Settlements in Virginia |
---|
Cities · Towns · Unincorporated Counties · Magisterial · Former |
The Commonwealth of Virginia is divided into 95 counties and 39 independent cities, which are considered county-equivalents for census purposes. Note that the map in this article, taken from the official United States Census Bureau site, includes Clifton Forge as an independent city. This reflected the political reality at the time of the 2000 Census. However, in 2001, Clifton Forge relinquished its city charter and reincorporated as a town in Alleghany County, as in Virginia all municipalities incorporated as towns are included within counties. For some counties, for statistical purposes, the Bureau of Economic Analysis combines any independent cities with the county that it was once part of (before the legislation creating independent cities took place in 1871).
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.
The map below may be clicked upon to go to any of the counties (or named Independent cities) shown.
Template:Virginia counties imagemap
List of 95 counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia (link shown under Fips County Code are for the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics Info Page for that county):
List[]
County |
FIPS code [1] |
County seat [2] |
Established [2] |
Origin |
Etymology |
Population [2] |
Area [2] |
Map |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Accomack County | 001 | Accomac | 1663 | ? | Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle | 79,236 | ( 1,873 km2) |
723 sq mi|
Albemarle County | 003 | Charlottesville | 1744 | ? | The county was named in honor of Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle | 98,970 | ( 1,873 km2) |
723 sq mi|
Alleghany County | 005 | Covington | 1822 | ? | Alleghany Mountains | 12,926 | ( 1,155 km2) |
446 sq mi|
Amelia County | 007 | Amelia Court House | 1734 | ? | Princess Amelia Sophia | 11,400 | ( 925 km2) |
357 sq mi|
Amherst County | 009 | Amherst | 1761 | ? | Jeffery Amherst | 31,894 | ( 1,230 km2) |
475 sq mi|
Appomattox County | 011 | Appomattox | 1845 | ? | Appomattox River | 13,705 | ( 865 km2) |
334 sq mi|
Arlington County | 013 | Arlington | 1801 | ? | Arlington Estate | 189,453 | ( 67 km2) |
26 sq mi|
Augusta County | 015 | Staunton | 1745 | ? | Augusta of Saxe-Gotha | 65,615 | ( 2,515 km2) |
971 sq mi|
Bath County | 017 | Warm Springs | 1790 | From Augusta, Botetourt and Greenbrier counties December 14, 1790 | Bath, England | 5,048 | ( 1,378 km2) |
532 sq mi|
Bedford County | 019 | Bedford | 1753 | ? | John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford | 60,371 | ( 1,955 km2) |
755 sq mi|
Bland County | 021 | Bland | 1861 | ? | Richard Bland | 6,871 | ( 930 km2) |
359 sq mi|
Botetourt County | 023 | Fincastle | 1796 | ? | Baron de Botetourt | 30,496 | ( 1,406 km2) |
543 sq mi|
Brunswick County | 025 | Lawrenceville | 1732 | ? | Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg | 18,419 | ( 1,466 km2) |
566 sq mi|
Buchanan County | 027 | Grundy | 1858 | ? | James Buchanan | 26,978 | ( 1,305 km2) |
504 sq mi|
Buckingham County | 029 | Buckingham | 1785 | ? | Duke of Buckingham or Buckinghamshire | 15,623 | ( 1,505 km2) |
581 sq mi|
Campbell County | 031 | Rustburg | 1782 | ? | William Campbell | 51,078 | ( 1,305 km2) |
504 sq mi|
Caroline County | 033 | Bowling Green | 1728 | ? | Caroline of Ansbach | 22,121 | ( 1,380 km2) |
533 sq mi|
Carroll County | 035 | Hillsville | 1842 | ? | Charles Carroll | 29,245 | ( 1,233 km2) |
476 sq mi|
Charles City County | 036 | Charles City | 1634 | Colonial division before 1635[3] | Charles I of England | 6,926 | ( 471 km2) |
182 sq mi|
Charlotte County | 037 | Charlotte Court House | 1765 | ? | Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | 12,472 | ( 1,230 km2) |
475 sq mi|
Chesterfield County | 041 | Chesterfield | 1749 | ? | Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield | 259,903 | ( 1,103 km2) |
426 sq mi|
Clarke County | 043 | Berryville | 1836 | ? | George Rogers Clarke | 12,652 | ( 458 km2) |
177 sq mi|
Craig County | 045 | New Castle | 1851 | ? | Robert Craig | 5,091 | ( 855 km2) |
330 sq mi|
Culpeper County | 047 | Culpeper | 1748 | ? | Thomas Colepeper | 34,262 | ( 987 km2) |
381 sq mi|
Cumberland County | 049 | Cumberland | 1749 | ? | Prince William, Duke of Cumberland | 9,017 | ( 772 km2) |
298 sq mi|
Dickenson County | 051 | Clintwood | 1880 | ? | William J. Dickinson | 16,395 | ( 862 km2) |
333 sq mi|
Dinwiddie County | 053 | Dinwiddie | 1752 | ? | Robert Dinwiddie | 24,533 | ( 1,305 km2) |
504 sq mi|
Essex County | 057 | Tappahannock | 1609 | Founded by John Smith who lived in Hustle, Essex County | Essex, United Kingdom | 9,989 | ( 668 km2) |
258 sq mi|
Fairfax County | 059 | Fairfax | 1742 | ? | Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron | 1,077,000 | ( 1,026 km2) |
396 sq mi|
Fauquier County | 061 | Warrenton | 1759 | ? | Francis Fauquier | 55,139 | ( 1,683 km2) |
650 sq mi|
Floyd County | 063 | Floyd | 1831 | ? | John Floyd | 13,874 | ( 989 km2) |
382 sq mi|
Fluvanna County | 065 | Palmyra | 1777 | ? | An alternate name for the James River | 20,047 | ( 743 km2) |
287 sq mi|
Franklin County | 067 | Rocky Mount | 1785 | ? | Benjamin Franklin | 47,286 | ( 1,792 km2) |
692 sq mi|
Frederick County | 069 | Winchester | 1743 | ? | Frederick, Prince of Wales | 59,209 | ( 1,075 km2) |
415 sq mi|
Giles County | 071 | Pearisburg | 1806 | ? | William Branch Giles | 16,657 | ( 927 km2) |
358 sq mi|
Gloucester County | 073 | Gloucester | 1651 | ? | Gloucestershire or Duke of Gloucester | 34,780 | ( 562 km2) |
217 sq mi|
Goochland County | 075 | Goochland | 1727 | ? | William Gooch | 16,863 | ( 736 km2) |
284 sq mi|
Grayson County | 077 | Independence | 1793 | ? | William Grayson | 17,917 | ( 1,147 km2) |
443 sq mi|
Greene County | 079 | Stanardsville | 1838 | ? | Nathanael Greene | 15,244 | ( 407 km2) |
157 sq mi|
Greensville County | 081 | Emporia | 1780 | ? | Nathanael Greene or Richard Greenville | 11,560 | ( 767 km2) |
296 sq mi|
Halifax County | 083 | Halifax | 1752 | ? | George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax | 37,355 | ( 2,108 km2) |
814 sq mi|
Hanover County | 085 | Hanover | 1720 | ? | Electorate of Hanover | 86,320 | ( 1,225 km2) |
473 sq mi|
Henrico County | 087 | Henrico | 1617 | Original county of the Colony under England | Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales | 262,300 | ( 616 km2) |
238 sq mi|
Henry County | 089 | Martinsville | 1777 | ? | Patrick Henry | 57,930 | ( 989 km2) |
382 sq mi|
Highland County | 091 | Monterey | 1847 | ? | mountains within the county | 2,536 | ( 1,077 km2) |
416 sq mi|
Isle of Wight County | 093 | Isle of Wight | 1634 | ? | Isle of Wight | 29,728 | ( 818 km2) |
316 sq mi|
James City County | 095 | Williamsburg | 1617 | Original county of the Colony under England | James I of England | 48,102 | ( 370 km2) |
143 sq mi|
King and Queen County | 097 | King and Queen Court House | 1691 | ? | King William, Queen Mary | 6,630 | ( 818 km2) |
316 sq mi|
King George County | 099 | King George | 1721 | ? | George I of Great Britain | 16,803 | ( 466 km2) |
180 sq mi|
King William County | 101 | King William | 1702 | ? | William III of England | 13,146 | ( 712 km2) |
275 sq mi|
Lancaster County | 103 | Lancaster | 1651 | ? | Lancaster, United Kingdom | 11,567 | ( 344 km2) |
133 sq mi|
Lee County | 105 | Jonesville | 1793 | ? | Light Horse Harry Lee | 23,589 | ( 1,132 km2) |
437 sq mi|
Loudoun County | 107 | Leesburg | 1757 | ? | John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun | 169,599 | ( 1,347 km2) |
520 sq mi|
Louisa County | 109 | Louisa | 1742 | ? | Princess Louise | 25,627 | ( 1,290 km2) |
498 sq mi|
Lunenburg County | 111 | Lunenburg | 1746 | ? | Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg | 13,146 | ( 1,119 km2) |
432 sq mi|
Madison County | 113 | Madison | 1793 | ? | Family of James Madison | 12,520 | ( 834 km2) |
322 sq mi|
Mathews County | 115 | Mathews | 1791 | ? | Thomas Mathews | 9,207 | ( 223 km2) |
86 sq mi|
Mecklenburg County | 117 | Boydton | 1765 | ? | Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | 32,380 | ( 1,616 km2) |
624 sq mi|
Middlesex County | 119 | Saluda | 1673 | ? | Middlesex, United Kingdom | 9,932 | ( 337 km2) |
130 sq mi|
Montgomery County | 121 | Christiansburg | 1777 | ? | Richard Montgomery | 83,629 | ( 1,005 km2) |
388 sq mi|
Nansemond County | 800 | Suffolk | 1691 | ? | Nansemond Tribe | 84,585 | ( 1,111 km2) |
429 sq mi|
Nelson County | 125 | Lovingston | 1808 | ? | Thomas Nelson Jr. | 14,445 | ( 1,222 km2) |
472 sq mi|
New Kent County | 127 | New Kent | 1654 | ? | Kent County, England or Kent Island | 13,462 | ( 544 km2) |
210 sq mi|
Northampton County | 131 | Eastville | 1634 | ? | Northamptonshire | 13,093 | ( 536 km2) |
207 sq mi|
Northumberland County | 133 | Heathsville | 1648 | ? | Northumberland, United Kingdom | 12,259 | ( 497 km2) |
192 sq mi|
Nottoway County | 135 | Nottoway | 1789 | ? | Nodawa tribe | 15,725 | ( 816 km2) |
315 sq mi|
Orange County | 137 | Orange | 1734 | ? | William III of England | 25,881 | ( 886 km2) |
342 sq mi|
Page County | 139 | Luray | 1831 | ? | John Page | 23,177 | ( 805 km2) |
311 sq mi|
Patrick County | 141 | Stuart | 1791 | ? | Patrick Henry | 19,407 | ( 1,251 km2) |
483 sq mi|
Pittsylvania County | 143 | Chatham | 1767 | ? | William Pitt | 61,745 | ( 2,533 km2) |
978 sq mi|
Powhatan County | 145 | Powhatan | 1777 | ? | Powhatan | 22,377 | ( 676 km2) |
261 sq mi|
Prince Edward County | 147 | Farmville | 1754 | ? | Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany | 19,720 | ( 914 km2) |
353 sq mi|
Prince George County | 149 | Prince George | 1703 | From Charles City County | Prince George of Denmark | 33,047 | ( 689 km2) |
266 sq mi|
Prince William County | 153 | Manassas | 1731 | ? | Prince William Augustus | 380,813 | ( 875 km2) |
338 sq mi|
Pulaski County | 155 | Pulaski | 1839 | ? | Kazimierz Pulaski | 35,127 | ( 831 km2) |
321 sq mi|
Rappahannock County | 157 | Washington | 1833 | ? | Rappahannock River | 6,983 | ( 692 km2) |
267 sq mi|
Richmond County | 159 | Warsaw | 1692 | ? | Duke of Richmond | 8,809 | ( 497 km2) |
192 sq mi|
Roanoke County | 161 | Salem | 1838 | ? | Roanoke River | 85,778 | ( 650 km2) |
251 sq mi|
Rockbridge County | 163 | Lexington | 1778 | ? | Natural Bridge | 20,808 | ( 1,554 km2) |
600 sq mi|
Rockingham County | 165 | Harrisonburg | 1778 | ? | Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham | 67,725 | ( 2,204 km2) |
851 sq mi|
Russell County | 167 | Lebanon | 1786 | ? | William Russell | 30,308 | ( 1,230 km2) |
475 sq mi|
Scott County | 169 | Gate City | 1814 | ? | Winfield Scott | 23,403 | ( 1,391 km2) |
537 sq mi|
Shenandoah County | 171 | Woodstock | 1772 | ? | Shenandoah River | 35,075 | ( 1,326 km2) |
512 sq mi|
Smyth County | 173 | Marion | 1832 | ? | Alexander Smyth | 33,081 | ( 1,171 km2) |
452 sq mi|
Southampton County | 175 | Courtland | 1749 | ? | Southampton, England or Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton | 17,482 | ( 1,554 km2) |
600 sq mi|
Spotsylvania County | 177 | Spotsylvania | 1721 | ? | Alexander Spotswood | 90,395 | ( 1,039 km2) |
401 sq mi|
Stafford County | 179 | Stafford | 1664 | ? | Stafford, England | 92,446 | ( 699 km2) |
270 sq mi|
Surry County | 181 | Surry | 1652 | ? | Surrey, United Kingdom | 6,829 | ( 723 km2) |
279 sq mi|
Sussex County | 183 | Sussex | 1754 | ? | Sussex, United Kingdom | 12,504 | ( 1,272 km2) |
491 sq mi|
Tazewell County | 185 | Tazewell | 1800 | ? | Henry Tazewell | 44,598 | ( 1,347 km2) |
520 sq mi|
Warren County | 187 | Front Royal | 1836 | ? | Joseph Warren | 31,584 | ( 554 km2) |
214 sq mi|
Washington County | 191 | Abingdon | 1777 | ? | George Washington | 51,103 | ( 1,461 km2) |
564 sq mi|
Westmoreland County | 193 | Montross | 1653 | ? | Westmoreland, United Kingdom | 16,718 | ( 593 km2) |
229 sq mi|
Wise County | 195 | Wise | 1856 | ? | Henry Alexander Wise | 40,123 | ( 1,044 km2) |
403 sq mi|
Wythe County | 197 | Wytheville | 1790 | ? | George Wythe | 27,599 | ( 1,199 km2) |
463 sq mi|
York County | 199 | Yorktown | 1634 | ? | Duke of York | 56,297 | ( 275 km2) |
106 sq mi|
City of Alexandria | 510 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Alexandria County before 1870[5] | John Alexander | 128,283 | ( 39 km2) |
15 sq mi|
City of Bedford | 515 | N/A | 1968 | ? | John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford | 6,299 | ( 18 km2) |
7 sq mi|
City of Bristol | 520 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Washington County in 1890[5] | Bristol | 17,367 | ( 31 km2) |
12 sq mi|
City of Buena Vista | 530 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Rockbridge County in 1892[5] | ? | 6,349 | ( 18 km2) |
7 sq mi|
City of Charlottesville | 540 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Albemarle County in 1888[5] | Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz | 45,049 | ( 26 km2) |
10 sq mi|
City of Chesapeake | 550 | N/A | 1963 | ? | Chesapeake (tribe) | 199,184 | ( 883 km2) |
341 sq mi|
City of Colonial Heights | 570 | N/A | 1948 | ? | Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette's troops, then known as the "Colonials" | 16,897 | ( 21 km2) |
8 sq mi|
City of Covington | 580 | N/A | 1952 | ? | Leonard Covington | 6,303 | ( 10 km2) |
4 sq mi|
City of Danville | 590 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Pittsylvania County before 1870[5] | Dan River | 48,411 | ( 111 km2) |
43 sq mi|
City of Emporia | 595 | N/A | 1967 | ? | ? | 5,665 | ( 18 km2) |
7 sq mi|
City of Fairfax | 600 | N/A | 1961 | ? | Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron | 21,498 | ( 16 km2) |
6 sq mi|
City of Falls Church | 610 | N/A | 1948 | ? | The Falls Church | 10,377 | ( 5 km2) |
2 sq mi|
City of Franklin | 620 | N/A | 1961 | ? | ? | 8,346 | ( 21 km2) |
8 sq mi|
City of Fredericksburg | 630 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Spotsylvania County before 1870[5] | Frederick, Prince of Wales | 19,279 | ( 26 km2) |
10 sq mi|
City of Galax | 640 | N/A | 1952 | ? | ? | 6,837 | ( 21 km2) |
8 sq mi|
City of Hampton | 650 | N/A | 1908 | ? | Southampton, England or Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton | 146,437 | ( 135 km2) |
52 sq mi|
City of Harrisonburg | 660 | N/A | 1916 | From Rockingham County in 1916[5] | Thomas Harrison | 40,468 | ( 47 km2) |
18 sq mi|
City of Hopewell | 670 | N/A | 1916 | From Prince George County in 1916[5] | The Good Ship Hopewell | 22,354 | ( 26 km2) |
10 sq mi|
City of Lexington | 678 | N/A | 1966 | ? | Battle of Lexington | 6,867 | ( 5 km2) |
2 sq mi|
City of Lynchburg | 680 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Campbell County before 1870[5] | John Lynch | 65,269 | ( 127 km2) |
49 sq mi|
City of Manassas | 683 | N/A | 1975 | ? | Manassas Gap Railroad | 37,135 | ( 26 km2) |
10 sq mi|
City of Manassas Park | 685 | N/A | 1975 | ? | ? | 10,290 | ( 5 km2) |
2 sq mi|
City of Martinsville | 690 | N/A | 1928 | ? | Joseph Martin | 15,416 | ( 28 km2) |
11 sq mi|
City of Newport News | 700 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Warwick County in 1896[5] | Uncertain—see main city article | 180,150 | ( 176 km2) |
68 sq mi|
City of Norfolk | 710 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Norfolk County before 1870[5] | ? | 234,403 | ( 140 km2) |
54 sq mi|
City of Norton | 720 | N/A | 1954 | ? | Eckstein Norton | 3,904 | ( 18 km2) |
7 sq mi|
City of Petersburg | 730 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Prince George County before 1870[5] | Peter Jones | 33,740 | ( 60 km2) |
23 sq mi|
City of Poquoson | 735 | N/A | 1975 | From York County | An Algonquin term roughly translating to "great marsh" or "flat land" | 11,566 | ( 41 km2) |
16 sq mi|
City of Portsmouth | 740 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Norfolk County before 1870[5] | Portsmouth, England | 100,565 | ( 85 km2) |
33 sq mi|
City of Radford | 750 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Montgomery County in 1892[5] | Dr. John Blair Radford | 15,859 | ( 26 km2) |
10 sq mi|
City of Richmond | 760 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Henrico County before 1870[5] | Richmond, Surrey, England | 197,790 | ( 155 km2) |
60 sq mi|
City of Roanoke | 770 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Roanoke County in 1884[5] | Roanoke River | 94,911 | ( 111 km2) |
43 sq mi|
City of Salem | 775 | N/A | 1968 | ? | ? | 24,747 | ( 39 km2) |
15 sq mi|
City of Staunton | 790 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Augusta County before 1870[5] | Lady Rebecca Staunton | 23,853 | ( 52 km2) |
20 sq mi|
City of Suffolk | 800 | N/A | 1910 | From Nansemond County in 1910[5] | ? | 63,677 | ( 1,036 km2) |
400 sq miState map highlighting City of Suffolk |
City of Virginia Beach | 810 | N/A | 1963 | Re-consolidation of Princess Anne County 1691–1952 | ? | 425,257 | ( 642 km2) |
248 sq mi|
City of Waynesboro | 820 | N/A | 1948 | ? | Anthony Wayne | 19,520 | ( 36 km2) |
14 sq mi|
City of Williamsburg | 830 | N/A | 1902[4] | From James City County | William III of England | 11,998 | ( 23 km2) |
9 sq mi|
City of Winchester | 840 | N/A | 1902[4] | From Frederick County in 1874[5] | Winchester, England | 23,585 | ( 23 km2) |
9 sq mi
Former Counties of Virginia:
Bermuda Hundred (1617- Original county of the Colony under England
Kecoughtan (1617- Original county of the Colony under England
See also[]
- List of West Virginia counties, as West Virginia was, until June 1863, part of Virginia
References[]
- ^ "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/codes/va.html. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
- ^ a b c d National Association of Counties. "NACo - Find a county". http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/state.cfm&state.cfm&statecode=VA. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
- ^ "Virginia Historical Counties". Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. Chicago: Newberry Library. Retrieved 2010-07-10. Select the map for December 31, 1634 (the earliest date available).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Virginia Historical Counties". Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. Chicago: Newberry Library. Retrieved 2010-07-09. Compare the maps for July 9 and July 10, 1902.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Census Office. Fourteenth Census of the United States (1920), I:148.
|
This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at List of counties in Virginia. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License. |