List of counties in Missouri
Independent city and Counties of Missouri | |
---|---|
Location | State of Missouri |
Number | 114 Counties 1 Independent city |
Populations | (Counties only):2,171 (Worth) – 1,000,438 (Saint Louis) |
Areas | (Counties only):266 square miles (690 km2) (Worth) – 1,179 square miles (3,050 km2) (Texas) |
Government | County government |
Subdivisions | cities, towns, unincorporated communities, census designated place |
There are 114 counties and one independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Following the Louisiana Purchase and the admittance of Louisiana into the United States in 1812, five counties were formed out of the Missouri Territory at the first general assembly: Cape Girardeau, New Madrid, Saint Charles, Saint Louis, and Ste. Genevieve. Most subsequent counties were apportioned from these five original counties. Six more counties were added through the 1836 Platte Purchase, the acquired lands of which formed the northwest tip of the state and consisted of Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Holt, Nodaway, and Platte counties.[1]
In Missouri, the county level of government comes between those of the city and the state. Its primary responsibilities include maintaining roads, providing security, prosecuting criminals, and collecting taxes. Elected officials at this level include a sheriff, prosecuting attorney, and assessor.[2]
Most of the counties in Missouri are named after politicians. One such county, Cass, was originally named Van Buren County after President Martin Van Buren, and was changed to its present name in support of Van Buren's Democratic opponent Lewis Cass during the presidential election of 1848. Other counties are named after war heroes, natural resources, explorers, and former U.S. territories.[3]
The city of St. Louis is an independent city, and is not within the limits of a county. Its residents voted to secede from St. Louis County in 1876. Throughout the United States, St. Louis is one of three independent cities outside the state of Virginia (the other two are Baltimore, Maryland and Carson City, Nevada).[4]
Population figures are based on the 2010 United States Census. According to that census, the population of Missouri is 5,988,927, an increase of 7.0% from 2000. The average population of Missouri’s counties is 52,078 ; St. Louis County is the most populous (998,954), and Worth County is the least (2,171). The average land area is 599 sq mi (1,550 km2). The largest county is Texas County (1,179 sq mi, 3,054 km2) and the smallest is St. Louis city (61.9 sq mi, 160 km2).[5][6]
The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) is used by the U.S. government to uniquely identify counties, and is provided for each entry. These codes link to the United States Census Bureau's "quick facts" for each county. To distinguish from counties in other states, one must use Missouri’s FIPS code, 29. For example, Adair County's unique nationwide identifier is 29001.[7]
Counties[edit]
County |
FIPS County Code [7] |
County seat [8] |
Established [8] |
Formed from [3] |
Etymology [3][9][10] |
Population [6] |
Area [8] |
Map |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adair County | 001 | Kirksville | 1841 | Macon County | John Adair (1757–1840), pioneer, soldier, and seventh Governor of Kentucky | 25,607 | ( 1,471 km2) |
568 sq mi![]() |
Andrew County | 003 | Savannah | 1841 | Part of the Platte Purchase | Andrew Jackson Davis (1826–1910), spiritualist and missionary who settled in St. Louis | 17,291 | ( 1,127 km2) |
435 sq mi![]() |
Atchison County | 005 | Rock Port | 1843 | Holt County, part of the Platte Purchase | U.S. Senator David Rice Atchison (1807–1886), a Democrat from Missouri | 5,685 | ( 1,412 km2) |
545 sq mi![]() |
Audrain County | 007 | Mexico | 1831 | Callaway, Monroe and Ralls counties | James H. Audrain, a War of 1812 colonel Missouri State Legislator | 25,529 | ( 1,795 km2) |
693 sq mi![]() |
Barry County | 009 | Cassville | 1835 | Greene County | William Taylor Barry (1784–1835), jurist and United States Postmaster General | 35,597 | ( 2,018 km2) |
779 sq mi![]() |
Barton County | 011 | Lamar | 1855 | Jasper County | U.S. Senator David Barton (1783–1837), one of the first senators from Missouri | 12,402 | ( 1,538 km2) |
594 sq mi![]() |
Bates County | 013 | Butler | 1841 | Van Buren (now Cass) County | Frederick Bates (1777–1825), the second governor of Missouri | 17,049 | ( 2,196 km2) |
848 sq mi![]() |
Benton County | 015 | Warsaw | 1835 | Pettis and Greene counties | Thomas Hart Benton (1782–1858), U.S. Senator from Missouri | 19,056 | ( 1,829 km2) |
706 sq mi![]() |
Bollinger County | 017 | Marble Hill | 1851 | Cape Girardeau, Madison, Stoddard and Wayne counties | George Frederick Bollinger (1770–1842), early settler of Missouri | 12,363 | ( 1,608 km2) |
621 sq mi![]() |
Boone County | 019 | Columbia | 1821 | Howard County | Daniel Boone (1734–1820), American pioneer and hunter | 162,642 | ( 1,774 km2) |
685 sq mi![]() |
Buchanan County | 021 | Saint Joseph | 1838 | Part of the Platte Purchase | James Buchanan (1791–1868), 15th President of the United States | 89,201 | ( 1,062 km2) |
410 sq mi![]() |
Butler County | 023 | Poplar Bluff | 1849 | Wayne County | William O. Butler (1791–1880), U.S. Representative from Kentucky and vice-presidential nominee under Lewis Cass | 42,794 | ( 1,808 km2) |
698 sq mi![]() |
Caldwell County | 025 | Kingston | 1836 | Ray County | Disputed; either John Caldwell, an Indian scout and friend of respected Colonel Alexander William Doniphan; John Caldwell, Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky; or Mathew Caldwell, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence | 9,424 | ( 1,111 km2) |
429 sq mi![]() |
Callaway County | 027 | Fulton | 1821 | Boone, Howard and Montgomery counties | James Callaway (1783–1815), soldier during the War of 1812 and grandson of Daniel Boone | 44,332 | ( 2,173 km2) |
839 sq mi![]() |
Camden County | 029 | Camdenton | 1841 | Benton, Morgan and Pulaski counties | Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden (1714–1794), an English lawyer, judge, Whig politician, and proponent of civil liberties | 44,002 | ( 1,696 km2) |
655 sq mi![]() |
Cape Girardeau County | 031 | Jackson | 1812 | One of the five original counties | Sieur de Girardot, a French officer and early explorer of the region | 75,674 | ( 1,500 km2) |
579 sq mi![]() |
Carroll County | 033 | Carrollton | 1833 | Ray County | Charles Carroll (1737–1832), delegate to the Continental Congress and U.S. Senator for Maryland | 9,295 | ( 1,800 km2) |
695 sq mi![]() |
Carter County | 035 | Van Buren | 1859 | Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley and Shannon counties | Zimri Carter, pioneering settler | 6,265 | ( 1,316 km2) |
508 sq mi![]() |
Cass County | 037 | Harrisonville | 1833 | Jackson County | Lewis Cass (1782–1866), senator from Michigan | 99,478 | ( 1,810 km2) |
699 sq mi![]() |
Cedar County | 039 | Stockton | 1845 | Dade and St. Clair counties | Named for the abundance of Eastern Red Cedar trees | 13,982 | ( 1,233 km2) |
476 sq mi![]() |
Chariton County | 041 | Keytesville | 1821 | Howard County | Chariton River, a tributary of the Missouri River, whose naming origin is disputed | 7,831 | ( 1,958 km2) |
756 sq mi![]() |
Christian County | 043 | Ozark | 1859 | Greene, Taney and Webster counties | William Christian (1743–1786), colonel in the American Revolution | 77,422 | ( 1,458 km2) |
563 sq mi![]() |
Clark County | 045 | Kahoka | 1836 | Lewis County | William Clark (1770–1838), American explorer, soldier, Indian agent, and territorial governor | 7,139 | ( 1,313 km2) |
507 sq mi![]() |
Clay County | 047 | Liberty | 1822 | Ray County | Henry Clay (1777–1852), American Senator and orator from Kentucky | 221,939 | ( 1,026 km2) |
396 sq mi![]() |
Clinton County | 049 | Plattsburg | 1833 | Clay County | George Clinton (1739–1812), soldier and Governor of New York, considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States | 20,743 | ( 1,085 km2) |
419 sq mi![]() |
Cole County | 051 | Jefferson City | 1820 | Cooper County | Stephen Cole, pioneering settler | 75,990 | ( 1,015 km2) |
392 sq mi![]() |
Cooper County | 053 | Boonville | 1818 | Howard County | Sarshel Benjamin Cooper, pioneering settler | 17,601 | ( 1,463 km2) |
565 sq mi![]() |
Crawford County | 055 | Steelville | 1829 | Gasconade County | William H. Crawford (1772–1834), U.S. Senator from Georgia, U.S. Secretary of Treasury, and judge | 24,696 | ( 1,924 km2) |
743 sq mi![]() |
Dade County | 057 | Greenfield | 1841 | Barry and Polk counties | Major Francis L. Dade (1793?–1835), Major in the U.S. 4th Infantry Regiment, United States Army, during the Second Seminole War | 7,883 | ( 1,269 km2) |
490 sq mi![]() |
Dallas County | 059 | Buffalo | 1841 | Polk County | George M. Dallas (1792–1864), U.S. Vice President under James K. Polk | 16,777 | ( 1,404 km2) |
542 sq mi![]() |
Daviess County | 061 | Gallatin | 1836 | Ray County | Joseph Hamilton Daveiss (1774–1811), commanded the Dragoons of the Indiana Militia at the Battle of Tippecanoe | 8,433 | ( 1,469 km2) |
567 sq mi![]() |
DeKalb County | 063 | Maysville | 1843 | Clinton County | Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), a German soldier who served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War | 12,892 | ( 1,098 km2) |
424 sq mi![]() |
Dent County | 065 | Salem | 1851 | Crawford and Shannon counties | James Dent, pioneering settler | 15,657 | ( 1,953 km2) |
754 sq mi![]() |
Douglas County | 067 | Ava | 1857 | Ozark County | Stephen A. Douglas (1813–1861), American Senator from Illinois, and the Democratic nominee for President in 1860 | 13,684 | ( 2,111 km2) |
815 sq mi![]() |
Dunklin County | 069 | Kennett | 1843 | Stoddard County | Daniel Dunklin (1790–1844), fifth governor of Missouri | 31,953 | ( 1,414 km2) |
546 sq mi![]() |
Franklin County | 071 | Union | 1818 | St. Louis County | Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), writer, publisher, orator, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States | 101,492 | ( 2,388 km2) |
922 sq mi![]() |
Gasconade County | 073 | Hermann | 1821 | Franklin County | Gasconade River, a tributary of the Missouri River; the river probably derives its name from the French word "gascon" which means braggart, and could be an old satirical name describing those who boast about their adventures upon return to St. Louis | 15,222 | ( 1,347 km2) |
520 sq mi![]() |
Gentry County | 075 | Albany | 1841 | Clinton County | Richard Gentry (1788–1837), a distinguished American military colonel in the Seminole Wars | 6,738 | ( 1,274 km2) |
492 sq mi![]() |
Greene County | 077 | Springfield | 1833 | Crawford and Wayne counties | Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War | 275,174 | ( 1,748 km2) |
675 sq mi![]() |
Grundy County | 079 | Trenton | 1839 | Livingston County | Felix Grundy (1777–1840), U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senator from Tennessee who also served as the 13th Attorney General of the United States | 10,261 | ( 1,129 km2) |
436 sq mi![]() |
Harrison County | 081 | Bethany | 1843 | Daviess County | Albert G. Harrison (1800–1839), U.S. Representative from Missouri | 8,957 | ( 1,878 km2) |
725 sq mi![]() |
Henry County | 083 | Clinton | 1834 | Lillard (now Lafayette) County | Patrick Henry (1736–1799), first post-colonial Governor of Virginia and prominent figure in the American Revolution | 22,272 | ( 1,818 km2) |
702 sq mi![]() |
Hickory County | 085 | Hermitage | 1845 | Benton and Polk counties | Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), seventh U.S. President, who was nicknamed "Old Hickory" during his military service | 9,627 | ( 1,033 km2) |
399 sq mi![]() |
Holt County | 087 | Oregon | 1841 | Part of the Platte Purchase | David Rice Holt, Missouri State Representative | 4,912 | ( 1,197 km2) |
462 sq mi![]() |
Howard County | 089 | Fayette | 1816 | St. Charles and St. Louis counties | Benjamin Howard (1760–1814), a Congressman from Kentucky, governor of Missouri Territory and a brigadier general in the War of 1812 | 10,144 | ( 1,207 km2) |
466 sq mi![]() |
Howell County | 091 | West Plains | 1857 | Oregon County | Disputed - Josiah Howell, pioneering settler | 40,400 | ( 2,404 km2) |
928 sq mi![]() |
Iron County | 093 | Ironton | 1857 | Madison, Reynolds, St. Francois, Washington and Wayne counties | The abundance of iron ore in the area | 10,630 | ( 1,427 km2) |
551 sq mi![]() |
Jackson County | 095 | Kansas City, Independence |
1826 | Lillard (now Lafayette) County | Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), U.S. Senator from Tennessee and later President of the United States | 674,158 | ( 1,567 km2) |
605 sq mi![]() |
Jasper County | 097 | Carthage | 1841 | Barry County | William Jasper (c. 1750–1779), a noted American soldier in the Revolutionary War | 117,404 | ( 1,658 km2) |
640 sq mi![]() |
Jefferson County | 099 | Hillsboro | 1818 | St. Louis and Sainte Genevieve counties | Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third President of the United States, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the most influential Founding Fathers | 218,733 | ( 1,702 km2) |
657 sq mi![]() |
Johnson County | 101 | Warrensburg | 1834 | Lillard (now Lafayette) County | Richard M. Johnson (1780–1850), ninth Vice President of the United States, serving in the administration of Martin Van Buren | 52,595 | ( 2,152 km2) |
831 sq mi![]() |
Knox County | 103 | Edina | 1843 | Scotland County | Henry Knox (1750–1806) an American bookseller from Boston who became the chief artillery officer of the Continental Army and later the nation's first Secretary of War | 4,131 | ( 1,311 km2) |
506 sq mi![]() |
Laclede County | 105 | Lebanon | 1849 | Camden, Pulaski and Wright counties | Pierre Laclede (1729–1778), founder of St. Louis, Missouri | 35,571 | ( 1,984 km2) |
766 sq mi![]() |
Lafayette County | 107 | Lexington | 1821 | Cooper County | Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), French military officer and general in the American Revolutionary War | 33,381 | ( 1,629 km2) |
629 sq mi![]() |
Lawrence County | 109 | Mount Vernon | 1843 | Barry and Dade counties | James Lawrence (1781–1813), an American naval officer best known for his last words "Don't give up the ship!" | 38,634 | ( 1,588 km2) |
613 sq mi![]() |
Lewis County | 111 | Monticello | 1833 | Marion County | Meriwether Lewis (1774–1809), explorer and governor of the Louisiana Territory | 10,211 | ( 1,308 km2) |
505 sq mi![]() |
Lincoln County | 113 | Troy | 1818 | St. Charles County | Disputed; either Lincoln County, Kentucky (birthplace of Christopher Clark, a Missouri legislator who advocated for the county's creation),[11] or for Benjamin Lincoln (1733–1810), an American revolutionary war general | 52,566 | ( 1,632 km2) |
630 sq mi![]() |
Linn County | 115 | Linneus | 1837 | Chariton County | Lewis F. Linn (1796–1843), a Jacksonian Democratic U.S. Senator for Missouri | 12,761 | ( 1,606 km2) |
620 sq mi![]() |
Livingston County | 117 | Chillicothe | 1837 | Carroll County | Edward Livingston (1764–1836), a prominent American jurist and statesman, influential in the drafting of the Louisiana Civil Code of 1825, a civil code based largely on the Napoleonic Code | 15,195 | ( 1,386 km2) |
535 sq mi![]() |
Macon County | 121 | Macon | 1837 | Chariton and Randolph counties | Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837), member of the United States House of Representatives from 1791 to 1815 who briefly served in the American Revolutionary War | 15,566 | ( 2,082 km2) |
804 sq mi![]() |
Madison County | 123 | Fredericktown | 1818 | Cape Girardeau and Sainte Genevieve counties | James Madison (1751–1836), politician and political philosopher who served as the fourth President of the United States, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States | 12,226 | ( 1,287 km2) |
497 sq mi![]() |
Maries County | 125 | Vienna | 1855 | Osage and Pulaski counties | Maries River, possibly a corruption of the French word marais meaning "marsh" or "swamp" | 9,176 | ( 1,368 km2) |
528 sq mi![]() |
Marion County | 127 | Palmyra | 1826 | Ralls County | Francis Marion (1732–1795), a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War | 28,781 | ( 1,134 km2) |
438 sq mi![]() |
McDonald County | 119 | Pineville | 1847 | Newton County | Alexander McDonald, American Revolutionary War sergeant | 23,083 | ( 1,399 km2) |
540 sq mi![]() |
Mercer County | 129 | Princeton | 1845 | Grundy County | John F. Mercer (1759–1821), an American lawyer, planter, and Governor of Maryland | 3,785 | ( 1,176 km2) |
454 sq mi![]() |
Miller County | 131 | Tuscumbia | 1837 | Cole and Pulaski counties | John Miller (1781–1846), an American publisher and politician from St. Louis, Missouri. He was the fourth Governor of Missouri and represented Missouri in the U.S. House | 24,748 | ( 1,533 km2) |
592 sq mi![]() |
Mississippi County | 133 | Charleston | 1842 | Scott County | Mississippi River, the second-longest river in the United States which forms Missouri's eastern border | 14,358 | ( 1,070 km2) |
413 sq mi![]() |
Moniteau County | 135 | California | 1845 | Cole and Morgan counties | Moniteau Creek; "moniteau" is a French spelling of manitou, the Algonquian Great Spirit | 15,607 | ( 1,080 km2) |
417 sq mi![]() |
Monroe County | 137 | Paris | 1831 | Ralls County | James Monroe (1758–1831), fifth President of the United States who crafted the Missouri Compromise | 8,840 | ( 1,673 km2) |
646 sq mi![]() |
Montgomery County | 139 | Montgomery City | 1818 | St. Charles County | Richard Montgomery (1738–1775), an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army and later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War | 12,236 | ( 1,396 km2) |
539 sq mi![]() |
Morgan County | 141 | Versailles | 1833 | Cooper County | Daniel Morgan (c. 1736–1802), American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia | 20,565 | ( 1,549 km2) |
598 sq mi![]() |
New Madrid County | 143 | New Madrid | 1812 | One of the five original counties | Madrid, Spain | 18,956 | ( 1,756 km2) |
678 sq mi![]() |
Newton County | 145 | Neosho | 1838 | Barry County | John Newton (1755–1780), legendary soldier of the American Revolution | 58,114 | ( 1,621 km2) |
626 sq mi![]() |
Nodaway County | 147 | Maryville | 1843 | Andrew County, the Platte Purchase | Nodaway River, a 120-mile (190 km) long river in southwest Iowa and northwest Missouri | 23,370 | ( 2,271 km2) |
877 sq mi![]() |
Oregon County | 149 | Alton | 1841 | Ripley County | Oregon Territory | 10,881 | ( 2,051 km2) |
792 sq mi![]() |
Osage County | 151 | Linn | 1841 | Gasconade County | Osage River, a 360 miles (580 km) long tributary of the Missouri River in central Missouri; the name of the river is probably derived from a French corruption of "Washazhe" – the name of the Osage Native Americans | 13,878 | ( 1,570 km2) |
606 sq mi![]() |
Ozark County | 153 | Gainesville | 1841 | Taney County | Ozark Mountains – Ozark is the anglicized form of the French "aux arcs", an abbreviation of "Aux Arkansas", which means in the county of Arkansas | 9,723 | ( 1,935 km2) |
747 sq mi![]() |
Pemiscot County | 155 | Caruthersville | 1851 | New Madrid County | An American Indian word meaning "liquid mud" | 18,296 | ( 1,277 km2) |
493 sq mi![]() |
Perry County | 157 | Perryville | 1821 | Sainte Genevieve County | Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819), naval officer in the War of 1812 against Britain, earned the title "Hero of Lake Erie" for leading American forces in a decisive naval victory at the Battle of Lake Erie | 18,971 | ( 1,230 km2) |
475 sq mi![]() |
Pettis County | 159 | Sedalia | 1833 | Cooper and Saline counties | Spencer Darwin Pettis (1802–1831), U.S. Representative from Missouri | 42,201 | ( 1,774 km2) |
685 sq mi![]() |
Phelps County | 161 | Rolla | 1857 | Crawford County | John S. Phelps (1814–1886), a politician, soldier during the American Civil War, and twenty-third Governor of Missouri | 45,156 | ( 1,743 km2) |
673 sq mi![]() |
Pike County | 163 | Bowling Green | 1818 | St. Charles County | Zebulon Pike (1778–1813), American soldier and explorer for whom Pikes Peak in Colorado is also named | 18,516 | ( 1,743 km2) |
673 sq mi![]() |
Platte County | 165 | Platte City | 1838 | Part of the Platte Purchase | Platte River, a tributary of the Missouri River, which is in turn named for the French word "platte" meaning flat or shallow | 89,322 | ( 1,088 km2) |
420 sq mi![]() |
Polk County | 167 | Bolivar | 1835 | Greene County | James K. Polk (1795–1849), 11th President of the United States | 31,137 | ( 1,650 km2) |
637 sq mi![]() |
Pulaski County | 169 | Waynesville | 1833 | Crawford County | Kazimierz Pulaski (1745–1779), Polish soldier of fortune in the American Revolutionary War, he saved the life of George Washington and became a general in the Continental Army | 52,274 | ( 1,417 km2) |
547 sq mi![]() |
Putnam County | 171 | Unionville | 1843 | Adair and Sullivan counties | Israel Putnam (1718–1790), an American army general who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War | 4,979 | ( 1,342 km2) |
518 sq mi![]() |
Ralls County | 173 | New London | 1821 | Pike County | Daniel Ralls, a Missouri State Representative | 10,167 | ( 1,220 km2) |
471 sq mi![]() |
Randolph County | 175 | Huntsville | 1829 | Chariton and Ralls counties | John Randolph of Roanoke (1773–1833), a leader in Congress from Virginia and spokesman for the "Old Republican" | 25,414 | ( 1,248 km2) |
482 sq mi![]() |
Ray County | 177 | Richmond | 1820 | Howard County | John Ray, Missouri State Representative | 23,494 | ( 1,476 km2) |
570 sq mi![]() |
Reynolds County | 179 | Centerville | 1845 | Shannon County | Thomas Reynolds (1796–1844), governor of Missouri from 1840 to 1844 | 6,696 | ( 2,100 km2) |
811 sq mi![]() |
Ripley County | 181 | Doniphan | 1831 | Wayne County | Eleazer Wheelock Ripley (1782–1839), Brigadier General in the War of 1812 | 14,100 | ( 1,632 km2) |
630 sq mi![]() |
Saint Charles County | 183 | Saint Charles | 1812 | One of the five original counties | St. Charles Borromeo (1538–1584), an Italian saint and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church | 360,485 | ( 1,453 km2) |
561 sq mi![]() |
Saint Clair County | 185 | Osceola | 1841 | Rives (now Henry) County | Arthur St. Clair (1737–1818), an American soldier and Governor of the Northwest Territory | 9,805 | ( 1,753 km2) |
677 sq mi![]() |
Saint Francois County | 187 | Farmington | 1821 | Jefferson, Ste. Genevieve and Washington counties | St. Francis of Assisi (c. 1182–1226), a Catholic deacon and the founder of the Order of Friars Minor, more commonly known as the Franciscans | 65,359 | ( 1,165 km2) |
450 sq mi![]() |
Saint Louis County | 189 | Clayton | 1812 | One of the five original counties | King Louis IX (1214–1270), King of France from 1226 until his death | 1,000,438 | ( 1,316 km2) |
508 sq mi![]() |
Saint Louis City | 510 | St. Louis | 1876 | Created in 1876 when city residents voted to secede from St. Louis County | King Louis IX (1214–1270), King of France from 1226 until his death | 319,294 | ( 160 km2) |
61.9 sq mi![]() |
Ste. Genevieve County | 186 | Ste. Genevieve | 1812 | One of the five original counties | St. Genevieve (c. 420 – c. 510), the patron saint of Paris in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition | 18,145 | ( 1,300 km2) |
502 sq mi![]() |
Saline County | 195 | Marshall | 1820 | Cooper County | Local hot springs | 23,370 | ( 1,958 km2) |
756 sq mi![]() |
Schuyler County | 197 | Lancaster | 1843 | Adair County | Philip Schuyler (1733–1804), a general in the American Revolution and a United States Senator from New York | 4,431 | ( 798 km2) |
308 sq mi![]() |
Scotland County | 199 | Memphis | 1841 | Clark, Lewis, and Shelby counties | Scotland (country) | 4,843 | ( 1,134 km2) |
438 sq mi![]() |
Scott County | 201 | Benton | 1822 | New Madrid County | John Guier Scott (1819–1892), a U.S. Representative from Missouri | 39,191 | ( 1,090 km2) |
421 sq mi![]() |
Shannon County | 203 | Eminence | 1837 | Ripley County | George Shannon (1785–1836), member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition | 8,441 | ( 2,600 km2) |
1,004 sq mi![]() |
Shelby County | 205 | Shelbyville | 1835 | Marion County | Isaac Shelby (1750–1826), the first and fifth Governor of the U.S. state of Kentucky | 6,373 | ( 1,298 km2) |
501 sq mi![]() |
Stoddard County | 207 | Bloomfield | 1835 | New Madrid County | Amos Stoddard (1762–1813), the only commandant of Upper Louisiana for the French Republic and the only commandant for the District of Louisiana for the United States in 1804 during the handover of the Louisiana Purchase | 29,968 | ( 2,142 km2) |
827 sq mi![]() |
Stone County | 209 | Galena | 1851 | Taney County | William Stone, first elected judge of Taney County | 32,202 | ( 1,199 km2) |
463 sq mi![]() |
Sullivan County | 211 | Milan | 1843 | Linn County | John Sullivan (1740–1795), American Revolutionary War general | 6,714 | ( 1,686 km2) |
651 sq mi![]() |
Taney County | 213 | Forsyth | 1837 | Greene County | Roger Brooke Taney (1777–1864), eleventh United States Attorney General and fifth Chief Justice of the United States | 51,675 | ( 1,637 km2) |
632 sq mi![]() |
Texas County | 215 | Houston | 1843 | Shannon and Wright counties | Republic of Texas | 26,008 | ( 3,054 km2) |
1,179 sq mi![]() |
Vernon County | 217 | Nevada | 1851 | Bates County | Miles Vernon, Missouri State Senator – the county was originally defined as having the same boundaries as Bates county, but was later declared unconstitutional and changed | 21,159 | ( 2,160 km2) |
834 sq mi![]() |
Warren County | 219 | Warrenton | 1833 | Montgomery County | Joseph Warren (1741–1775), Revolutionary War doctor and general | 32,513 | ( 1,119 km2) |
432 sq mi![]() |
Washington County | 221 | Potosi | 1813 | Sainte Genevieve County | George Washington (1732–1799), commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and first President of the United States | 25,195 | ( 1,968 km2) |
760 sq mi![]() |
Wayne County | 223 | Greenville | 1818 | Cape Girardeau and Lawrence counties | Anthony Wayne (1745–1796), United States Army general and statesman | 13,521 | ( 1,971 km2) |
761 sq mi![]() |
Webster County | 225 | Marshfield | 1855 | Greene County | Daniel Webster (1782–1852), U.S. Secretary of State and Senator from Massachusetts | 36,202 | ( 1,536 km2) |
593 sq mi![]() |
Worth County | 227 | Grant City | 1861 | Gentry County | William J. Worth (1794–1849), a United States general during the Mexican-American War | 2,171 | ( 689 km2) |
266 sq mi![]() |
Wright County | 229 | Hartville | 1841 | Pulaski County | Silas Wright (1795–1847), an American Democratic politician and Governor of New York | 18,815 | ( 1,766 km2) |
682 sq mi![]() |
Former county names[edit]
County[3] | Etymology[3][10] | Changed to[3] |
---|---|---|
Allen County |
Unknown
|
Atchison County in 1845 |
Ashley County | William Henry Ashley (1778–1838), early settler | Texas County in 1845 upon organization |
Decatur County | Stephen Decatur (1779–1820), American naval officer[12] | Ozark County in 1845 |
Highland County |
Unknown
|
Sullivan County in 1845 upon organization |
Kinderhook County | Kinderhook, New York, birthplace of Martin Van Buren | Camden County in 1843 |
Lillard County | James Lillard of Tennessee, who served in the first state legislature of Missouri | Lafayette County in 1825 |
Niangua County | Niangua River, a tributary of the Osage River – "niangua" comes from the Native American word nehemgar, which means "a river of numerous springs or sources"[13] | Dallas County in 1844 because of the difficulty in pronouncing and spelling Niangua |
Seneca County | Seneca Nation, a group of Native Americans from New York | McDonald County in 1847 upon organization |
Van Buren County | Martin Van Buren (1782–1862), eighth President of the United States and also Vice President under Andrew Jackson | Cass County in 1849 in honor of Van Buren's opponent in the presidential election of 1848 |
See also[edit]
- List of cities in Missouri
- List of U.S. counties by population
- Missouri census statistical areas
- Demographics of Missouri
References[edit]
- ^ "Timeline of Missouri History: 1673-1799". Missouri State Government Web. Retrieved October 10, 2009.
- ^ "County Government Links". Missouri State Government Web. Archived from the original on May 23, 2009. Retrieved October 10, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f "What are the Origins of Missouri Counties?". Missouri State Government Web. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
- ^ "About St. Louis: Government". City of St. Louis. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau, ("Missouri County Selection Map")
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 28, 2009.
- ^ a b "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". US Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ a b c "NACo - Find a county". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on August 28, 2009. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
- ^ Beatty, Michael (2001). County Name Origins of the United States. McFarland Press. ISBN 0-7864-1025-6.
- ^ a b Coulet du Gard, René; Coulet Western, Dominique (1981). The Handbook of American Counties, Parishes and Independent Cities. Editions des Deux Mondes. ISBN 0-939586-00-2.
- ^ Howard Louis Conard (1901). Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri. p. 68.
- ^ Stevens, Walter B. (1921). Centennial history of Missouri (The Center State) One Hundred Years in the Union 1820-1921. Chicago: Clarke Pub. Co. p. 72.
- ^ Stevens, Walter B. (1921). Centennial history of Missouri (The Center State) One Hundred Years in the Union 1820-1921. Chicago: Clarke Pub. Co. p. 73.
External links[edit]
- Missouri Association of Counties
- Digitized 1930 Plat Books of Missouri Counties from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books