List of former United States counties

This is a list of former United States counties, a list of United States counties (administrative subunits of a U.S. state) that no longer exist.

They were established by a state, provincial, colonial, or territorial government. Most of these counties were created and disbanded in the 19th century; county boundaries have changed little since 1900 in the vast majority of states. A county is repeated on the list if its jurisdiction changed from one state, colony, or territory to another.

This list includes (but is not limited to) counties that were renamed but retained their territorial integrity, or counties that were transferred wholesale to another state when it was separated from another state (Massachusetts counties transferred to Maine; Virginia counties transferred to Kentucky and West Virginia; and North Carolina counties transferred to Tennessee).

Alabama

Baine County, Alabama (1866–1867, reestablished as Etowah County a year later)
Baker County, Alabama (1868–1874, renamed Chilton County)
Benton County, Alabama (1832–1858, named for Thomas Hart Benton, Creek War officer and U.S. Senator, renamed Calhoun County in 1858 for John C. Calhoun)
Cahawba County, Alabama (1818–1820, renamed Bibb County)
Cotaco County, Alabama (1818–1821, renamed Morgan County)
Decatur County, Alabama (1821–1825, land redistributed between Madison and Jackson counties)
Elk County, Alabama (1817-1818), Land split into Lauderdale and Limestone Counties and redistributed to Madison County. The Eastern boundary of Elk County followed what is now the present day Ardmore Highway.
Hancock County, Alabama (1850–1858, renamed Winston County)
Jones County, Alabama (Feb–Nov 1867, area was reestablished in Oct 1868 as Sanford County and then renamed Lamar County in 1877)
Jones County, Alabama (Aug–Oct 1868, Covington County was briefly renamed Jones County then changed back)
Sanford County, Alabama (1868–1877, renamed Lamar County)

Alaska

Alaska has never created counties. Under Section 9 of the 1912 organic act creating the Territory of Alaska, Alaska was prohibited from establishing counties without explicit approval from the U.S. Congress. The framers of the Constitution of Alaska chose to forgo consideration of a county system in favor of a system of boroughs, both organized and unorganized. In 1961, the Alaska Legislature formalized the borough structure to encompass multiple, separate organized boroughs and a single unorganized borough. Alaska currently has 18 organized boroughs. The United States Census Bureau, beginning with the 1970 United States census, divided the Unorganized Borough into census areas. The boundaries of these census areas were largely based upon the early election districts of the state, which in turn were largely based upon the recording districts of the territory. The following is a list of former boroughs and census areas in Alaska:

Chugiak–Eagle River Borough (1974–1975, incorporation invalidated by the Alaska Supreme Court)
Greater Anchorage Area Borough (1964–1975, succeeded by Municipality of Anchorage)
Greater Juneau Borough (1963–1970, succeeded by City and Borough of Juneau)
Greater Sitka Borough (1963–1971, succeeded by City and Borough of Sitka)
The Haines Borough was incorporated in 1968 as a third-class borough. Through consolidation, this municipality was dissolved, along with the City of Haines, in 2002. A home rule borough, also called the Haines Borough, was incorporated in the place of these two municipalities.
Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area (1992–2007), renamed Hoonah-Angoon Census Area after Skagway incorporated as a city-borough.
Skagway-Yakutat-Angoon Census Area (1980–1992), renamed Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area after Yakutat incorporated as a city-borough.
Valdez-Cordova Census Area (1980–2019), split in 2019 into Chugach Census Area and Copper River Census Area.
Wade Hampton Census Area (1980–2015), renamed to Kusilvak Census Area.

Arizona

Pah-Ute County, Arizona Territory (1865–1871) majority of the county transferred to Nevada in 1866, the remainder transferred to Mohave County

Arkansas

Clayton County, Arkansas (1873–1875, renamed Clay County)
Dorsey County, Arkansas (1873–1885, renamed Cleveland County)
Lovely County, Arkansas Territory (1827–1828) most of the county was lost to Oklahoma due to the Cherokee Treaty of 1828, the remainder became Washington County
Miller County, Arkansas Territory (1820–1838, became part of Indian Territory and present-day Texas)
Sarber County, Arkansas (1871–1875, renamed Logan County)

California

Branciforte County - renamed to Santa Cruz County in 1850 after less than a year of existence.
Buena Vista County – created in 1855 by the California legislature out of the southeastern territory of Tulare County on the west of the Sierra Nevada but was never officially organized. Some of that region was later organized as Kern County in 1866, with additions from Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
Coso County – created in 1864 by the California legislature out of territory of Tulare County on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada but was never officially organized. The region was later organized in 1866 as Inyo County with additions from Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
Klamath County – created in 1851 from the northern half of Trinity County. In 1874 it was divided between Humboldt and Siskiyou counties.
Pautah County – created by the California legislature in 1852 out of territory the state believed would be ceded to it east of Lake Tahoe, but which was given to Nevada. The county was never officially organized.

Colorado

Colorado Territory was formed from the lands of four organized territories: Kansas to the southeast, New Mexico to the south, Utah to the west, and Nebraska to the northeast. Before Colorado Territory was organized, all of these except Nebraska had declared county boundaries that included part of modern-day Colorado.

Counties formed by New Mexico Territory

Taos County, New Mexico Territory was originally one of the seven partidos of the Spanish, and later Mexican, province of Nuevo México. One of the nine original counties created by the U.S. Territory of New Mexico on January 29, 1852; ceased to have jurisdiction over Colorado in 1861.
Mora County, New Mexico Territory was split from Taos County and San Miguel County on February 1, 1860, and ceased to have jurisdiction over Colorado in 1861.

Counties formed by Utah Territory

On March 3, 1852, the following counties were organized by Utah Territory, with boundaries reaching into what is now western Colorado:

Great Salt Lake County
Iron County
Sanpete County
Utah County
Washington County

Upon the organization of Colorado Territory in 1861, which became law on February 28, these counties ceased to have jurisdiction in Colorado.

Green River County was also created on March 3, 1852, but never organized; it was dissolved in 1857 and recreated in 1859. After losing land to Colorado Territory in 1861 and Wyoming Territory in 1868, Green River County was finally dissolved in 1872.

Beaver County was formed on January 5, 1856 from parts of Iron and Millard counties, and like other Utah counties, ceased to have jurisdiction in Colorado.

Counties created by Kansas Territory

Kansas Territory's western reaches encompassed the mining centers of Aurora and Pike's Peak. Beginning with the massive Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory provided for a number of counties in what would become Colorado, but organized none of them before achieving statehood in 1861.

Arapahoe County was proclaimed August 25, 1855 but never organized; it reverted to unorganized territory when Kansas joined the Union on January 29, 1861. On February 7, 1859, several counties were split from Arapahoe County; none of them were organized, and also reverted to unorganized territory when Kansas became a state. They were:

Broderick County
El Paso County
Fremont County
Montana County
Oro County

Peketon County was created on the same day in 1859, but never organized. Like Arapahoe and its daughter counties, it reverted to unorganized territory upon Kansas achieving statehood.

Note on Nebraska Territory

No counties were organized in Nebraska Territory's portion of the future Colorado Territory.

Counties created by the Provisional Territory of Jefferson

On November 28, 1859, the Provisional General Assembly of the extralegal Territory of Jefferson established 12 counties:

Arrappahoe County
Cheyenne County
El Paso County
Fountain County
Heele County
Jackson County
Jefferson County
Montana County
North County
Park County
Saratoga County
St. Vrains County

Although it was never officially recognized by the federal government embroiled in the debate over slavery, the provisional government of the Territory of Jefferson held effective control of what became Colorado for a year and a half. Although the act establishing the Colorado Territory became law on February 28, 1861, the first Federal governor, William Gilpin, did not arrive in Denver until late May, and the Jefferson government disbanded itself on June 6, 1861. In November 1861, Colorado's territorial legislature would establish counties of its own, with many boundaries following those of the Jefferson counties.

Counties created by the Territory of Colorado

Guadalupe County, Colorado Territory (November 1–7, 1861), was one of the 17 original counties created by the Territory of Colorado. The county was renamed Conejos County after only six days.
Greenwood County, Colorado Territory (February 11, 1870 to February 6, 1874), was created from former Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal land and the eastern portion of Huerfano County. The county was abolished four years later, and its territory split between Elbert County and Bent County.
Platte County, Colorado Territory (February 9, 1872 to February 9, 1874), was created from the eastern portion of Weld County. The county was abolished two years later after organizers failed to secure voter approval, and the territory of the county was returned to Weld County.

Counties created by the State of Colorado

Carbonate County, Colorado (February 8–10, 1879). Lake County was renamed Carbonate County in 1879. Only two days later, Carbonate County was split into the new Chaffee County and a reestablished Lake County.
Uncompaghre County, Colorado (February 27 to March 2, 1883). Ouray County was renamed Uncompaghre County for only four days in 1883.
South Arapahoe County, Colorado (November 15, 1902, to April 11, 1903), was one of three counties created from Arapahoe County in 1902. The name was changed back to Arapahoe County after five months.

Connecticut

Westmoreland County, Connecticut (see Pennamite–Yankee War and State of Westmoreland)

Delaware

Kent County, Delaware was formerly known as St. Jones County.
Sussex County, Delaware was formerly known as Deale County.

District of Columbia

The United States Census Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget currently consider the District of Columbia to consist of a single county equivalent. Otherwise the District of Columbia currently has no counties or county equivalents. The former counties of the District of Columbia are:

Alexandria County, D.C. (1791–1846) retroceded to Virginia becoming Alexandria County, Virginia.
Washington County, D.C. Abolished in 1871 and consolidated with the District of Columbia. Under the current (2001, revised through 2005) District of Columbia Code, the entire District of Columbia is a single body corporate for district purposes; the code does not mention Washington County except to make the District of Columbia the successor in title to its property.

Georgetown City and Washington City are former county equivalents. The District of Columbia comprised three county equivalents when it was consolidated in 1871: Georgetown City, Washington City, and the Remainder of the District—as they are termed in the Ninth Census of the United States (1870). There had been four county equivalents in the District prior to the retrocession of Alexandria to Virginia in 1846. In its retrospective decennial population counts the Ninth Census lists four for 1840 back to 1810, Alexandria and Washington counties alone for 1800, and none for 1790 prior to the creation of the district.

Florida

Benton County, Florida, named for Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton in 1844, renamed Hernando County in 1850
Fayette County, Florida became parts of Jackson, Calhoun and Gulf counties in 1833
Mosquito County, Florida renamed Orange County, Florida in 1845.
New River County, Florida renamed Bradford County, Florida in 1861.

Georgia

Bourbon County, Georgia (organized by Georgia in 1785 out of disputed Yazoo lands in present-day Mississippi; dissolved in 1788)
Campbell County, Georgia (1828–1931); merged with Fulton County
Cass County, Georgia (1832–1861); renamed Bartow County
Kinchafoonee County, Georgia (1853–1856); renamed Webster County
Milton County, Georgia (1857–1931); merged with Fulton County
Walton County (1803–1818); merged with Buncombe County, North Carolina

Idaho

Alturas County, Idaho (1864–1895) reduced greatly in size at creation of Elmore County and Logan County in 1889. In 1891, an attempt was made to transfer to Alta County, declared unconstitutional. Transferred to Blaine County in 1895
Lah-Toh County, Idaho Territory (1864–1867) absorbed by Nez Perce and Kootenai County.
Logan County, Idaho (1889–1895) In 1891, an attempt was made to transfer territory to Lincoln County and Alta County. Act declared unconstitutional. In 1895, the Idaho Legislature combined Logan and Alturas Counties into a new county called Blaine
Alta County created from Alturas in 1891, Act declared unconstitutional in May, 1891.

Illinois

Revolutionary era

Illinois County, Virginia, formed in 1778 to govern Virginia's claims to present-day Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota; county abolished 5 January 1782; territory ceded by Virginia to Congress in March 1784. Its effective reach was limited to the French settlements at Cahokia, Kaskaskia, and Vincennes.

Former counties of the Northwest and Indiana territories

Before Illinois Territory was created in 1809, it was part of the Northwest Territory from 1788 to 1800, and Indiana Territory from 1800 to 1809. At first, two counties of the Northwest Territory were created to govern what became the modern state of Illinois, followed by two others:

St. Clair County, Northwest Territory established April 27, 1790, later St. Clair County, Indiana Territory; upon the organization of Indiana Territory in 1800, St. Clair County was enlarged to take in present-day Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, and the western portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. When Illinois Territory was set off from the Indiana Territory in 1809, St. Clair County was included in the new government.
Knox County, Northwest Territory, established June 20, 1790, later Knox County, Indiana Territory, 1800; its boundaries in 1795 included the eastern half of the future state of Illinois. Portions of Knox County would be transferred to Michigan Territory upon its organization in 1805 and to Illinois Territory upon its organization in 1809; the remainder was included in the state of Indiana upon its achieving statehood in 1816.
Randolph County, Northwest Territory, proclaimed 1795, from part of St. Clair County; transferred to Indiana Territory in 1800 and Illinois Territory in 1809, now Randolph County, Illinois.
Wayne County, Northwest Territory, proclaimed on August 15, 1796 following the British evacuation of Detroit; out of portions of Hamilton County, Northwest Territory and unorganized land, mostly in the present-day Lower Peninsula of Michigan. This first Wayne County originally included a slice of the present Lake Michigan shoreline of Illinois, the site of present-day Chicago; its lands would be transferred to Knox County, Indiana Territory and later, the Illinois Territory. Transferred to Indiana Territory in 1803 and to Michigan Territory in 1805.

Counties organized by Illinois Territory

Other counties were organized by the Illinois Territory from the lands of St. Clair County between 1812 and 1819 and notionally included parts of the future Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin territories in their boundaries:

Madison County, Illinois Territory, 1813, from St. Clair
Edwards County, Illinois Territory, 1815, from Madison
Crawford County, Illinois Territory, 1816, from Edwards
Bond County, Illinois Territory, 1817, from Madison

Before Illinois achieved statehood in 1818, the part of Illinois Territory excluded from the new state (Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, and the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan) was transferred to Michigan Territory. No county governments were included in this transfer.

Indiana

Revolutionary era

Illinois County, Virginia, formed in 1778 to govern Virginia's claims to present-day Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota; county abolished 5 January 1782; territory ceded by Virginia to Congress in March 1784. Its effective reach was limited to the French settlements at Cahokia, Kaskaskia, and Vincennes.

Former counties of the Northwest and Indiana territories

Indiana Territory was created in 1800, and had since 1788 been part of the Northwest Territory; the new territory included modern-day Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota, as well at the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. At first, one county of the Northwest Territory had been created to govern what became the modern state of Indiana, and three others would be included in the Indiana Territory:

Knox County, Northwest Territory, established June 20, 1790, later Knox County, Indiana Territory, 1800; its boundaries in 1795 included the eastern half of the future state of Illinois, and its 1800 boundaries included the western half of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. The northern portions of Knox County would be transferred to Michigan Territory upon its organization in 1805, and the westernmost to Illinois Territory upon its organization in 1809; the remainder was included in the state of Indiana upon its achieving statehood in 1816. The county's current form is that of Knox County, Indiana.
St. Clair County, Northwest Territory established April 27, 1790, later St. Clair County, Indiana Territory; upon the organization of Indiana Territory in 1800, St. Clair County was included in the new territory and enlarged to take in present-day Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, and the western portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. When Illinois Territory was set off from the Indiana Territory in 1809, St. Clair County was included in the new government.
Randolph County, Northwest Territory, proclaimed 1795, from part of St. Clair County; transferred to Indiana Territory in 1800 and Illinois Territory in 1809, now Randolph County, Illinois.
Wayne County, Northwest Territory, proclaimed on August 15, 1796 following the British evacuation of Detroit; out of portions of Hamilton County, Northwest Territory and unorganized land, mostly in the present-day Lower Peninsula of Michigan. This first Wayne County originally included a slice of northern Indiana; all of Wayne County west of the present Indiana–Ohio line was transferred to Knox County, Indiana Territory in 1800. After losing other lands to the new state of Ohio, the remaining portion of Wayne County was transferred to Indiana Territory in 1803 and to Michigan Territory in 1805. The current Wayne County, Michigan is considered a successor of the 1796 establishment.

Former districts of the Louisiana Territory

District of Louisiana, attached to Indiana Territory October 1, 1804, pending the organization of Louisiana Territory, which took place July 4, 1805.

Former counties of the State of Indiana

Richardville County, name changed to Howard County in 1859.
Newton County, Indiana, Original Newton County abolished in 1839. Current County recreated in 1859 as the last county in Indiana.

Iowa

Counties of Iowa created by Michigan Territory

Des Moines County, Michigan Territory was organized in 1834, became part of Wisconsin Territory in 1836, and is now Des Moines County, Iowa
Dubuque County, Michigan Territory was organized in 1834, became part of Wisconsin Territory in 1836, and is now Dubuque County, Iowa

Counties of Iowa created by Wisconsin Territory

Henry County, Wisconsin Territory, 1836; see Henry County, Iowa
Lee County, Wisconsin Territory, 1836; see Lee County, Iowa
Louisa County, Wisconsin Territory, 1836; see Louisa County, Iowa
Muscatine County, Wisconsin Territory, 1836; see Muscatine County, Iowa
Van Buren County, Wisconsin Territory, 1836; see Van Buren County, Iowa
Henry County, Wisconsin Territory, 1836; see Henry County, Iowa
Benton County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Benton County, Iowa
Buchanan County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Buchanan County, Iowa
Cedar County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Cedar County, Iowa
Clayton County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Clayton County, Iowa
Clinton County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Clinton County, Iowa
Delaware County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Delaware County, Iowa
Fayette County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Fayette County, Iowa
Jackson County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Jackson County, Iowa
Johnson County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Johnson County, Iowa
Jones County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Jones County, Iowa
Keokuk County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Keokuk County, Iowa
Linn County, Wisconsin Territory, 1836; see Linn County, Iowa
Scott County, Wisconsin Territory, 1837; see Scott County, Iowa
Slaughter County, Wisconsin Territory, 1838; see Washington County, Iowa

Former counties of the State of Iowa

Bancroft County, Iowa was established in 1851. It was abolished in 1857 and the area was joined to Kossuth County.
Crocker County, Iowa was created in 1870 out of Kossuth County from portions of what had been Bancroft County. It was merged back into Kossuth County in 1871.
Wahkaw County, Iowa was established on January 15, 1851; on January 12, 1853, its name was changed to Woodbury County.

Kansas

Counties created by Kansas Territory

Several counties were created by the government of Kansas Territory in its western reaches, which included the mining districts of Auraria and Pike's Peak. None were ever organized, and all reverted to unorganized territory when Kansas achieved statehood in 1861. See also the Colorado section, above.

Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory, covered all of western Kansas Territory when it was proclaimed on August 25, 1855. On February 7, 1859, the following counties were created from parts of Arapahoe County:
Broderick County, Kansas Territory
El Paso County, Kansas Territory
Fremont County, Kansas Territory
Montana County, Kansas Territory
Oro County, Kansas Territory
Peketon County, Kansas Territory was created on the same day that these counties were split off from Arapaho; like them, it was never organized and reverted to unorganized territory in 1861.
Seward County, Kansas Territory; named Godfrey until 1861. Dissolved in 1867.
Hunter County, Kansas Territory

Counties created by the State of Kansas

Garfield County, Kansas, now a part of Finney County
Howard County, Kansas (1875)
Otoe County, Kansas
Sequoyah County, Kansas, now part of Finney County
Kansas County, Kansas, now part of Seward County
Buffalo County, Kansas
Madison County, Kansas, now part of Lyon and Greenwood Counties
Irving County, Kansas

Kentucky

Because Kentucky began as a political dependency of Virginia, its earliest counties were organized by that government.

See also Virginia & Virginia Colony, below

Historic counties created by Virginia

Fincastle County, Virginia, proclaimed 1772, divided in 1776 into Montgomery, Washington, and Kentucky counties.
Kentucky County, Virginia had boundaries much the same as today's Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Modern counties created by Virginia

In 1780, Kentucky County was divided by the Virginia government into three counties:

Fayette County, Kentucky
Jefferson County, Kentucky
Lincoln County, Kentucky

Between 1784 and 1788, six more counties would be created in Kentucky by the Virginia authorities:

Nelson County, Kentucky in 1784, from part of Jefferson County
Bourbon County, Kentucky in 1785, from part of Fayette County
Madison County, Kentucky in 1785, from part of Lincoln County
Mercer County, Kentucky in 1785, from part of Lincoln County
Mason County, Kentucky in 1788, from part of Bourbon County
Woodford County, Kentucky in 1788, from part of Fayette County

These nine counties gained statehood in 1792 as the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Former counties created by the Commonwealth of Kentucky

Beckham County, Kentucky (1904) was dissolved by the Kentucky Court of Appeals on April 29, 1904, because it was not created in conformance with state law

(Josh Bell County, Kentucky (1867–1873), originally named for Joshua Fry Bell, was called simply Bell County beginning in 1873.)

Louisiana

The Territory of Orleans was divided into 12 counties on 10 Apr 1805; these were reorganized into parishes on 31 Mar 1807:

Acadia County, Orleans Territory
Attakapas County, Orleans Territory
Concordia County, Orleans Territory
German Coast, Orleans Territory
Iberville County, Orleans Territory
LaFourche County, Orleans Territory
Natchitoches County, Orleans Territory
Opelousas County, Orleans Territory
Orleans County, Orleans Territory
Ouachita County, Orleans Territory
Pointe Coupée County, Orleans Territory
Rapides County, Orleans Territory

Former parishes

Biloxi Parish formed in 1811 from West Florida territory. It was eliminated in 1812 when part of the former West Florida area was transferred to Mississippi Territory.
Carroll Parish formed in 1838 from part of Ouachita Parish. In 1877, it was divided into East Carroll Parish and West Carroll Parish.
Champooik or Champoeg County, one of the four original districts into which the Oregon Country was divided in 1843; Renamed Marion County in 1849.
Twality, Tuality or Falatine County, one of the four original districts into which the Oregon Country was divided in 1843; Renamed Washington County in 1849.

Pennsylvania

Ontario County (1810–1812) renamed as Bradford County.
Jefferson County renamed as Lycoming County.

South Carolina

:Note: South Carolina legally dissolved all overarching "districts" (which often included multiple counties) in 1800. Nevertheless, surviving counties were often referred to incorrectly as "districts" as late as the 1860s.

Bartholomew County created in 1785 from Charleston District. Abolished 1791.
Beaufort District created in 1768 from Granville County. Abolished 1800.
Cedar County, Utah Territory created 1856 from part of Utah County. Discontinued 1862; her land parted into Tooele County and Utah County.
Desert County, Utah Territory created 1852 extending from Salt Lake to California. Reduced in 1856, extinguished 1862; her land parted into Box Elder and Tooele counties.
Greasewood County, Utah Territory created 1856 from part of Weber County. Discontinued 1862 and her land given to Box Elder County.
Humboldt County, Utah Territory formed 1856 from Weber, Desert, Tooele, and Juab counties. Nevada took jurisdiction in 1861 forming her own Humboldt County, Nevada to the northeast. On the former Humboldt County's land, Nevada formed parts of her own Humboldt, Churchill, Elko, Eureka, Lander, and Pershing counties.
Richland County, Utah Territory formed 1864 from parts of Cache, Summit, and Green River counties. In 1868 part was given to Wyoming and the rest renamed Rich County.