North Arcot was a former district in Madras Presidency, acquired by the annexation of the Arcot State in 1855 when its Nawab died without issue. It had Chittoor as its headquarters. On 1 April 1911, the Chittoor district was separated from North Arcot. The remaining district, with Vellore as its headquarters, passed intact into the Madras State of independent India. On 30 September 1989 the district was split into Tiruvannamalai-Sambuvarayar district and North Arcot Ambedkar district. It contained the present day districts of Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Chittoor, Tirupati, Tirupattur and Ranipet.