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5. Davidson County (1822) derives its name from General William Davidson. He died at Cowan’s Field (1781) during the American Revolution. 6. Davie County is so called in compliment of General William R. Davie. When North Carolina lacked money to raise troops, Davie donated his fortune and helped raise money to form North Carolina regiments.
- Native American Origins
- Geographic Features and European Cities
- Original Proprietors
- Later Proprietors
- Governors
- Royalty
- Other Noblemen Or Government Officials
As settlers colonized North Carolina, they gave new names to the places they encountered. Sometimes colonists retained Indian place-names or created Anglicized versions of Indian words. The names of local tribes were also used. Chowan County, Currituck County, Pasquotank County, and Perquimans Countywere all formed in 1672 and named after tribes wh...
Some colonial areas were named after local geographic features. Other places were called by the last names of their earliest settlers. A few North Carolina towns were even named after cities in Europe. Salisbury, in present-day Rowan County, took its name from Salisbury, England, while the Swiss Baron Christoph von Graffenried named New Bern, in pr...
The northeastern part of North Carolina, where European settlement initially began, was known as "The Albemarle," or Albemarle County, after George Monck, the Duke of Albemarle. The influence of this Proprietor was felt for many years, as the citizens of Albemarle, in present-day Stanly County, named their town after him in 1841. Between 1664 and 1...
As the original Proprietors died or sold their shares, new men took their positions and also lent their names to North Carolina places. From 1705 until 1712, the area that became Craven County was known as the Archdale Precinct, after John Archdale, who served briefly as governor and was one of the few Proprietors to ever visit the colony. The comm...
Several North Carolina counties and towns were named for the colony's early governors. In 1712 Hyde County was named in honor of Edward Hyde, who served as governor from 1711 to 1712 and was a relative of original Proprietor Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon. The town of Edenton, in present-day Chowan County, was initially called Queen Anne's Creek bu...
Some North Carolina place-names were associated with royalty. Orange County was named after William III, king of England from 1688 to 1702, who was also called the Prince of Orange. The town of Brunswick, in present-day Brunswick County, honored King George I, a native of Brunswick, Germany. New Hanover County also owes its name to George I's famil...
Still other places were named after British noblemen or government officials. Halifax County was named for George Montagu, Earl of Halifax. Wilmington, in present-day New Hanover County, was named for Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, while Northampton County honored his father, James Compton, Earl of Northampton. Both Edgecombe and Guilford cou...
NC County Formation. Today North Carolina has 100 counties, although some of their names, boundaries and borders have changed over time from the formation of the colony's earliest counties in 1664 to the addition of the state's last two counties in 1911. In fact, during North Carolina's history, several counties were created that later became ...
Dec 21, 2022 · Updated: Dec 21, 2022 / 03:31 PM EST. SHARE. GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Eastern North Carolina’s counties are deeply rooted in the state’s history, and their names reflect that. Here’s a ...
- Brandon Tester
Name of County: Date Formed: Boundary Changes: Parent County: Counties Created by Boundary Changes: Alamance: 1849 Jan 29 Details: Orange none Albermarle District 1663 Oct Details: Colonial lands Divided into Carteret Pct 1671, Berkeley Pct 1671, Shaftesbury Pct 1671 Alexander: 1847 Jan 15 Details: Iredell, Caldwell, Wilkes none Alleghany: 1859 ...
Jan 4, 1974 · MICHIGAN.: From Algonquin word "Mishigamaw," meaning “big lake” or “great water,” deriving its name from the lake of the same name. Also said to be from "Michi" meaning "great" and "Gama" meaning “water.”. MINNESOTA: From Sioux word meaning "cloudy water" or “sky-tinted water,” deriving its name from the river of the same name.
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Jun 1, 2007 · The historians Hugh Lefler and Albert Newsome, in their book North Carolina: the History of a Southern State (3rd edition, 1973, p. 97) state categorically that "[i]n fact, North Carolina led the world in the production of naval stores from about 1720 to 1870, and it was this industry which gave to North Carolina its nickname, 'Tar Heel State'."
