List of counties in Virginia

Virginia counties and cities, by year of establishment

The US state of Virginia is divided into 95 counties , plus 39 independent cities, which are both cities and counties . The counties of the state, which was founded in 1788, are comparatively small-scale. This made it possible to travel to the county seat (main town) and back in one day, even when it was founded.

Counties

county	FIPS code	County Seat	Founded	Erected from	etymology	population	surface	map
Accomack County	001	Accomac	1663	Accomac Shire was built in 1634 as one of the first Virigina Shires. In 1642 the name changed to Northampton County, which was later split up. The northern part was called Accomac County since 1663 - later spelled with "k".	From the Native American word Accawmack, which means "on the other side" (the Chesapeake Bay )	32,973	1,178 km² ( 455 sq mi)
Albemarle County	003	Charlottesville	1744	From Goochland County .	Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle , Colonial Governor	105,703	1,873 km² ( 723 sq mi)
Alleghany County	005	Covington	1822	Bath , Botetourt, and Monroe Counties (now West Virginia)	Alleghany Mountains	15,677	1,155 km² ( 446 sq mi)
Amelia County	007	Amelia	1735	Brunswick and Prince George Counties	Princess Amelia Sophia , second daughter of George II.	12,903	925 km² ( 357 sq mi)
Amherst County	009	Amherst	1761	From Albemarle county	Jeffery Amherst , British conqueror of Quebec during the Seven Years' War	31,914	1,230 km² ( 475 sq mi)
Appomattox County	011	Appomattox	1845	From Buckingham , Campbell , Charlotte and Prince Edward Counties	Appomattox River	15,414	865 km² ( 334 sq mi)
Arlington County	013	Arlington	1846	Annexed from the District of Columbia	Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial , originally Alexandria County ; renamed 1920	229.164	67 km² ( 26 sq mi)
Augusta County	015	Staunton	1738	From Orange County	Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg , Princess of Wales	74,314	2,515 km² ( 971 sq mi)
Bath County	017	Warm Springs	1791	From Augusta, Botetourt and Greenbrier Countys	Bath, England	4,470	1,378 km² ( 532 sq mi)
Bedford County	019	Bedford	1754	From Lunenburg County	John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford , British politician and negotiator for the Peace of Paris	77,724	1,955 km² ( 755 sq mi)
Bland County	021	Bland	1861	From Giles , Tazewell , and Wythe Counties	Richard Bland	6,561	930 km² ( 359 sq mi)
Botetourt County	023	Fincastle	1770	From Augusta county.	Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt , Governor	33,347	1,406 km² ( 543 sq mi)
Brunswick County	025	Lawrenceville	1720	From Prince George county. Portions of Surry and Isle of Wight Counties were added in 1732	Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , origin of British monarchs	16,698	1,466 km² ( 566 sq mi)
Buchanan County	027	Grundy	1858	From Russell and Tazewell Counties	James Buchanan , fifteenth US President	22,776	1,305 km² ( 504 sq mi)
Buckingham County	029	Buckingham	1761	From Albemarle County	Buckinghamshire , England	17,032	1,505 km² ( 581 sq mi)
Campbell County	031	Rustburg	1782	From Bedford County	William Campbell , General in the Revolutionary War	55,086	1,305 km² ( 504 sq mi)
Caroline County	033	Bowling green	1728	From Essex , King and Queen , and King William Counties	Caroline von Brandenburg-Ansbach , wife of Georg II.	29,984	1,380 km² ( 533 sq mi)
Carroll County	035	Hillsville	1842	From Grayson county	Charles Carroll of Carrollton	29,724	1,233 km² ( 476 sq mi)
Charles City County	036	Charles City	1634	Colonial department before 1635	King Charles I (England)	7,040	471 km² ( 182 sq mi)
Charlotte County	037	Charlotte Court House	1765	From Lunenburg County	Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz	12,201	1,230 km² ( 475 sq mi)
Chesterfield County	041	Chesterfield	1749	From Henrico County	Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield , British politician, Lord of the Bedchamber	335,687	1,103 km² ( 426 sq mi)
Clarke County	043	Berryville	1836	From Frederick County	George Rogers Clark , General	14,363	458 km² ( 177 sq mi)
Craig County	045	New Castle	1851	From Botetourt , Roanoke , Giles , and Monroe Counties	Robert Craig , MP for Virginia	5,211	855 km² ( 330 sq mi)
Culpeper County	047	Culpeper	1749	Culpeper County was formed from Orange County in 1749 .	Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper , Governor	49,432	987 km² ( 381 sq mi)
Cumberland County	049	Cumberland	1749	Goochland County	William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland	9,719	772 km² ( 298 sq mi)
Dickenson County	051	Clintwood	1880	From Buchanan , Russell , and Wise Counties	William J. Dickinson, member of the Virginia House of Delegates	15,115	862 km² ( 333 sq mi)
Dinwiddie County	053	Dinwiddie	1752	From Prince George County	Robert Dinwiddie	27,852	1,305 km² ( 504 sq mi)
Essex County	057	Tappahannock	1692	From old Rappahannock County	English county of Essex	11,130	668 km² ( 258 sq mi)
Fairfax County	059	Fairfax	1742	From Prince William County	Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron	1,142,234	1,026 km² ( 396 sq mi)
Fauquier County	061	Warrenton	1759	From Prince William County	Francis Fauquier	68,782	1,683 km² ( 650 sq mi)
Floyd County	063	Floyd	1831	From Montgomery County	John Floyd , governor	15,651	989 km² ( 382 sq mi)
Fluvanna County	065	Palmyra	1777	From Henrico County	From the Latin name of the James River , which named "Annie's River" by Queen Anne has	26,235	743 km² ( 287 sq mi)
Franklin County	067	Rocky Mount	1786	From parts of Bedford and Henry Counties	Benjamin Franklin	56,264	1,792 km² ( 692 sq mi)
Frederick County	069	Winchester	1738	From Orange County	Friedrich Ludwig of Hanover	83.199	1,075 km² ( 415 sq mi)
Giles County	071	Pearisburg	1806	From Montgomery , Monroe , Wythe , and Tazewell Counties	William Branch Giles , Senator	16,708	927 km² ( 358 sq mi)
Gloucester County	073	Gloucester	1651	From York County	Gloucestershire , England	37.143	562 km² ( 217 sq mi)
Goochland County	075	Goochland	1728	From Henrico County	William Gooch , Governor of Virginia	22,253	736 km² ( 284 sq mi)
Grayson County	077	Independence	1793	From Wythe County	William Grayson , Senator from Virginia	16,012	1,147 km² ( 443 sq mi)
Greene County	079	Stanardsville	1838	From Orange County	Nathanael Greene , General of the War of Independence	19,162	407 km² ( 157 sq mi)
Greensville County	081	Emporia	1781	From Brunswick County	Richard Grenville , explorer	11,885	767 km² ( 296 sq mi)
Halifax County	083	Halifax	1752	From Lunenburg County	George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax , statesman	35,125	2,108 km² ( 814 sq mi)
Hanover County	085	Hanover	1721	From part of New Kent County called St. Paul's Parish	Electorate of Hanover	103.227	1,225 km² ( 473 sq mi)
Henrico County	087	Henrico	1617	Established as an English colony	Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales	325.155	616 km² ( 238 sq mi)
Henry County	089	Martinsville	1777	From Pittsylvania County , originally as Patrick Henry County established	Patrick Henry , Virginia Governor and Founding Father of the United States	51,881	989 km² ( 382 sq mi)
Highland county	091	Monterey	1847	From Bath and Pendleton Counties	Mountainous topography	2.214	1,077 km² ( 416 sq mi)
Isle of Wight County	093	Isle of Wight	1634	English colony, also Warrosquyoake Shire	Isle of Wight , England	36,314	818 km² ( 316 sq mi)
James City County	095	Williamsburg	1617	English colony	Jacob (James) I of England	73.147	370 km² ( 143 sq mi)
King and Queen County	097	King and Queen	1691	1691 from New Kent County .	William III. and Maria II.	7.158	818 km² ( 316 sq mi)
King George County	099	King George	1721	From Richmond County	George I (Great Britain)	25,515	466 km² ( 180 sq mi)
King William County	101	King William	1702	King and Queen County .	William III. (Orange)	16,269	712 km² ( 275 sq mi)
Lancaster County	103	Lancaster	1651	1651 from Northumberland and York Counties.	Lancaster , United Kingdom	10,965	344 km² ( 133 sq mi)
Lee County	105	Jonesville	1793	From Russell County	Light Horse Harry Lee , Governor and General	24,742	1,132 km² ( 437 sq mi)
Loudoun County	107	Leesburg	1757	From Fairfax County	John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun , Army Leader in the Seven Years War	375.629	1,347 km² ( 520 sq mi)
Louisa County	109	Louisa	1742	From Hanover County	Princess Louise	34,602	1,290 km² ( 498 sq mi)
Lunenburg County	111	Lunenburg	1746	From Brunswick County	Duchy of Lueneburg	12,299	1,119 km² ( 432 sq mi)
Madison County	113	Madison	1793	From Orange County	James Madison , statesman, writer of the American Constitution and President	13.134	834 km² ( 322 sq mi)
Mathews County	115	Mathews	1791	From Gloucester County	Thomas Mathews , General.	8,862	223 km² ( 86 sq mi)
Mecklenburg County	117	Boydton	1765	From Lunenburg County	Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz	31,081	1,616 km² ( 624 sq mi)
Middlesex County	119	Saluda	1673	From Lancaster County	Middlesex , United Kingdom	10,606	337 km² ( 130 sq mi)
Montgomery County	121	Christiansburg	1777	From Fincastle County	Richard Montgomery , General in the War of Independence	97,653	1,005 km² ( 388 sq mi)
Nelson County	125	Lovingston	1808	From Amherst County	Thomas Nelson junior , governor and signatory of the Declaration of Independence	14,785	1,222 km² ( 472 sq mi)
New Kent County	127	New Kent	1654	New Kent County was established in 1654 from York County (Virginia) .	English county of Kent	20,392	544 km² ( 210 sq mi)
Northampton County	131	Eastville	1634	English colony, initially under the name Accomac Shire . Renamed Northampton County then split in 1642.	Northamptonshire , England	12,155	536 km² ( 207 sq mi)
Northumberland County	133	Heathsville	1648	Erected by the Virginia General Assembly in 1648 during a period of strong expansion .	English county of Northumberland	12,232	497 km² ( 192 sq mi)
Nottoway County	135	Nottoway	1789	Amelia County	Nodawa tribe	15,673	816 km² ( 315 sq mi)
Orange County	137	orange	1734	Formed by settlers from part of Spotsylvania County .	William III. , known as William of Orange	35,385	886 km² ( 342 sq mi)
Page County	139	Luray	1831	From Shenandoah and Rockingham Counties	John Page , governor of Virginia	23,726	805 km² ( 311 sq mi)
Patrick County	141	Stuart	1791	From Patrick Henry County	Patrick Henry , founding father	18,045	1,251 km² ( 483 sq mi)
Pittsylvania County	143	Chatham	1767	From Halifax County	William Pitt	62.194	2,533 km² ( 978 sq mi)
Powhatan County	145	Powhatan	1777	From Cumberland County	Powhatan tribe	28,031	676 km² ( 261 sq mi)
Prince Edward County	147	Farmville	1754	From Amelia County	Eduard August, Duke of York and Albany , brother of George III.	22,952	914 km² ( 353 sq mi)
Prince George County	149	Prince George	1703	From Charles City County	George of Denmark , consort of Queen Anne	37,862	689 km² ( 266 sq mi)
Prince William County	153	Manassas	1731	From Stafford and King George Counties	William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland , son of George II.	451.721	875 km² ( 338 sq mi)
Pulaski County	155	Pulaski	1839	From Montgomery and Wythe Counties	Kazimierz Pulaski , Polish general	34,332	831 km² ( 321 sq mi)
Rappahannock County	157	Washington	1833	From Culpeper County . The original county with that name was split up and dissolved in 1692	Rappahannock River	7,378	692 km² ( 267 sq mi)
Richmond County	159	Warsaw	1692	From the original Rappahannock County	Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond , illegitimate son of King Charles II.	8,908	497 km² ( 192 sq mi)
Roanoke County	161	Salem	1838	From the southern part of Botetourt County	Roanoke River	94,409	650 km² ( 251 sq mi)
Rockbridge County	163	Lexington	1778	From parts of Augusta and Botetourt counties	Natural Bridge	22,354	1,554 km² ( 600 sq mi)
Rockingham County	165	Harrisonburg	1778	From Augusta County	Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham , British Prime Minister	78,593	2,204 km² ( 851 sq mi)
Russell County	167	Lebanon	1786	From a section of Washington County	William Russell , statesman	27,891	1,230 km² ( 475 sq mi)
Scott County	169	Gate City	1814	Formed from parts of Washington , Lee , and Russell Countys	Winfield Scott , general in the British-American War	22,126	1,391 km² ( 537 sq mi)
Shenandoah County	171	Woodstock	1772	Of land that the Iroquois was bought	Shenandoah River	43,190	1,326 km² ( 512 sq mi)
Smyth County	173	Marion	1832	From Washington and Wythe Counties	Alexander Smyth , Congressman	31,470	1,171 km² ( 452 sq mi)
Southampton County	175	Courtland	1749	Warrosquyoake Shire	Disputed; either Southampton , England or Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton , founder of the Virginia Company	18,109	1,554 km² ( 600 sq mi)
Spotsylvania County	177	Spotsylvania Courthouse	1721	Essex , King and Queen , and King William Countys.	Alexander Spotswood , colonial lieutenant governor of Virginia	130,475	1,039 km² ( 401 sq mi)
Stafford County	179	Stafford	1664	From parts of Westmoreland County	Stafford , city in England	142.003	699 km² ( 270 sq mi)
Surry County	181	Surry	1652	From parts of James City County	Surrey , United Kingdom	6,709	723 km² ( 279 sq mi)
Sussex County	183	Sussex	1754	From Surry County	Sussex , United Kingdom	11,715	1,272 km² ( 491 sq mi)
Tazewell County	185	Tazewell	1800	From parts of Wythe and Russell Counties	Henry Tazewell , US Senator from Virginia	42,899	1,347 km² ( 520 sq mi)
Warren County	187	Front Royal	1836	From Frederick and Shenandoah Counties	Joseph Warren , General of the Revolutionary War	39,083	554 km² ( 214 sq mi)
Washington County	191	Abingdon	1777	From Fincastle County	George Washington , General, Founding Father and President of the United States	54,591	1,461 km² ( 564 sq mi)
Westmoreland County	193	Montross	1653	From Northumberland County	Westmoreland , United Kingdom	17,629	593 km² ( 229 sq mi)
Wise County	195	Wise	1856	From Lee , Scott , and Russell Counties	Henry Alexander Wise , Governor	39,718	1,044 km² ( 403 sq mi)
Wythe County	197	Wytheville	1790	From Montgomery County	George Wythe , lawyer	29,119	1,199 km² ( 463 sq mi)
York County	199	Yorktown	1634	Established as an English colony, originally as the Charles River Shire .	James Stuart , Duke of York , later King of England	67,837	275 km² ( 106 sq mi)

Independent Cities

City	FIPS code	Seat	Established	Origin	Etymology	population	surface	map
Alexandria	510	N / A	1902	From Alexandria County before 1870	Phillip & John Alexander, brothers and area plantation owners	147.391	39 km² ( 15 sq mi)
Bristol	520	N / A	1902	From Washington County in 1890	Bristol , England	17,367	31 km² ( 12 sq mi)
Buena Vista	530	N / A	1902	1892 from Rockbridge County	Buena Vista Company , which set up a mine in the area with a settlement for the workers	6,349	18 km² ( 7 sq mi)
Charlottesville	540	N / A	1902	1888 from Albemarle County	Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz	45,049	26 km² ( 10 sq mi)
Chesapeake	550	N / A	1963	Merged from the departed Norfolk County South Norfolk	Chesapeake tribe	222.209	883 km² ( 341 sq mi)
Colonial Heights	570	N / A	1948	From Chesterfield County	Marie-Joseph Motier, Marquis de La Fayette's troops, called "Colonials", set up artillery against Petersburg	16,897	21 km² ( 8 sq mi)
Covington	580	N / A	1952	From Alleghany County	Leonard Covington , war hero, Maryland politician	6,303	10 km² ( 4 sq mi)
Danville	590	N / A	1902	From Pittsylvania County before 1870	Dan River	48,411	111 km² ( 43 sq mi)
Emporia	595	N / A	1967	From Greensville County	Emporia (Kansas)	5,665	18 km² ( 7 sq mi)
Fairfax	600	N / A	1961	From Fairfax County	Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron , British nobleman	21,498	16 km² ( 6 sq mi)
Falls Church	610	N / A	1948	From Fairfax County	The Falls Church	12,332	5 km² ( 21 sq mi)
Franklin	620	N / A	1961	From Southampton County	Benjamin Franklin	8,346	21 km² ( 8 sq mi)
Fredericksburg	630	N / A	1902	From Spotsylvania County before 1870	Friedrich Ludwig of Hanover	24,286	26 km² ( 10 sq mi)
Galax	640	N / A	1952	From Grayson County and Carroll County	Galax	6,837	21 km² ( 8 sq mi)
Hampton	650	N / A	1908	Founded in 1610. The city emerged from Elizabeth City Counties and City of Hampton in 1952	Controversial; either Southampton , England or Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton , founder of the Virginia Company	146,437	135 km² ( 52 sq mi)
Harrisonburg	660	N / A	1916	From Rockingham County in 1916	Thomas Harrison, settler	40,468	47 km² ( 18 sq mi)
Hopewell	670	N / A	1916	Out of Prince George County in 1916	The Hopewell , a ship that brought early settlers to Virginia	22,354	26 km² ( 10 sq mi)
Lexington	678	N / A	1966	From Rockbridge County	Battle of Lexington	6,867	6 km² ( 25 sq mi)
Lynchburg	680	N / A	1902	From Campbell County before 1870	John Lynch, ferry operator and builder of the first bridge over the James River	65,269	127 km² ( 49 sq mi)
Manassas	683	N / A	1975	From Prince William County	Manassas Gap Railroad	40,605	26 km² ( 10 sq mi)
Manassas Park	685	N / A	1975	From Prince William County	Manassas Gap Railroad and Manassas National Battlefield Park	14,273	6 km² ( 25 sq mi)
Martinsville	690	N / A	1928	From Henry County	Joseph Martin , General	15,416	28 km² ( 11 sq mi)
Newport News	700	N / A	1902	From Warwick County in 1896	Unsure	180.726	176 km² ( 68 sq mi)
Norfolk	710	N / A	1845	Founded in 1682. Evolved from Norfolk County (exited) as a town in 1845 .	Norfolk, England	245,782	140 km² ( 54 sq mi)
Norton	720	N / A	1954	From Wise County	Eckstein Norton, President of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad	3,904	18 km² ( 7 sq mi)
Petersburg	730	N / A	1902	From Prince George County before 1870	Peter Jones, former settler and trader	33,740	60 km² ( 23 sq mi)
Poquoson	735	N / A	1975	From York County	Algonquin expression for "large swamp", "flat land"	11,566	41 km² ( 16 sq mi)
Portsmouth	740	N / A	1858	Founded in 1752. Evolved from Norfolk County as a town in 1858 .	Portsmouth , England	96,470	85 km² ( 33 sq mi)
Radford	750	N / A	1902	From Montgomery County in 1892	Dr. John Blair Radford, land owner	15,859	26 km² ( 10 sq mi)
Richmond	760	N / A	1902	From Henrico County before 1870	Richmond, Surrey , England	210,309	155 km² ( 60 sq mi)
Roanoke	770	N / A	1902	Out of Roanoke County in 1884	Roanoke River	94,911	111 km² ( 43 sq mi)
Salem	775	N / A	1968	From Roanoke County	Salem, New Jersey , home of city founder William Bryan	24,747	39 km² ( 15 sq mi)
Staunton	790	N / A	1902	From Augusta County before 1870	Lady Rebecca Staunton, wife of William Gooch	23,853	52 km² ( 20 sq mi)
Suffolk	800	N / A	1910	Founded in 1742 as a city in 1910 from the dissolved Nansemond County built	Suffolk	63,677	1,036 km² ( 400 sq mi)
Virginia Beach	810	N / A	1963	Erected in 1906 around the existing community in Seatack. As a city, became independent from Princess Anne County in 1963	The city is on the coast	447.021	642 km² ( 248 sq mi)
Waynesboro	820	N / A	1948	From Augusta County	Anthony Wayne , General in the Revolutionary War	19,520	36 km² ( 14 sq mi)
Williamsburg	830	N / A	1902	From James City County	William III. (Orange)	14,068	23 km² ( 9 sq mi)
Winchester	840	N / A	1902	From Frederick County in 1874	Winchester , England	23,585	23 km² ( 9 sq mi)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} EPA County FIPS Code Listing . In: EPA.gov . Retrieved February 23, 2008.
2. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} National Association of Countys : NACo - Find a county . Archived from the original on April 26, 2007. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved April 26, 2007. 
3. ^ Virginia Commission on Local Government: County Seats . Retrieved May 1, 2017.
4. ^ Census Estimates, 2015 .
5. ↑ "Virginia Historical Countys" ( Memento of the original dated August 4, 2004 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Atlas of Historical County Boundaries . Chicago: Newberry Library. Retrieved July 10, 2010. Select the map for December 31, 1634 (the earliest date available). 
6. ↑ About Us: History . Highland county. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
7. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o} "Virginia Historical County" ( memento of the original of 4 August 2004 at the Internet Archive ) info: The archive link is automatically inserted and not yet tested. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Atlas of Historical County Boundaries . Chicago: Newberry Library. Retrieved July 9, 2010. Compare the maps for July 9 and July 10, 1902.  
8. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p} Census Office: Fourteenth Census of the United States 1920.
9. ^ ^{A b c d e f} George W. Durman: Current Virginia Countys & Independent Cities . In: Germanna Colonies . Retrieved January 31, 2012.
10. ↑ City of Norfolk: 19th Century History . In: City of Norfolk History . Archived from the original on December 23, 2011. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved January 31, 2012. 
11. ^ City of Norfolk: 17th Century History . In: City of Norfolk History . Archived from the original on December 23, 2011. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved January 31, 2012. 
12. ↑ City of Portsmouth: City of Portsmouth (Virginia) - History . In: City of Portsmouth . Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved January 31, 2012. 
13. ↑ ^{a b c} City of Suffolk: All About Suffolk: History . In: Suffolk: Community . Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved January 31, 2012.