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History
Georgia has the second-highest number of counties of any state in the United States, behind Texas (254). The traditional idea for county creation was that a farmer should be able to go to the county seat and back home in one day on horseback. However, about 25 counties were created in the early 20th century after the automobile had become widespread. These last counties created were generally seen as being done for political purposes.
The proliferation of counties in the state led to multiple state constitutional amendments, attempting to establish limits. The most recent such amendment, dating to 1945, limits the state to 159 counties, though there were previously 161 from 1924 to 1931. In a rare consolidation, Campbell County and Milton County were made part of Fulton County as of 1932, as an austerity measure during the Great Depression.
Currently, there is a movement among some to change the state constitution to allow the creation of at least one new county. Some residents of northern Fulton County support the re-creation of Milton County. The reasoning behind this is that the northern sections of Fulton County are among the most affluent in the state, and residents want to stop tax revenues from going to the poorer areas of South Fulton to be spent.
Changed county names
A few Georgia counties have changed names over time. Jasper County was originally known as Randolph County. Later, the current Randolph County came into being. Webster County was once known as Kinchafoonee County, and Bartow County was formerly known as Cass County.
Defunct counties
In addition, there was once another Walton County. It was a county that is in present-day North Carolina. A skirmish, the "Walton War," was actually fought between North Carolina and Georgia before Georgia gave up the claim.
Alphabetical listing
| County |
FIPS Code [1] |
County seat [2] |
Established [2] |
Origin [3] |
Etymology [3] |
Population [2] |
Area [2] |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appling County | 001 | Baxley | 1818 | Formed from land ceded by the Creek Indians in the Treaty of Fort Jackson in 1814 and the Treaty of the Creek Agency in 1818. | Daniel Appling, hero of the War of 1812. | 17,419 | 509 sq mi (1,318 km²) |
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| Atkinson County | 003 | Pearson | 1917 | Formed from Clinch and Coffee counties | William Yates Atkinson, Georgia governor and speaker of the state House of Representatives. | 7,609 | 338 sq mi (875 km²) |
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| Bacon County | 005 | Alma | 1914 | Formed from Appling, Pierce and Ware counties. | Augustus Octavius Bacon, United States Senator and president pro tempore of the Senate. | 10,103 | 285 sq mi (738 km²) |
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| Baker County | 007 | Newton | 1825 | Formed from Early County. | Colonel John Baker, American Revolutionary War hero. | 4,074 | 343 sq mi (888 km²) |
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| Baldwin County | 009 | Milledgeville | 1803 | Formed from Un-Organized (Creek Lands) | Abraham Baldwin, U.S. Senator. | 44,700 | 258 sq mi (668 km²) |
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| Banks County | 011 | Homer | 1858 | Formed from Franklin County | Richard Banks, a local physician. | 14,422 | 234 sq mi (606 km²) |
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| Barrow County | 013 | Winder | 1914 | Formed from Gwinnett, Jackson and Walton counties. | David Crenshaw Barrow Jr., chancellor of the University of Georgia. | 46,144 | 162 sq mi (420 km²) |
 |
| Bartow County | 015 | Cartersville | 1832 | Created from a portion of Cherokee County in 1832 and originally called Cass County after General Lewis Cass. | Francis S. Bartow, early casuality in the American Civil War. | 76,019 | 460 sq mi (1,191 km²) |
 |
| Ben Hill County | 017 | Fitzgerald | 1906 | Formed from Irwin and Wilcox counties. | Benjamin Harvey Hill, U.S. Senator. | 17,484 | 252 sq mi (653 km²) |
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| Berrien County | 019 | Nashville | 1856 | Formed from Irwin and Lowndes counties. | John MacPherson Berrien, U.S. Senator and U.S. Attorney General. | 16,235 | 452 sq mi (1,171 km²) |
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| Bibb County | 021 | Macon | 1822 | Formed from portions of Houston, Jones, Monroe and Twiggs counties. | William Wyatt Bibb, first governor of Alabama. | 153,887 | 250 sq mi (647 km²) |
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| Bleckley County | 023 | Cochran | 1912 | Formed from Pulaski County. | Logan Edwin Bleckley, state Chief Justice. | 11,666 | 217 sq mi (562 km²) |
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| Brantley County | 025 | Nahunta | 1920 | Formed from Charlton, Pierce, and Wayne counties. | Either Benjamin D. Brantley or William Gordon Brantley, members of a prominent local family. | 14,629 | 444 sq mi (1,150 km²) |
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| Brooks County | 027 | Quitman | 1858 | Formed from Lowndes and Thomas counties | Preston S. Brooks, a Congressman from South Carolina. | 16,450 | 494 sq mi (1,279 km²) |
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| Bryan County | 029 | Pembroke | 1793 | Formed from Chatham and Effingham Counties | Jonathan Bryan, a colonial settler. | 23,417 | 442 sq mi (1,145 km²) |
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| Bulloch County | 031 | Statesboro | 1796 | Formed from Effingham and Screven Counties | Archibald Bulloch, Revolutionary War soldier and statesman. | 55,983 | 683 sq mi (1,769 km²) |
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| Burke County | 033 | Waynesboro | 1777 | One of the eight original counties. | Edmund Burke, British political philosopher and Member of Parliament. | 22,243 | 831 sq mi (2,152 km²) |
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| Butts County | 035 | Jackson | 1825 | Formed from Henry and Monroe counties. | Captain Samuel Butts, a hero of the Creek War. | 19,522 | 187 sq mi (484 km²) |
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| Calhoun County | 037 | Morgan | 1854 | Formed from Early and Baker counties. | John C. Calhoun, politican and political philosopher from South Carolina. | 6,320 | 280 sq mi (725 km²) |
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| Camden County | 039 | Woodbine | 1777 | One of the eight original counties. | Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. | 43,664 | 630 sq mi (1,632 km²) |
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| Candler County | 043 | Metter | 1914 | Formed from Bulloch, Emanuel and Tattnall counties. | Allen Daniel Candler, state legislator, U.S. Representative and Governor of Georgia. | 9,577 | 247 sq mi (640 km²) |
 |
| Carroll County | 045 | Carrollton | 1826 | Created by the state legislature from lands ceded by the Creek Indians in 1825 in the Treaty of Indian Springs. | Charles Carroll, the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence. | 87,268 | 499 sq mi (1,292 km²) |
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| Catoosa County | 047 | Ringgold | 1853 | Formed from Walker and Whitfield counties. | Chief Catoosa, a Cherokee chief. | 53,282 | 162 sq mi (420 km²) |
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| Charlton County | 049 | Folkston | 1854 | Formed from Camden and Ware counties. | Robert Milledge Charlton, jurist, U.S. Senator and mayor of Savannah. | 10,282 | 781 sq mi (2,023 km²) |
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| Chatham County | 051 | Savannah | 1777 | One of the eight original counties. | William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, British statesman. | 232,048 | 440 sq mi (1,140 km²) |
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| Chattahoochee County | 053 | Cusseta | 1854 | Formed from Muscogee and Marion counties. | Chattahoochee River. | 14,882 | 249 sq mi (645 km²) |
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| Chattooga County | 055 | Summerville | 1838 | Formed from Walker and Floyd counties. | Chattooga River. | 25,470 | 314 sq mi (813 km²) |
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| Cherokee County | 057 | Canton | 1831 | Created on lands ceded by the Cherokee Indians and Habersham, and Hall Counties. | Cherokee People. | 141,903 | 424 sq mi (1,098 km²) |
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| Clarke County | 059 | Athens | 1801 | Formed from Greene and Jackson Counties. | Elijah Clarke, a Revolutionary War hero. | 101,489 | 121 sq mi (313 km²) |
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| Clay County | 061 | Fort Gaines | 1854 | Formed from Randolph and Early counties. | Henry Clay, U.S. Senator from Kentucky. | 3,357 | 195 sq mi (505 km²) |
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| Clayton County | 063 | Jonesboro | 1858 | Formed from Fayette and Henry counties. | Augustin Smith Clayton, a local jurist and Congressman. | 236,517 | 143 sq mi (370 km²) |
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| Clinch County | 065 | Homerville | 1850 | Formed from Lowndes and Ware counties. | Duncan Lamont Clinch, a hero of the Seminole War and U.S. Representative. | 6,878 | 809 sq mi (2,095 km²) |
 |
| Cobb County | 067 | Marietta | 1832 | Formed from Cherokee County | Thomas Willis Cobb, Congressman. | 607,751 | 340 sq mi (881 km²) |
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| Coffee County | 069 | Douglas | 1854 | Formed from Clinch, Irwin, Telfair and Ware counties. | John Coffee, a hero of the War of 1812. | 37,413 | 599 sq mi (1,551 km²) |
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| Colquitt County | 071 | Moultrie | 1856 | Formed from Thomas and Lowndes counties. | Walter Terry Colquitt, Methodist preacher and Congressman. | 42,053 | 552 sq mi (1,430 km²) |
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| Columbia County | 073 | Appling | 1790 | Formed from Richmond County | Christopher Columbus, explorer. | 89,288 | 290 sq mi (751 km²) |
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| Cook County | 075 | Adel | 1918 | Formed from Berrien County. | Phillip Cook, Confederate general and U.S. Representative. | 15,771 | 229 sq mi (593 km²) |
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| Coweta County | 077 | Newnan | 1826 | Created on Creek lands ceded in 1825 in the treaty of Indian Springs. | Coweta tribe of the Creek People and their village in the area. | 89,215 | 443 sq mi (1,147 km²) |
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| Crawford County | 079 | Knoxville | 1822 | Formed from Houston County. | William Harris Crawford, U.S. Senator, minister to France and Secretary of the Treasury. | 12,495 | 325 sq mi (842 km²) |
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| Crisp County | 081 | Cordele | 1905 | Formed from Dooly County. | Charles Frederick Crisp, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. | 21,996 | 274 sq mi (710 km²) |
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| Dade County | 083 | Trenton | 1837 | Formed from Walker Couty. | Francis L. Dade, hero of the Seminole War. | 15,154 | 174 sq mi (451 km²) |
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| Dawson County | 085 | Dawsonville | 1857 | Formed from Gilmer and Lumpkin counties. | William Crosby Dawson, U.S. Senator and state legislator. | 15,999 | 211 sq mi (546 km²) |
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| Decatur County | 087 | Bainbridge | 1823 | Formed from Early County. | Stephen Decatur, a War of 1812 naval hero. | 28,240 | 597 sq mi (1,546 km²) |
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| DeKalb County | 089 | Decatur | 1822 | Formed from Henry, Gwinnett, Newton and Fayette counties. | Baron Johann DeKalb, a German who aided the colonies in the American Revolution. | 665,865 | 268 sq mi (694 km²) |
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| Dodge County | 091 | Eastman | 1870 | Formed from Montgomery, Pulaski and Telfair counties. | William Earl Dodge, a New York businessman and cofounder of Phelps, Dodge and Company, a mining and metals company. | 19,171 | 501 sq mi (1,298 km²) |
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| Dooly County | 093 | Vienna | 1821 | Formed from unorganized (Creek Lands) | John Dooly, a hero of the American Revolution. | 11,525 | 393 sq mi (1,018 km²) |
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| Dougherty County | 095 | Albany | 1853 | Formed from Baker County. | Charles Dougherty, a noted judge. | 96,065 | 330 sq mi (855 km²) |
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| Douglas County | 097 | Douglasville | 1870 | Formed from Campbell and Carroll counties. | Stephen Arnold Douglas, an Illinois Democrat who ran against Abraham Lincoln in the United States presidential election, 1860 and lost. | 92,174 | 199 sq mi (515 km²) |
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| Early County | 099 | Blakely | 1818 | Formed from unorganized (Creek Lands) | Peter Early | 12,354 | 511 sq mi (1,323 km²) |
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| Echols County | 101 | Statenville | 1858 | Formed from Clinch and Lowndes Counties | Robert M. Echols | 3,754 | 404 sq mi (1,046 km²) |
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| Effingham County | 103 | Springfield | 1777 | One of the eight Original counties | Francis Howard 1st Earl of Effingham | 37,535 | 480 sq mi (1,243 km²) |
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| Elbert County | 105 | Elberton | 1790 | Formed from Wilkes County | Samuel Elbert | 20,511 | 369 sq mi (956 km²) |
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| Emanuel County | 107 | Swainsboro | 1812 | Formed from Bulloch and Montgomery Counties | David Emanuel | 21,837 | 686 sq mi (1,777 km²) |
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| Evans County | 109 | Claxton | 1914 | Formed from Tattnall County | Clement Anselm Evans | 10,495 | 185 sq mi (479 km²) |
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| Fannin County | 111 | Blue Ridge | 1854 | Formed from Gilmer and Union Counties | James Walker Fannin Jr. | 19,798 | 386 sq mi (1,000 km²) |
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| Fayette County | 113 | Fayetteville | 1821 | Formed from Un-Organized (Creek Lands) | Marquis de la Fayette | 91,263 | 197 sq mi (510 km²) |
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| Floyd County | 115 | Rome | 1832 | Formed from Cherokee County | John Floyd | 90,565 | 513 sq mi (1,329 km²) |
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| Forsyth County | 117 | Cumming | 1832 | Formed from Cherokee County | John Forsyth | 98,407 | 226 sq mi (585 km²) |
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| Franklin County | 119 | Carnesville | 1784 | Formed from unorganized (Cherokee Lands) | Benjamin Franklin | 20,285 | 263 sq mi (681 km²) |
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| Fulton County | 121 | Atlanta | 1853 | Formed from Campbell and DeKalb counties | Robert Fulton | 816,006 | 529 sq mi (1,370 km²) |
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| Gilmer County | 123 | Ellijay | 1832 | Formed from Cherokee County | George Rockingham Gilmer | 23,456 | 427 sq mi (1,106 km²) |
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| Glascock County | 125 | Gibson | 1857 | Formed from Warren County | Thomas Glascock | 2,556 | 144 sq mi (373 km²) |
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| Glynn County | 127 | Brunswick | 1777 | One of the Original Counties | John Glynn | 67,568 | 422 sq mi (1,093 km²) |
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| Gordon County | 129 | Calhoun | 1850 | Formed from Cass and Floyd Counties | William Washington Gordon | 44,104 | 355 sq mi (919 km²) |
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| Grady County | 131 | Cairo | 1905 | Formed from Decatur and ? | Henry Woodfin Grady | 23,659 | 458 sq mi (1,186 km²) |
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| Greene County | 133 | Greensboro | 1786 | Formed from Washington and Wilkes Counties | Nathanael Greene | 14,406 | 388 sq mi (1,005 km²) |
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| Gwinnett County | 135 | Lawrenceville | 1818 | Formed from Jackson County | Button Gwinnett | 588,448 | 433 sq mi (1,121 km²) |
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| Habersham County | 137 | Clarkesville | 1818 | Formed from Franklin County | Joseph Habersham | 35,902 | 278 sq mi (720 km²) |
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| Hall County | 139 | Gainesville | 1818 | Formed from Franklin and Jackson Counties | Lyman Hall | 139,277 | 394 sq mi (1,020 km²) |
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| Hancock County | 141 | Sparta | 1793 | Formed from Greene and Washington counties | John Hancock | 10,076 | 473 sq mi (1,225 km²) |
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| Haralson County | 143 | Buchanan | 1856 | Formed from Carroll and Polk Counties | Hugh Anderson Haralson | 25,690 | 282 sq mi (730 km²) |
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| Harris County | 145 | Hamilton | 1827 | Formed from Muscogee and Troup counties | Charles Harris | 23,695 | 464 sq mi (1,202 km²) |
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| Hart County | 147 | Hartwell | 1853 | Formed from Elbert and Franklin counties | Nancy Morgan Hart | 22,997 | 232 sq mi (601 km²) |
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| Heard County | 149 | Franklin | 1830 | Formed from Carroll, Coweta and Troup Counties | Stephen Heard | 11,012 | 296 sq mi (767 km²) |
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| Henry County | 151 | McDonough | 1821 | Formed from Walton County | Patrick Henry | 119,341 | 323 sq mi (837 km²) |
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| Houston County | 153 | Perry | 1821 | Formed from Un-Organized (Creek Lands) | John Houston | 110,765 | 377 sq mi (976 km²) |
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| Irwin County | 155 | Ocilla | 1818 | Formed from Telfair County | Jared Irwin | 9,931 | 357 sq mi (925 km²) |
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| Jackson County | 157 | Jefferson | 1796 | Formed from Franklin County | James Jackson | 41,589 | 342 sq mi (886 km²) |
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| Jasper County | 159 | Monticello | 1807 | Formed from Baldwin (Formally Randolph in 1807) | William Jasper | 11,426 | 370 sq mi (958 km²) |
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| Jeff Davis County | 161 | Hazlehurst | 1905 | Formed from Appling and Coffee counties | Jefferson Davis | 12,684 | 333 sq mi (862 km²) |
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| Jefferson County | 163 | Louisville | 1796 | Formed from Burke and Warren Counties | Thomas Jefferson | 17,266 | 528 sq mi (1,368 km²) |
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| Jenkins County | 165 | Millen | 1905 | Formed from Bulloch, Burke, Emanuel, and Screven Counties | Charles Jones Jenkins | 8,575 | 350 sq mi (906 km²) |
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| Johnson County | 167 | Wrightsville | 1858 | Formed from Emanuel, Laurens and Washington counties | Herschel Vespasian Johnson | 8,560 | 304 sq mi (787 km²) |
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| Jones County | 169 | Gray | 1807 | Formed from Baldwin County | James Jones | 23,639 | 394 sq mi (1,020 km²) |
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| Lamar County | 171 | Barnesville | 1920 | Formed from Monroe and Pike Counties | Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar | 15,912 | 185 sq mi (479 km²) |
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| Lanier County | 173 | Lakeland | 1920 | Formed from Berrien, Clinch and Lowndes Countries | Sidney Lanier | 7,241 | 187 sq mi (484 km²) |
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| Laurens County | 175 | Dublin | 1807 | Formed from Wilkinson County | John Laurens | 44,874 | 813 sq mi (2,106 km²) |
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| Lee County | 177 | Leesburg | 1826 | Formed from Un-Organized (Creek Lands) | Richard Henry Lee | 24,757 | 356 sq mi (922 km²) |
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| Liberty County | 179 | Hinesville | 1777 | One of the Original eight counties | righ and freedom of liberty | 61,610 | 519 sq mi (1,344 km²) |
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| Lincoln County | 181 | Lincolnton | 1796 | Formed from Wilkes County | Benjamin Lincoln | 8,348 | 211 sq mi (546 km²) |
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| Long County | 183 | Ludowici | 1920 | Formed from Liberty County | Crawford Williamson Long | 10,304 | 401 sq mi (1,039 km²) |
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| Lowndes County | 185 | Valdosta | 1825 | Formed from Irwin | William Jones Lowdens | 92,115 | 504 sq mi (1,305 km²) |
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| Lumpkin County | 187 | Dahlonega | 1832 | Formed from Cherokee County | Wilson Lumpkin | 21,016 | 284 sq mi (736 km²) |
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| Macon County | 189 | Oglethorpe | 1837 | Formed from Houston and Marion Counties | Nathaniel Macon | 14,074 | 403 sq mi (1,044 km |