A brief history of Alabama counties from Wikipedia

Alabama became a state of the United States of America on December 14, 1819.

The U.S. state of Alabama has sixty-seven counties. The oldest is Washington County (created June 4, 1800) and the youngest is Houston County (created February 9, 1903).

Alabama was claimed by Spain, as Spanish Florida, and by England, as the Province of Carolina. The first permanent colony was made by the French on the banks of the Mobile River in 1702.

After the American Revolutionary War, West Florida south of the 31st parallel became a part of Spain while most of the rest was put in the Mississippi Territory. The territorial assembly established some of the earliest county divisions which have survived to the present. In 1817 the western part of the territory became the State of Mississippi and the remainder the Alabama Territory. The Alabama territorial legislature made some more counties.

Alabama became the 22nd state of the United States in 1819. The Alabama state legislature made more counties from former Indian lands as the Indian Removal Act took effect and settlers populated different areas of Alabama.

In 1820, Alabama had 29 counties. By 1830 there were 36, with Indians still occupying land in northeast and far western Alabama. By 1840, 49 counties had been created; 52 by 1850; 65 by 1870; and the present 67 counties by 1903.



Former counties and county names

  • Baine County (for David W. Baine), changed to Etowah County in 1868

  • Baker County (for Alfred Baker, a local landowner), changed to Chilton County in 1874

  • Benton County, first named in 1832 for Thomas Hart Benton. In 1849, Benton renounced his support for slavery, alienating him from the Democratic Party. He lost his seat in 1851, and in 1858 the name of the county was changed to Calhoun County, honoring Benton’s Senate rival, John C. Calhoun, who had died soon after presiding over the momentous Compromise of 1850.

  • Cahawba County, for the former capital city of Cahawba, changed to Bibb County in 1820

  • Cotaco County (for Cotaco Creek), changed to Morgan County in 1821

  • Elk County (for the Elk River), originally part of another Houston County (for John Houstoun), changed to Lauderdale County and Limestone County in 1818

  • Hancock County (for John Hancock), changed to Winston County in 1858

  • Jones County (for Josiah Jones, a local political leader), changed back to Covington County in 1868 after Jones refused the honor

  • Jones County (for E. P. Jones), then Sanford County, before becoming Lamar County in 1877

  • Sanford County (for H. C. Sanford), changed to Lamar County in 1877



Head of Household Index, 1830-1870

Year Last First County Page Township or Other Info Record Type
1830 Partin Charles Conecuh 102 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1830 Partin John Jackson 103 E. Of 4th Range Fed Pop Schd
1830 Partin Parmelia Monroe 49 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1830 Partin William Monroe 48 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1840 Burgess Partin Franklin 255 Russelville Fed Pop Schd
1840 Partain H. Blount 85 E Division Fed Pop Schd
1840 Partain H. Blount 93 E Division Fed Pop Schd
1840 Partain S. Blount 85 E Division Fed Pop Schd
1840 Parten Asa B.* Marengo 54 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1840 Parten John* Marengo 54 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1840 Partin Asa B.* Marengo 54 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1840 Partin C.T. Butler 141 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1840 Partin Drury Greene 106 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1840 Partin J. Lauderdale 100 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1840 Partin John* Marengo 54 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1840 Partin Jones Monroe 216 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Burgess Parten Franklin 174 District 6 Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partan Bud C. Clarke 741 Grove Hill Post Office Fed Pop Schd
1850 Parten John W. Lauderdale 329 2 Div East Of M Road Fed Pop Schd
1850 Parten Leonard Lauderdale 329 2 Div East Of M Road Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Asa J. Marengo 42 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Asbery Clarke 223 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin B.C. Clarke 259 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Daniel Marion 129 District 14 Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Francis M. Pike 267 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Henry W. Marengo 69 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Hiram Blount 126 Subdivision 17 Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin James Limestone 34 District 4 Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin James S. Conecuh 386 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin John Marengo 68 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Jones Conecuh 374 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Lucinda Limestone 36 District 4 Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Mark Marengo 69 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Philemon Jefferson 223 Elyton District 32 Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin W.L. Clarke 228 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1850 Partin Willaim J. Marengo 67 No Township Listed Fed Pop Schd
1855 Partain Ashcraft Blount 8 No Township Listed
1855 Partin Hyram Blount 45 No Township Listed
1855 Partin Sarah Blount 45 No Township Listed
1860 Partain Ashcraft Jefferson 657 Greens Precinct Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partain Banester P. Marshall 905 Meltonville Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partain Elizabeth Jefferson 683 Blackburns Precinct Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partain Hiram Blount 868 Sub Division No. 1 Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partain Hubard Jefferson 658 Greens Precinct Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partain James Jefferson 683 Blackburns Precinct Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partain William Blount 874 Sub Division No. 1 Fed Pop Schd
1860 Parten Daniel Franklin 594 Eastern Subdivision Fed Pop Schd
1860 Parten Henry Marengo 398 Linden Fed Pop Schd
1860 Parten Hubbard Franklin 590 Eastern Subdivision Fed Pop Schd
1860 Parten John Coosa 344 2nd Subdivision Fed Pop Schd
1860 Parten Lydia Lauderdale 17 District No. Two Fed Pop Schd
1860 Parten Mark Marengo 397 Linden Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin C. J.* Conecuh 1096 Rural Hill Post Office Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin Eli Clarke 573 Grove Hill Post Office Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin Francis M. Pike 83 Bruceville Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin George W. Pike 264 Perote Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin Isaiah Conecuh 1096 Rural Hill Post Office Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin J. H. Fayette 471 Middle Division Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin James S. Lowndes 605 Mt. Willing P. O. Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin Jesse P. Jefferson 867 Elyton Precinct Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin Malichi J. Pike 203 Little Oak Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin Melissa Pike 265 Perote Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin Thomas Dallas 954 Cahaba Town Fed Pop Schd
1860 Partin Thomas N. Pike 206 Troy Fed Pop Schd
1870 Dill Partain Franklin 477 Frankfurt P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partain A. W. Pickens 138 Pickensville Prec. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partain Elizabeth Franklin 534 Allens Factory P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partain Hubbard Franklin 534 Allens Factory P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partain Isaiah Conecuh 265 Evergreen P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partain Jones Conecuh 197 Sepulga P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partain Sampson Conecuh 174 Sepulga P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Parten Darins Marengo 401 Shiloh P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Parten Mark Marengo 400 Shiloh P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Parten Moses Clarke 59 Gainestown Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin B. C. Clarke 52 Gainestown Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin Baily G. Clarke 128 Jackson Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin E. Clarke 5 Bashi Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin Frank Bullock 125 Greenwood Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin George Bullock 59 Perote Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin Henry Clarke 6 Bashi Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin Mahala Clarke 5 Bashi Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin Mary Clarke 6 Bashi Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin Rebecca Escambia 218 Pollard P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin Samuel S. Jackson 149 Scottsboro P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin Samuel S. Jackson 200 Larkinsville P.O. Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin Sarah A. Clarke 52 Gainestown Fed Pop Schd
1870 Partin W. B. Clarke 151 Mitchams Fed Pop Schd
1870 Wooten Parten Macon 140 Honeycutt Fed Pop Schd