North Carolina History of the Counties 1660--1791

The U.S. State of North Carolina is divided into 100 counties. North Carolina ranks 28^th in size by area, but has the seventh most counties in the country.

Following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Charles II of England rewarded eight persons on March 24, 1663, for their faithful support in his efforts to regain the throne of England. He granted the eight grantees, called Lords Proprietor, the land called Carolina, in honor of Charles I, his father. TheProvince of Carolina from 1663 to 1729, was a North American British colony. Around 1729, the Province of North Carolina became a separate entity from theProvince of South Carolina

North Carolina county history stretches over 340 years, beginning in 1668 with the creation of Albemarle County and ending with the 1911 creation of Avery and Hoke counties. Five counties have since been divided or abolished altogether, the last being Dobbs County in 1791.