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There are 14 counties in Massachusetts. Massachusetts has ended eight[1] of its fourteen county governments. This leaves five counties with county-level local government (Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Norfolk, Plymouth) and one, Nantucket County, with combined county/city government.[2] Counties are still generally recognized as geographic entities if not political ones.[3]
Eleven other historical counties have been in Massachusetts. Most ended when their lands were absorbed into the colony of New Hampshire or the state of Maine.
County |
FIPS code[4] | County seat[5] | Established[6] | Origin[7] | Meaning of name[8] | Population (2020)[9] |
Area[6] | Map |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barnstable County | 001 | Barnstable | 1685 | One of three original counties created in the Plymouth Colony | After its county seat of Barnstable, which is named after the English town of Barnstaple | 228,996 | 396 sq mi (1,026 km2) | |
Berkshire County | 003 | Pittsfield | 1761 | From part of Hampshire County. Government abolished in 2000.[3] | For the English county of Berkshire | 129,026 | 931 sq mi (2,411 km2) | |
Bristol County | 005 | Taunton | 1685 | One of three original counties created in the Plymouth Colony | For its original county seat of Bristol, Massachusetts, which is named for the English port city of Bristol – when the Town of Bristol joined Rhode Island, the name of the county was kept | 579,200 | 556 sq mi (1,440 km2) | |
Dukes County | 007 | Edgartown | 1695 | From Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands, which had been part of Dukes County, New York until Massachusetts gained it in 1691 | Formerly a part of Dukes County, New York until 1691, the land at one time was the possession of the Duke of York | 20,600 | 104 sq mi (269 km2) | |
Essex County | 009 | Salem, Lawrence | 1643 | One of four original counties created in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Government abolished in 1999.[3] | For the English county of Essex | 809,829 | 498 sq mi (1,290 km2) | |
Franklin County | 011 | Greenfield | 1811 | From part of Hampshire County. Government abolished in 1997.[3] | For Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), early American scientist, diplomat, and politician | 71,029 | 702 sq mi (1,818 km2) | |
Hampden County | 013 | Springfield | 1812 | From part of Hampshire County. Government abolished in 1998.[3] | John Hampden (1595—1643), the famous 17th century English parliamentarian | 465,825 | 618 sq mi (1,601 km2) | |
Hampshire County | 015 | Northampton | 1662 | From unorganized territory in the western part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Government abolished 1999.[3] | For the English county of Hampshire | 162,308 | 529 sq mi (1,370 km2) | |
Middlesex County | 017 | Lowell, Cambridge | 1643 | One of four original counties created in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Government abolished in 1997.[3] | For the English county of Middlesex | 1,632,002 | 824 sq mi (2,134 km2) | |
Nantucket County | 019 | Nantucket | 1695 | From Nantucket Island which had been part of Dukes County, New York until Massachusetts gained it in 1691. | The Town of Nantucket, itself derived from a Wampanoag word meaning "place of peace" | 14,255 | 48 sq mi (124 km2) | |
Norfolk County | 021 | Dedham | 1793 | From part of Suffolk County. | For the English county of Norfolk | 725,981 | 400 sq mi (1,036 km2) | |
Plymouth County | 023 | Brockton, Plymouth | 1685 | One of three original counties created in the Plymouth Colony. | For its seat of Plymouth, which is named for the English port city of Plymouth | 530,819 | 661 sq mi (1,712 km2) | |
Suffolk County | 025 | Boston | 1643 | One of four original counties created in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Government abolished in 1999.[3] | For the English county of Suffolk | 797,936 | 58 sq mi (150 km2) | |
Worcester County | 027 | Worcester | 1731 | From parts of Hampshire County, Middlesex County and Suffolk County. Government abolished in 1998.[3] | For its county seat of Worcester, which is named in honor of the English city of Worcester and the English Civil War Battle of Worcester in 1651, a Parliamentarian victory | 862,111 | 1,513 sq mi (3,919 km2) |
County |
Created [7] |
Abolished [7] |
Fate [7] |
---|---|---|---|
Cumberland County | 1760 | 1820 | Transferred to Maine |
Devonshire County | 1674 | 1675 | Abolished |
Hancock County | 1789 | 1820 | Transferred to Maine |
Kennebec County | 1799 | 1820 | Transferred to Maine |
Lincoln County | 1760 | 1820 | Transferred to Maine |
Old Norfolk County | 1643 | 1679 | Abolished - most of its territory was absorbed into New Hampshire; one of four original counties created in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. |
Oxford County | 1805 | 1820 | Transferred to Maine |
Penobscot County | 1816 | 1820 | Transferred to Maine |
Somerset County | 1809 | 1820 | Transferred to Maine |
Washington County | 1789 | 1820 | Transferred to Maine |
York County | 1652 | 1820 | Transferred to Maine - there were two periods when York County was ended, 1664 to 1668 and 1680 to 1691 |
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