South Carolina Counties – Year Formed, Name, County Seat, and Area
County Year Est. Origin of Name County Seat Sq. Miles
Abbeville 1785 After a French town of the same name Abbeville 511.10
Aiken 1871 For Governor William Aiken Aiken 1080.53
Allendale 1919 For Allen family Allendale 412.59
Anderson 1826 For Robert Anderson, Revolutionary War soldier Anderson 757.48
Bamberg 1897 For Major William Seaborn Bamberg, who helped to create the town first know as Lowery’s Turnout Bamberg 395.49
Barnwell 1800 Members of the Barnwell family Barnwell 557.29
Beaufort 1785 For Henry, Duke of Beaufort, one of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina Beaufort 923.00
Berkeley 1882 Includes part of the 1682 county named after John and William Berkeley, tow of the Lords Proprietors Monks Corner 1229.23
Calhoun 1908 For statesman John C. Calhoun St. Matthews 392.36
Charleston 1785 Originally called Charles Town and named for King Charles II Charleston 1357.14
Cherokee 1897 To honor the Cherokee Indian nation Gaffney 397.30
Chester 1785 Named by settlers after Chester, Pennsylvania Chester 586.19
Chesterfield 1785 For Lord Chesterfield, English politician and author Chesterfield 805.84
Clarendon 1785 For the Earl of Clarendon, one of the Lords Proprietors Manning 695.71
Colleton 1798 Includes part of 1682 county named for Sir John Colleton Walterboro 1132.05
Darlington 1785 Origins of Name Uncertain Darlington 567.55
Dillon 1910 For J. W. Dillon, who led movements for a railroad and a new county Dillon 406.55
Dorchester 1897 For Dorchester, Mass., where early colonists St. George 576.74
Edgefield 1785 Said to be named for being at the edge of the state on the border of the Savannah River and Indian lands Edgefield 506.56
Fairfield 1785 In one version, named for Lord Cornwallis’s exclamation, "What fair fields!" Winnsboro 709.98
Florence 1888 For Florence Harllee, daughter of General W.W. Harllee, president of the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad Florence 803.05
Georgetown 1785 For King George II of England Georgetown 1035.09
Greenville 1786 Origins of name uncertain Greenville 797.01
Greenwood 1897 Named for the plantation of Judge John McGehee Greenwood 462.95
Hampton 1878 For Wade Hampton, Confederate general, SC governor, and US senator Hampton 562.72
Horry 1801 For Colonel Peter Horry, Revolutionary War hero Conway 1255.00
Jasper 1912 For Sergeant William Jasper, Revolutionary War Hero Ridgeland 685.84
Kershaw 1791 For Colonel Joseph Kershaw, soldier, merchant, and SC legislator Camden 740.31
Lancaster 1785 Named by settlers for Lancaster County, Pa. Lancaster 555.32
Laurens 1785 For Henry Laurens, president of Continental Congress and diplomat Laurens 722.02
Lee 1902 For Robert E. Lee, Confederate commander Bishopville 411.33
Lexington 1785 For the battle that started the Revolutionary War Lexington 759.49
McCormick 1916 For Cyrus Hall McCormick, inventor McCormick 393.89
Marion 1798 For Revolutionary War General Francis Marion Marion 494.11
Marlboro 1785 For John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough Bennettsville 485.30
Newberry 1785 Origins of name unknown Newberry 647.32
Oconee 1868 There are several versions of the Indian origin of this name Walhalla 673.63
Orangeburg 1785 For the Prince of Orange, son-in-law of King George II Orangeburg 1127.83
Pickens 1826 For Andrew Pickens, Revolutionary War general, SC legislator, and US Congressman Pickens 511.87
Richland 1785 Perhaps named "rich land" for its natural assets Columbia 771.74
Saluda 1895 After the river that was named for an Indian tribe Saluda 460.64
Spartanburg 1785 For the Spartan Regiment in the American Revolution Spartanburg 819.21
Sumter 1798 For Revolutionary War General Thomas Sumter Sumter 682.08
Union 1785 For Union Church Union 515.96
Williamsburg 1804 For Prince William, son of King George II Kingstree 936.97
York 1785 Named by settlers for York County, Pa. York 695.77
Source: SC Department of Archives and History, The Formation of Counties in South Carolina, 1994.