sq mi
(&0000000000001222.0000001,222 km²) |
 |
| New Kent County |
127 |
New Kent |
1654 |
? |
Kent County, England or Kent Island |
&0000000000013462.00000013,462 |
&0000000000000210.000000210 sq mi
(&0000000000000544.000000544 km²) |
 |
| Northampton County |
131 |
Eastville |
1634 |
? |
Northamptonshire |
&0000000000013093.00000013,093 |
&0000000000000207.000000207 sq mi
(&0000000000000536.000000536 km²) |
 |
| Northumberland County |
133 |
Heathsville |
1648 |
? |
Northumberland, United Kingdom |
&0000000000012259.00000012,259 |
&0000000000000192.000000192 sq mi
(&0000000000000497.000000497 km²) |
 |
| Nottoway County |
135 |
Nottoway |
1789 |
? |
Nodawa tribe |
&0000000000015725.00000015,725 |
&0000000000000315.000000315 sq mi
(&0000000000000816.000000816 km²) |
 |
| Orange County |
137 |
Orange |
1734 |
? |
William III of England |
&0000000000025881.00000025,881 |
&0000000000000342.000000342 sq mi
(&0000000000000886.000000886 km²) |
 |
| Page County |
139 |
Luray |
1831 |
? |
John Page |
&0000000000023177.00000023,177 |
&0000000000000311.000000311 sq mi
(&0000000000000805.000000805 km²) |
 |
| Patrick County |
141 |
Stuart |
1791 |
? |
Patrick Henry |
&0000000000019407.00000019,407 |
&0000000000000483.000000483 sq mi
(&0000000000001251.0000001,251 km²) |
 |
| Pittsylvania County |
143 |
Chatham |
1767 |
? |
William Pitt |
&0000000000061745.00000061,745 |
&0000000000000971.000000971 sq mi
(&0000000000002515.0000002,515 km²) |
 |
| Powhatan County |
145 |
Powhatan |
1777 |
? |
Powhatan |
&0000000000022377.00000022,377 |
&0000000000000261.000000261 sq mi
(&0000000000000676.000000676 km²) |
 |
| Prince Edward County |
147 |
Farmville |
1754 |
? |
Prince Augustus William of Prussia |
&0000000000019720.00000019,720 |
&0000000000000353.000000353 sq mi
(&0000000000000914.000000914 km²) |
 |
| Prince George County |
149 |
Prince George |
1703 |
? |
Prince George of Denmark |
&0000000000033047.00000033,047 |
&0000000000000266.000000266 sq mi
(&0000000000000689.000000689 km²) |
 |
| Prince William County |
153 |
Manassas |
1731 |
? |
Prince William Augustus |
&0000000000380813.000000380,813 |
&0000000000000338.000000338 sq mi
(&0000000000000875.000000875 km²) |
 |
| Pulaski County |
155 |
Pulaski |
1839 |
? |
Kazimierz Pulaski |
&0000000000035127.00000035,127 |
&0000000000000321.000000321 sq mi
(&0000000000000831.000000831 km²) |
 |
|
