List of counties in Kentucky

The US -American state of Kentucky 's 120 counties divided and is in the number of counties with it in third place behind Texas (254) and Georgia (159). A law from the early days of the state states that the county capital cannot be further than a day's ride from the county's border.

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The official abbreviation of Kentucky is KY and the FIPS code is 21 . The FIPS code of each individual county always starts with 21 , followed by the three-digit number given in the table for each county.

The population figures shown in the table are based on the results of the 2011 census .

county	FIPS code	County Seat	founding	origin	Origin of name	Residents 2010	surface	map
Adair	001	Columbia	1802	Green County	John Adair (1757-1840) - Kentucky Governor (1820-1824)	18,656	1,054 km²
Everyone	003	Scottsville	1815	Barren County and Warren County	John Allen (1771–1813) - British-American War officer of 1812	19,956	896 km²
Anderson	005	Lawrenceburg	1827	Franklin, Washington and Mercer Counties	Richard Clough Anderson (1788-1826) - US Congressman (1817-1821)	21,421	525 km²
Ballard	007	Wickliffe	1842	Hickman and McCracken Counties	Bland Ballard (1761-1853) - Officer (Battles of Fallen Timbers and Frenchtown ), MP in Kentucky	8,249	651 km²
Ingots	009	Glasgow	1789	Green and Warren Counties	"The Barrens", a region in Kentucky	42.173	1,272 km²
Bath	011	Owingsville	1811	Montgomery County	Medicinal springs in the county	11,591	734 km²
Bell	013	Pineville	1867	Harlan and Knox Counties	Joshua Fry Bell (1811–1870) - Kentucky MP (1862–1867)	28,691	934 km²
Boone	015	Burlington	1798	Campbell County	Daniel Boone (1734-1820) - pioneer and hunter	118,811	638 km²
bourbon	017	Paris	1785	Fayette County	Noble family of the Bourbons	19,985	755 km²
Boyd	019	Catlettsburg	1860	Greenup, Carter, and Lawrence Counties	Linn Boyd (1800–1859) - Member of the US Congress (1835–1837; 1839–1855) and Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky (1859)	49,542	415 km²
Boyle	021	Danville	1842	Lincoln and Mercer Counties	John Boyle (1774–1835) - Member of the US House of Representatives (1803–1809) and Chief Justice of Kentucky (1810–1826)	28,432	471 km²
Bracken	023	Brooksville	1796	Mason and Campbell Counties	William Bracken - Hunter and Trapper	8,488	526 km²
Breathitt	025	Jackson	1839	Clay, Perry, and Estill Counties	John Breathitt (1786-1834) - Kentucky Governor (1832-1834)	13,878	1,283 km²
Breckinridge	027	Hardinsburg	1799	Hardin County	John Breckinridge (1760-1806) - US Senator from Kentucky (1801-1805) and Attorney General (1805-1806)	20,059	1,742 km²
Bullitt	029	Shepherdsville	1796	Jefferson and Nelson County	Alexander Scott Bullitt - (1761–1816) Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky (1800–1804)	74,319	775 km²
butler	031	Morgantown	1810	Logan and Ohio Counties	Richard Butler (1743–1791) - General in the War of Independence	12,690	1,109 km²
Caldwell	033	Princeton	1809	Livingston County	John Caldwell (1757-1804) - Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky (1804)	12,984	899 km²
Calloway	035	Murray	1822	Hickman County	Richard Callaway (1724–1780) - one of the earliest white settlers in Kentucky	37.191	1000 km²
Campbell	037	Alexandria	1794	Harrison, Mason, and Scott Counties	John Campbell (1735–1799) - soldier in the Revolutionary War	90,336	393 km²
Carlisle	039	Bardwell	1886	Hickman County	John Griffin Carlisle (1834–1910) - Member of the US House of Representatives (1877–1889), US Senator (1890–1892) and Secretary of the Treasury of the United States (1893–1898)	5,104	499 km²
Carroll	041	Carrollton	1838	Gallatin, Trimble, and Henry Counties	Charles Carroll (1737–1832) - last survivor of the United States' founding fathers	10,811	337 km²
Carter	043	Grayson	1838	Greenup and Lawrence Counties	William Grayson Carter (? –1849) - Kentucky Senator (1834–1838)	27,720	1,063 km²
Casey	045	Liberty	1806	Lincoln County	William Casey (1754-1816) - soldier in the Revolutionary War	15,955	1,154 km²
Christian	047	Hopkinsville	1796	Logan County	William Christian (1743–1786) - War of Independence officer	73.955	1,868 km²
Clark	049	Winchester	1792	Bourbon and Fayette Counties	George Rogers Clark (1752-1818) - one of the first white settlers of Kentucky and fighter in the Revolutionary War	35,613	659 km²
Clay	051	Manchester	1807	Madison, Floyd, and Knox Counties	Green Clay (1757–1828) - War of Independence general , surveyor, and politician	21,730	1,220 km²
Clinton	053	Albany	1835	Cumberland and Wayne Counties	DeWitt Clinton - Governor of New York (1817-1823)	10,272	511 km²
Crittenden	055	Marion	1842	Livingston County	John J. Crittenden (1787–1863) - Kentucky Governor (1848–1850)	9,315	938 km²
Cumberland	057	Burkesville	1798	Green County	The Cumberland River flows through the county	6,856	792 km²
Daviess	059	Owensboro	1815	Ohio County	Joseph Hamilton Daviess (1774-1811) - died as an officer in the battle of Tippecanoe	96,656	1,198 km²
Edmonson	061	Brownsville	1825	Hart, Grayson, and Warren Counties	John Edmonson (1764-1813) - officer who died in the Battle of Frenchtown	12,161	784 km²
Elliott	063	Sandy Hook	1869	Morgan, Lawrence and Carter Counties	John Milton Elliott (1820–1879) - Kentucky MP	7,852	606 km²
Estill	065	Irvine	1808	Clark and Madison Counties	James Estill (1750–1782) - officer who died in the War of Independence	14,672	658 km²
Fayette	067	Lexington	1780	One of three original counties	Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834) - French volunteer, general in the War of Independence	295,803	737 km²
Fleming	069	Flemingsburg	1798	Mason County	John Fleming (1735–1791) - one of the first white settlers in Kentucky	14,348	909 km²
Floyd	071	Prestonsburg	1800	Fleming, Montgomery and Mason Counties	James John Floyd (1750–1783) - settler and surveyor	39,451	1,021 km²
Franklin	073	Frankfort	1794	Mercer, Shelby, and Woodford Counties	Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) - one of the founding fathers of the United States	49,285	545 km²
Fulton	075	Hickman	1845	Hickman County	Robert Fulton (1765–1815) - engineer, designed the first commercially viable steamboat	6,813	541 km²
Gallatin	077	Warsaw	1798	Franklin and Shelby Counties	Albert Gallatin (1761–1849) - United States Secretary of the Treasury (1801–1814)	8,589	256 km²
Garrard	079	Lancaster	1796	Madison, Lincoln and Mercer Counties	James Garrard - Kentucky Governor (1796-1804)	16,912	599 km²
Grant	081	Williamstown	1820	Pendleton County	Several early white settlers named Grant	24,662	673 km²
Graves	083	Mayfield	1824	Hickman County	Benjamin F. Graves (1771–1813) - officer who died in the Battle of Frenchtown	37.121	1,439 km²
Grayson	085	Leitchfield	1810	Hardin and Ohio Counties	William Grayson (1740–1790) - personal adjutant to George Washington	25,746	1,305 km²
Green	087	Greensburg	1792	Lincoln and Nelson County	Nathanael Greene (1742–1786) - General in the War of Independence	11,258	748 km²
Greenup	089	Greenup	1803	Mason County	Christopher Greenup (1750-1818) - Kentucky Governor (1804-1808)	36,910	896 km²
Hancock	091	Hawesville	1829	Ohio, Breckinridge, and Daviess Counties	John Hancock (1737–1793) - co-signer of the US Declaration of Independence	8,565	489 km²
Hardin	093	Elizabethtown	1792	Nelson County	John Hardin (1753-1792) - settler	105,543	1,626 km²
Harlan	095	Harlan	1819	Knox County	Silas Harlan (1753–1782) - soldier in the War of Independence	29,278	1,210 km²
Harrison	097	Cynthiana	1793	Bourbon and Scott Counties	Benjamin Harrison (1726–1791) - Governor of Virginia (1782–1784), co-author of the Kentucky Constitution	18,846	802 km²
Hard	099	Munfordville	1819	Hardin and Barren Counties	Nathaniel GT Hart (1784–1813) - Officer in the Battle of Frenchtown	18.199	1,077 km²
Henderson	101	Henderson	1798	Christian County	Richard Henderson (1734–1785) - founder of the short-lived Transylania Company colony	46,250	1,140 km²
Henry	103	New Castle	1798	Shelby County	Patrick Henry (1736–1799) - prominent representative of the American independence movement	15,416	749 km²
Hickman	105	Clinton	1821	Christian County	Paschal Hickman (1778–1813) - officer who died in the Battle of Frenchtown	4,902	633 km²
Hopkins	107	Madisonville	1806	Henderson County	Samuel Hopkins (1753-1819) - General in the War of Independence	46,920	1,426 km²
Jackson	109	McKee	1858	Madison, Estill, Owsley, Clay, Laurel, and Rockcastle Counties	Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) - seventh President of the United States (1829–1837)	13,494	897 km²
Jefferson	111	Louisville	1780	One of the three original counties	Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) - third President of the United States (1801–1809)	741.096	997 km²
Jessamine	113	Nicholasville	1798	Fayette County	Jessamine Creek	48,586	448 km²
Johnson	115	Paintsville	1843	Floyd, Lawrence, and Morgan Counties	Richard Mentor Johnson (1780–1850) - Vice President of the United States (1837–1841)	23,356	677 km²
Kenton	117	Covington	1840	Campbell County	Simon Kenton (1755–1836) - settler	159,720	420 km²
Knott	119	Hindman	1884	Perry, Letcher, Floyd, and Breathitt Counties	James Proctor Knott (1830-1911) - Kentucky Governor (1883-1887)	16,346	912 km²
Knox	121	Barbourville	1799	Lincoln County	Henry Knox - U.S. Secretary of War (1785–1794)	31,883	1,004 km²
LaRue	123	Hodgenville	1843	Hardin County	John Larue (1746–1792) - one of the first settlers in Kentucky	14,193	682 km²
Laurel	125	London	1825	Rockcastle, Clay, Knox and Whitley Counties	Kalmia latifolia ( Mountain laurel ) - a species of tree that occurs frequently in the region	58,849	1,128 km²
Lawrence	127	Louisa	1821	Greenup and Floyd Counties	James Lawrence (1781–1813) - naval officer in the British-American War of 1812	15,860	1,085 km²
lee	129	Beattyville	1870	Breathitt, Estill, Owsley, and Wolfe Counties	Robert Edward Lee (1807–1870) - Confederate general in the Civil War	7,887	544 km²
Leslie	131	Hyden	1878	Clay, Harlan, and Perry Counties	Preston Leslie (1819–1907) - Kentucky Governor (1871–1875)	11,310	1,046 km²
Letcher	133	Whitesburg	1842	Perry and Harlan Counties	Robert Letcher (1788–1861) - Kentucky Governor (1840–1844)	24,519	878 km²
Lewis	135	Vanceburg	1806	Mason County	Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) - explorer	13,870	1,255 km²
Lincoln	137	Stanford	1780	One of the three original counties	Benjamin Lincoln (1733-1810) - General in the War of Independence	24,742	871 km²
Livingston	139	Smithland	1799	Christian County	Robert R. Livingston (1746–1813) - was a member of the committee that submitted the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress	9,519	819 km²
Logan	141	Russellville	1792	Lincoln County	Benjamin Logan (1742–1802) - War of Independence officer	26,835	1,439 km²
Lyon	143	Eddyville	1854	Caldwell County	Chittenden Lyon (1787–1842) - Member of the US House of Representatives (1827–1835)	8,314	559 km²
McCracken	145	Paducah	1825	Hickman County	Virgil McCracken - Officer killed in the Battle of Frenchtown	65,565	650 km²
McCreary	147	Whitley City	1912	Pulaski, Wayne, and Whitley Counties	James B. McCreary (1838-1918) - Kentucky Governor (1912-1916)	18.306	1,108 km²
McLean	149	Calhoun	1854	Daviess, Muhlenberg and Ohio Counties	Alney McLean (1779–1841) - Member of the US House of Representatives (1815–1817; 1819–1821)	9,531	659 km²
Madison	151	Richmond	1785	Lincoln County	James Madison (1751-1836) - fourth President of the United States (1809-1817)	82,916	1,141 km²
Magoffin	153	Salyersville	1860	Floyd, Johnson, and Morgan Counties	Beriah Magoffin (1815–1885) - Kentucky Governor (1859–1862)	13,333	801 km²
Marion	155	Lebanon	1834	Washington County	Francis Marion (1732–1795) - General in the War of Independence	19,820	897 km²
Marshall	157	Benton	1842	Calloway County	John Marshall (1755-1835) - Chief Justice of the United States (1801-1835)	31,448	790 km²
Martin	159	Inez	1870	Floyd, Johnson, Pike, and Lawrence Counties	John Preston Martin - Member of the United States Congress (1845-1847)	12,929	598 km²
mason	161	Maysville	1788	Bourbon County	George Mason (1725–1792) - Virginia politician	17,490	624 km²
Meade	163	Brandenburg	1823	Breckinridge and Hardin Counties	James Meade died in the Battle of Frenchtown	28,602	799 km²
Menifee	165	Frenchburg	1869	Bath, Montgomery, Morgan, Powell and Wolfe Counties	Richard Menefee (1809–1841) - Member of the US House of Representatives (1837–1839)	6,306	528 km²
Mercer	167	Harrodsburg	1785	Lincoln County	Hugh Mercer (1726–1777) - died as brigadier general in the War of Independence	21,331	650 km²
Metcalfe	169	Edmonton	1860	Barren, Hart, Green, Adair, Cumberland, and Monroe Counties	Thomas Metcalfe (1780–1855) - Kentucky Governor (1828–1832)	10,099	753 km²
Monroe	171	Tompkinsville	1820	Bullion and Cumberland Counties	James Monroe (1758–1831) - fifth President of the United States (1817–1825)	10,963	857 km²
Montgomery	173	Mount Sterling	1796	Clark County	Richard Montgomery (1738–1775) - General in the War of Independence	26,499	514 km²
Morgan	175	West Liberty	1822	Bath and Floyd Counties	Daniel Morgan (politician) Daniel Morgan (1736–1802) - General in the War of Independence	13,923	936 km²
Muhlenberg	177	Greenville	1798	Christian and Logan Counties	Peter Muhlenberg (1746–1807) - General in the War of Independence	31,499	1,230 km²
Nelson	179	Bardstown	1784	Jefferson County	Thomas Nelson junior (1738–1789) - one of the founding fathers of the USA	43,437	1,095 km²
Nicholas	181	Carlisle	1799	Mason and Bourbon Counties	George Nicholas (1743–1799) - War of Independence officer	7.135	509 km²
Ohio	183	Hartford	1798	Hardin County	Ohio River - before the Daviess and Hancock Counties split off, it formed the northern border of Ohio County	23,842	1,538 km²
Oldham	185	La Grange	1823	Henry, Jefferson, and Shelby Counties	William Oldham (1753–1791) - War of Independence officer	60,316	490 km²
Owen	187	Owenton	1819	Franklin, Gallatin, and Scott Counties	Abraham Owen (1769–1811) - fell as an officer in the battle of Tippecanoe	10,841	912 km²
Owsley	189	Booneville	1843	Breathitt, Clay, and Estill Counties	William Owsley (1782–1862) - Kentucky Governor (1844–1848)	4,755	513 km²
Pendleton	191	Falmouth	1798	Campbell and Bracken Counties	Edmund Pendleton (1721–1803) - Member of the Continental Congress	14,877	727 km²
Perry	193	Hazard	1820	Floyd and Clay County	Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819) - Admiral British-American War of 1812	28,712	886 km²
pike	195	Pikeville	1821	Floyd County	Zebulon Pike (1779–1813) - discoverer of Pikes Peak	65,024	2,040 km²
Powell	197	Stanton	1852	Clark, Estill, and Montgomery Counties	Lazarus W. Powell (1812–1867) - Kentucky Governor (1851–1855)	12,613	467 km²
Pulaski	199	Somerset	1798	Green and Lincoln Counties	Kazimierz Pułaski (1745–1779) - Polish volunteer, died in the War of Independence	63,063	1,714 km²
Robertson	201	Mount Olivet	1767	Bracken, Harrison, Mason, and Nicholas Counties	George Robertson - Kentucky Chief Justice (1828–1843)	2,282	259 km²
Rockcastle	203	Mount Vernon	1810	Lincoln, Madison, Knox, and Pulaski Counties	Rockcastle River - forms the border with Laurel County	17.056	822 km²
Rowan	205	Morehead	1856	Fleming and Morgan Counties	John Rowan (1773-1843) - Kentucky Congressman (1809-1811; 1825-1831)	23,333	727 km²
Russell	207	Jamestown	1825	Adair, Wayne, and Cumberland Counties	William Russell (1758–1825) - officer and MP	17,565	657 km²
Scott	209	Georgetown	1792	Woodford County	Charles Scott - fourth governor of Kentucky (1808-1812)	47.173	737 km²
Shelby	211	Shelbyville	1792	Jefferson County	Isaac Shelby (1750-1826) - first governor of Kentucky (1792-1796; 1812-1816)	42,074	995 km²
Simpson	213	Franklin	1819	Allen, Logan, and Warren Counties	John Simpson - officer who died in the Battle of Frenchtown	17,327	612 km²
Spencer	215	Taylorsville	1824	Nelson, Shelby, and Bullitt Counties	Spears Spencer - officer who died in the Battle of Tippecanoe	17,061	484 km²
Taylor	217	Campbellsville	1848	Green County	Zachary Taylor (1784–1850) - 12th President of the United States (1849–1850)	24,512	699 km²
Todd	219	Elkton	1819	Logan and Christian County	John Todd (1750–1782) - officer who died in the Revolutionary War	12,460	975 km²
Trigger	221	Cadiz	1820	Christian and Caldwell Counties	Stephen Trigg (1744–1782) - officer who died in the War of Independence	14,339	1,148 km²
Trimble	223	Bedford	1837	Gallatin, Henry and Oldham Counties	Robert Trimble (1776–1828) - US Supreme Court Justice (1826–1828)	8,809	386 km²
union	225	Morganfield	1811	Henderson County	Unanimous decision to found a new county	15.007	894 km²
Warren	227	Bowling green	1796	Logan County	Joseph Warren (1741–1775) - General in the American War of Independence	113,792	1,412 km²
Washington	229	Springfield	1792	Jefferson County	George Washington (1732–1799) - first President of the United States (1789–1797)	11,717	779 km²
Wayne	231	Monticello	1800	Pulaski County and Cumberland County	Anthony Wayne (1745–1796) - War of Independence general	20,813	1,190 km²
Webster	233	Dixon	1860	Henderson, Hopkins and Union Counties	Daniel Webster (1782-1852) - United States Secretary of State (1841-1843; 1850-1852)	13,621	867 km²
Whitley	235	Williamsburg	1818	Knox County	William Whitley (1749–1813) - one of the early settlers in Kentucky	35,637	1,140 km²
Wolfe	237	Campton	1860	Breathitt, Owsley and Powell Counties	Nathaniel Wolfe (1808–1865) - Kentucky MP	7,355	577 km²
Woodford	239	Versailles	1788	Fayette County	William Woodford (1734–1780) - General in the War of Independence	24,939	694 km²

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} U.S. Census Bureau - Kentucky - State & County QuickFacts ( Memento of the original from June 22, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Area information in square miles - conversion into square kilometers 
2. ↑ United States Census 2011.Retrieved March 17, 2011