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List of counties in Michigan

There are 83 counties in the U.S. state of Michigan.

List of counties

County
 FIPS Code[1] County seat
 Created
 Origin
 Meaning of name
 Population (2020)[2]
 Area
 Map
 
Alcona County 001 Harrisville 1840 (boundaries declared)
1869 (organized)		 From unorganized territory; named Negwegon County until 1843 Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft 10,167 1,791 sq mi
(4,639 km2)		  
Alger County 003 Munising 1885 From part of Schoolcraft County Russell A. Alger, (1836-1907):
Governor and national politician 		8,842 5,049 sq mi
(13,077 km2)		  
Allegan County 005 Allegan 1831 (boundaries declared)
1835 (organized)		 From part of Barry County, and unorganized territory Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft 120,502 1,833 sq mi
(4,747 km2)		  
Alpena County 007 Alpena 1840 (boundaries declared)
1857 (organized)		 From part of Mackinac County, and unorganized territory Was named Anamickee County until 1843. Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft 28,907 1,695 sq mi
(4,390 km2)		  
Antrim County 009 Bellaire 1840 From part of Mackinac County; named Meegisee County until 1843 County Antrim, now in Northern Ireland 23,431 602 sq mi
(1,559 km2)		  
Arenac County 011 Standish 1831 From unorganized territory; annexed to Bay County in 1857, but reinstated in 1883 Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft 15,002 681 sq mi
(1,764 km2)		  
Baraga County 013 L'Anse 1875 From part of Houghton County Frederic Baraga (1797-1868): Catholic missionary and first bishop of Sault Ste. Marie 8,158 1,069 sq mi
(2,769 km2)		  
Barry County 015 Hastings 1829 From unorganized territory William T. Barry (1784-1835): Postmaster General in the Jackson Administration 62,423 577 sq mi
(1,494 km2)		  
Bay County 017 Bay City 1857 From parts of Arenac, Midland, and Saginaw Counties Saginaw Bay 103,856 631 sq mi
(1,634 km2)		  
Benzie County 019 Beulah 1863 From part of Leelenau County French name of Betsie River: (rivière aux) Bec-scies, the "(river of) sawbill ducks" 17,970 860 sq mi
(2,227 km2)		  
Berrien County 021 St. Joseph 1829 From unorganized territory John M. Berrien (1781-1856): Attorney General in the Jackson Administration 154,316 1,581 sq mi
(4,095 km2)		  
Branch County 023 Coldwater 1829 From unorganized territory John Branch (1782-1863): Secretary of the Navy in the Jackson Administration 44,862 519 sq mi
(1,344 km2)		  
Calhoun County 025 Marshall 1829 From unorganized territory John C. Calhoun (1782-1850): Vice President of the United States in the Jackson Administration 134,310 718 sq mi
(1,860 km2)		  
Cass County 027 Cassopolis 1829 From unorganized territory Lewis Cass (1782-1866): Secretary of War in the Jackson Administration 51,589 508 sq mi
(1,316 km2)		  
Charlevoix County 029 Charlevoix 1869 From parts of Antrim, Emmet, and Otsego Counties Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix (1682-1761): Jesuit traveller and historian of New France 26,054 1,391 sq mi
(3,603 km2)		  
Cheboygan County 031 Cheboygan 1840 From part of Mackinac County Cheboygan River 25,579 885 sq mi
(2,292 km2)		  
Chippewa County 033 Sault Ste. Marie 1827 From part of Mackinac County Ojibwa Native American tribe, also known as the Chippewa 36,785 2,698 sq mi
(6,988 km2)		  
Clare County 035 Harrison 1840 From part of Mackinac County, and unorganized territory; named Kaykakee County until 1843 County Clare, Ireland 30,856 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)		  
Clinton County 037 St. Johns 1831 From unorganized territory DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828): Governor of New York. 79,128 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)		  
Crawford County 039 Grayling 1840 From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Was named Shawano County until 1843. William Crawford, (1732-82), American Revolutionary War colonel western surveyor 12,988 563 sq mi
(1,458 km2)		  
Delta County 041 Escanaba 1843 From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Greek letter delta, referring to the triangular shape of the original county, which included segments of Menominee, Dickinson, Iron and Marquette counties 36,903 1,992 sq mi
(5,159 km2)		  
Dickinson County 043 Iron Mountain 1891 From parts of Iron County, Marquette County and Menominee County. Donald M. Dickinson (1846-1917): Postmaster General in the Cleveland Administration 25,947 777 sq mi
(2,012 km2)		  
Eaton County 045 Charlotte 1829 From unorganized territory. John Eaton (1790-1856): Secretary of War in the Jackson Administration 109,175 579 sq mi
(1,500 km2)		  
Emmet County 047 Petoskey 1840 From part of Mackinac County. Was named Tonegadana County until 1843. Robert Emmet (1778-1803): Irish nationalist and rebel leader 34,112 882 sq mi
(2,284 km2)		  
Genesee County 049 Flint 1835 From parts of Lapeer County, Saginaw County and Shiawassee County. Seneca word, "je-nis-hi-yeh," meaning "beautiful valley": named after western New York valley from which many settlers came 406,211 649 sq mi
(1,681 km2)		  
Gladwin County 051 Gladwin 1831 From unorganized territory. Major Henry Gladwin, British commander of the fort at Detroit during the siege by Chief Pontiac in 1763-64. 25,386 516 sq mi
(1,336 km2)		  
Gogebic County 053 Bessemer 1887 From part of Ontonagon County. Probably from the Chippewa "bic" which most references interpret as "rock." 14,380 1,476 sq mi
(3,823 km2)		  
Grand Traverse County 055 Traverse City 1851 From part of Omeena County. French grande traverse[note 1] ("long crossing"), given first to Grand Traverse Bay by French voyageurs. 95,238 601 sq mi
(1,557 km2)		  
Gratiot County 057 Ithaca 1831 From unorganized territory. Captain Charles Gratiot (1788-1855), built Fort Gratiot at the present site of Port Huron 41,761 572 sq mi
(1,481 km2)		  
Hillsdale County 059 Hillsdale 1829 From unorganized territory. From its terrain, made up of hills and dales.[4] 45,746 607 sq mi
(1,572 km2)		  
Houghton County 061 Houghton 1845 From parts of Marquette County and Ontonagon County. Douglass Houghton (1809-1845), first state geologist of Michigan, physician and surgeon, mayor of Detroit (1842-1843) 37,361 1,502 sq mi
(3,890 km2)		  
Huron County 063 Bad Axe 1840 From part of Sanilac County. Lake Huron, which the French named lac des Hurons after the Hurons. 31,407 2,136 sq mi
(5,532 km2)		  
Ingham County 065 Mason 1829 (boundaries declared)
1838 (organized)		 From parts of Shiawassee County, Washtenaw County and unorganized territory. Samuel D. Ingham (1779-1860), U.S. Secretary of the Treasury in the Jackson Administration 284,900 561 sq mi
(1,453 km2)		  
Ionia County 067 Ionia 1831 From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Province in ancient Greece 66,804 580 sq mi
(1,502 km2)		  
Iosco County 069 Tawas City 1840 From unorganized territory. Was named Kanotin County until 1843. Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft 25,237 1,891 sq mi
(4,898 km2)		  
Iron County 071 Crystal Falls 1885 From parts of Marquette County and Menominee County. For the iron deposits and mines found in the county 11,631 1,211 sq mi
(3,136 km2)		  
Isabella County 073 Mt. Pleasant 1831 From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Queen Isabella I (1451-1504) of Spain, under whose patronage Columbus undertook his voyages. 64,394 578 sq mi
(1,497 km2)		  
Jackson County 075 Jackson 1829 (boundaries declared)
1832 (organised)		 From part of Washtenaw County and unorganized territory. Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), 7th President of the United States and President when Michigan was admitted to the Union 160,366 724 sq mi
(1,875 km2)		  
Kalamazoo County 077 Kalamazoo 1829 From unorganized territory. Named for the Kalamazoo River. See Etymology of Kalamazoo for a discussion of the river's name. 261,670 580 sq mi
(1,502 km2)		  
Kalkaska County 079 Kalkaska 1840 From part of Mackinac County. Was named Wabassee County until 1843. Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft 17,939 571 sq mi
(1,479 km2)		  
Kent County 081 Grand Rapids 1831 From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. New York jurist James Kent, who represented the Michigan Territory in its dispute with Ohio over the Toledo Strip. 657,974 872 sq mi
(2,258 km2)		  
Keweenaw County 083 Eagle River 1861 From part of Houghton County. Ojibwe word gakiiwe-wewaning meaning "portage" 2,046 5,966 sq mi
(15,452 km2)		  
Lake County 085 Baldwin 1840 From part of Mackinac County. Was named Aischum County until 1843. Has several small lakes and lies near Lake Michigan 12,096 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)		  
Lapeer County 087 Lapeer 1822 From parts of Oakland County and St. Clair County. An Americanization of the French la pierre, meaning "the rock" (flint) 88,619 663 sq mi
(1,717 km2)		  
Leelanau County 089 Suttons Bay Township 1840 From part of Mackinac County. Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft 22,301 2,532 sq mi
(6,558 km2)		  
Lenawee County 091 Adrian 1822 From part of Monroe County. A name created by Henry Schoolcraft meaning a Native American word for man -- either from the Delaware "leno or lenno" or the Shawnee "lenawai" 99,423 761 sq mi
(1,971 km2)		  
Livingston County 093 Howell 1833 (boundaries declared)
1836 (organized)		 From parts of Shiawassee County and Washtenaw County. Edward Livingston (1764-1836): second Secretary of State in the Andrew Jackson administration 193,866 585 sq mi
(1,515 km2)		  
Luce County 095 Newberry 1887 From parts of Chippewa County and Mackinac County. Named for Michigan Governor Cyrus G. Luce 5,339 1,912 sq mi
(4,952 km2)		  
Mackinac County 097 St. Ignace 1818 From part of Wayne County. Was named Michilimackinac County until 1837. Originally Michilimackinac, believed to be a French interpretation of the Native American name for Mackinac Island, meaning "big turtle" 10,834 2,101 sq mi
(5,442 km2)		  
Macomb County 099 Mt. Clemens 1818 From part of Wayne County. Named for U.S. General Alexander Macomb, a notable officer of the War of 1812 881,217 570 sq mi
(1,476 km2)		  
Manistee County 101 Manistee 1840 From part of Mackinac County. Named for the Manistee River, which in turn is from the Ojibwe name, ministigweyaa meaning "(river) at whose mouth there are islands" 25,032 1,281 sq mi
(3,318 km2)		  
Marquette County 103 Marquette 1843 From parts of Chippewa County and Mackinac County. Named for French Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette 66,017 3,425 sq mi
(8,871 km2)		  
Mason County 105 Ludington 1840 From part of Mackinac County. Was named Notipekago County until 1843. Named for Michigan Governor Stevens T. Mason 29,052 1,242 sq mi
(3,217 km2)		  
Mecosta County 107 Big Rapids 1840 From parts of Mackinac County and Oceana County. Named for Mecosta, a Native American leader 39,714 571 sq mi
(1,479 km2)		  
Menominee County 109 Menominee 1861 From part of Delta County. Was named Bleeker County until 1863. Named for the Menominee Native American people 23,502 1,338 sq mi
(3,465 km2)		  
Midland County 111 Midland 1831 From part of Saginaw County and unorganized territory. Located near the geographical center of the Lower Peninsula 83,494 528 sq mi
(1,368 km2)		  
Missaukee County 113 Lake City 1840 From part of Mackinac County. Named for Missaukee, an Ottawa leader who signed land-grant treaties in 1831 and 1833 15,052 574 sq mi
(1,487 km2)		  
Monroe County 115 Monroe 1817 From part of Wayne County. Named for James Monroe, the fifth U.S. President 154,809 680 sq mi
(1,761 km2)		  
Montcalm County 117 Stanton 1831 From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Named for Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, a French military commander in Quebec 66,614 721 sq mi
(1,867 km2)		  
Montmorency County 119 Atlanta 1840 From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Was named Cheonoquet County until 1843. House of Montmorency, influential in the history of French Canada 9,153 562 sq mi
(1,456 km2)		  
Muskegon County 121 Muskegon 1859 From parts of Oceana County and Ottawa County. Muskegon River running through county, from the Ojibwa/Chippewa word mashkig meaning "swamp" or "marsh." 175,824 1,459 sq mi
(3,779 km2)		  
Newaygo County 123 White Cloud 1840 From parts of Mackinac County and Oceana County. Named for a Chippewa leader who signed the Saginaw Treaty of 1819[5] 49,978 861 sq mi
(2,230 km2)		  
Oakland County 125 Pontiac 1819 (boundaries declared)
1820 (organized)		 From part of Macomb County. The numerous "oak openings" in the area: "majestic orchard[s] of oaks and hickories varied by small prairies, grassy lawns and clear lakes"[6] 1,274,395 908 sq mi
(2,352 km2)		  
Oceana County 127 Hart 1831 From part of Mackinac County. Borders Lake Michigan, the freshwater "ocean." 26,659 1,307 sq mi
(3,385 km2)		  
Ogemaw County 129 West Branch 1840 From unorganized territory. Annexed to Iosco County in 1867 and reinstated in 1873. The Ojibwe word ogimaa, meaning "chief" or "leader" 20,770 575 sq mi
(1,489 km2)		  
Ontonagon County 131 Ontonagon 1843 From parts of Chippewa County and Mackinac County. Named for the Ontonagon River. The Ojibwa word onagon means "dish" or "bowl." 5,816 3,741 sq mi
(9,689 km2)		  
Osceola County 133 Reed City 1840 From part of Mackinac County. Was named Unwattin County until 1843. Osceola (1804-1838), Seminole chief 22,891 573 sq mi
(1,484 km2)		  
Oscoda County 135 Mio 1840 From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft 8,219 572 sq mi
(1,481 km2)		  
Otsego County 137 Gaylord 1840 From part of Mackinac County. Was named Okkudo County until 1843. Named for Otsego County, New York 25,091 526 sq mi
(1,362 km2)		  
Ottawa County 139 Grand Haven 1831 From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Named for the Native American Ottawa people. 296,200 1,632 sq mi
(4,227 km2)		  
Presque Isle County 141 Rogers City 1840 From part of Mackinac County. A derivation of the French phrase for "peninsula", literally "almost an island." 12,982 2,573 sq mi
(6,664 km2)		  
Roscommon County 143 Roscommon 1840 From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Was named Mikenauk County until 1843. County Roscommon, Ireland 23,459 580 sq mi
(1,502 km2)		  
Saginaw County 145 Saginaw 1822 From part of Oakland County. A Native American term, perhaps a reference to the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay, Ojibwe for "at the outlet" [7] 190,124 816 sq mi
(2,113 km2)		  
St. Clair County 147 Port Huron 1820 From part of Macomb County. Named for either Arthur St. Clair, first governor of the Northwest Territory, or Saint Clair on whose feast day Lake St. Clair was discovered 160,383 837 sq mi
(2,168 km2)		  
St. Joseph County 149 Centreville 1829 From unorganized territory. The St. Joseph River, which flows through the county.[8] 60,939 521 sq mi
(1,349 km2)		  
Sanilac County 151 Sandusky 1822 From part of St. Clair County. Sanilac, a Wyandotte chief 40,611 1,590 sq mi
(4,118 km2)		  
Schoolcraft County 153 Manistique 1843 From parts of Chippewa County and Mackinac County. Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, (1793-1864):
American geographer and Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Michigan 		8,047 1,884 sq mi
(4,880 km2)		  
Shiawassee County 155 Corunna 1822 From parts of Oakland County and St. Clair County. Named for the Shiawassee River, and means 'river that twists about.[9] 68,094 541 sq mi
(1,401 km2)		  
Tuscola County 157 Caro 1840 From part of Sanilac County. Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft 53,323 914 sq mi
(2,367 km2)		  
Van Buren County 159 Paw Paw 1829 From unorganized territory. Martin Van Buren (1782-1862): Secretary of State in the Jackson Administration, later Vice President and eighth President of the United States 75,587 1,090 sq mi
(2,823 km2)		  
Washtenaw County 161 Ann Arbor 1822 (boundaries declared)
1826 (organised)		 From parts of Oakland County and Wayne County From the Native American name for the Grand River, O-wash-ta-nong ("faraway water"),[10] whose headwaters were within the county's bounds. 372,258 723 sq mi
(1,873 km2)		  
Wayne County 163 Detroit 1815 All lands within Michigan Territory that had been ceded by Native Americans through the 1807 Treaty of Detroit. "Mad" Anthony Wayne, (1745-1796):
United States Army general and statesman 		1,793,561 672 sq mi
(1,740 km2)		  
Wexford County 165 Cadillac 1840 From part of Mackinac County. Was named Kautawaubet County until 1843. County Wexford, Ireland 33,673 576 sq mi
(1,492 km2)		  
  1. ↑ In modern standard French, la grande traversée; as the sense of 'crossing' is obsolete for traverse.[3]

Former counties

  • Brown County: formed in 1818 from unorganized territory. Given to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Brown County, Wisconsin.
  • Keskkauko County: formed in 1840 from part of Mackinac County. Renamed Charlevoix County in 1843. Annexed to Emmet County in 1853. Reformed as Charlevoix County from Emmet County in 1869.
  • Crawford County: formed in 1818 from unorganized territory when Michigan Territory was expanded to include area west of Lake Michigan upon formation of ths state of Illinois. Transferred to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Crawford County, Wisconsin.
  • Des Moines County: formed in 1834 from unorganized territory. Given to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Des Moines County, Iowa.
  • Dubuque County: formed in 1834 from unorganized territory. Given to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Dubuque County, Iowa.
  • Iowa County: formed in 1830 from part of Crawford County. Given to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Iowa County, Wisconsin.
  • Isle Royale County: formed in 1875 from part of Keweenaw County. Returned to it in 1897.
  • Manitou County: formed in 1855 from parts of Emmet County and Leelenau County. County was ended in 1895 and added to Charlevoix County and Leelanau County.
  • Milwaukee County: formed in 1834 from part of Brown County. Given to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
  • Omeena County: formed in 1840 from part of Mackinac County. Added to Grand Traverse County in 1853.
  • Wyandot County: formed in 1840 from part of Mackinac County. Added to Cheboygan County in 1853.

References

  1. ↑ "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA. Archived from the original on May 24, 2010. Retrieved September 8, 2008.
  2. ↑ "QuickFacts: Michigan". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  3. ↑ Centre national de ressources textuelles
  4. ↑ Dan Bisher (1999). "A Brief History of 'Hillsdale County'". Archived from the original on June 7, 2008. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Clarke Historical Library bibliographic entry for Newaygo County". Archived from the original on June 5, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  6. ↑ As described by Bela Hubbard, surveyor of Michigan
  7. ↑ "Clarke Historical Library bibliographic entry for Saginaw County". Archived from the original on June 5, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  8. ↑ John Marvin. "Background History on St. Joseph County". Archived from the original on June 15, 2008. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
  9. ↑ "Clarke Historical Library bibliographic entry for Shiawassee County". Archived from the original on June 5, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  10. ↑ Publications of the Historical Society of Grand Rapids. 1906. p. 36.

More reading

  • Armitage, B. Phyllis. (Oct–Dec 1943). "A Study of Michigan's Place-Names". Michigan History Magazine. 27: 626–637.
  • County histories published in Michigan History Magazine. Some back issues that include these histories are still available for purchase.
  • Jenks, William L. (1912). "History and Meaning of the County Names of Michigan". Collections and Researches of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society. 38: 439–478.
  • Michigan Manual (the "Red Book") published biennially by the Legislative Service Bureau under the direction of the. Legislative Council, State of Michigan.
  • Powers, Perry F.; Cutler, H.G., assisting (1912). A History of Northern Michigan and its People. at Google books
  • Reports of Counties, Towns and Districts. Report of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan. Vol. I (2nd ed.). Lansing, Michigan: Robert Smith Printing Co. 1874. pp. 94–520.
  • Romig, Walter; Massie, Larry B (Designer) (1986). Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-1838-6.
  • Vogel, Virgil J. (1986). Indian Names in Michigan. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. pp. 244, 8 B&W photographs & 3 maps. ISBN 978-0-472-06365-9.
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