- List of counties in Illinois
-
Counties of Illinois
This is a list of the 102 counties in the state of Illinois. Information on the FIPS county code, county seat, year of establishment, origin, etymology, population, area and map of each county is included in the table below.
Contents
Etymologies
Most counties in Illinois were named after early American leaders, especially of the American Revolutionary War, as well as soldiers from the Battle of Tippecanoe and the War of 1812. Some are named after natural features or counties in other states. Some are named for early Illinois leaders. Two counties are named for Native American tribes, and one bears the name of a plant used as a food-source by Native Americans.
Even though Illinois does not have a Lincoln County named after its favorite son, Abraham Lincoln, it does have a Douglas County named after his political rival Stephen A. Douglas. It also has Calhoun County, named after John C. Calhoun, outspoken for his Confederate views in the years preceding the American Civil War. Many of the counties are named after Southerners, reflecting the fact that Illinois was originally part of Virginia, and settled mostly by southerners. No counties are named after Northern heroes of the Civil War, mainly because the counties were almost all named before that War. The State even has a Lee County named after the family of Robert E. Lee, who at one time served in Illinois. Illinois also has a singular distinction of having two counties named after the same person (DeWitt Clinton).
Alphabetical list
Note: the links in the FIPS County Code column are to the Census Bureau info page for that county.
County FIPS code
[1]County seat
[2]Established
[2]Origin Etymology[3][4] Population
[2]Area
[2]Map Adams County 001 Quincy 1825 Pike County John Quincy Adams (1767–1848), sixth President of the United States 67,103 857 sq mi
(2,220 km2)
Alexander County 003 Cairo 1819 Union County William M. Alexander, a settler and state representative in the Illinois General Assembly 8,238 236 sq mi
(611 km2)
Bond County 005 Greenville 1817 Crawford County, Edwards County, and Madison County Shadrach Bond (1773–1832), First Governor of Illinois 17,768 380 sq mi
(984 km2)
Boone County 007 Belvidere 1837 Winnebago County Daniel Boone (1734-1820), trailblazer of the Wilderness Road in Kentucky 54,165 281 sq mi
(728 km2)
Brown County 009 Mount Sterling 1839 Schuyler County Jacob Brown (1775–1828), a successful American Revolution army officer responsible for Great Lakes defenses 6,937 306 sq mi
(793 km2)
Bureau County 011 Princeton 1837 Putnam County Pierre de Bureo, Frenchman, North American fur trader 34,978 869 sq mi
(2,251 km2)
Calhoun County 013 Hardin 1825 Pike County John C. Calhoun (1782–1850), South Carolina senator and seventh Vice President of the United States 5,089 254 sq mi
(658 km2)
Carroll County 015 Mount Carroll 1839 Jo Daviess Charles Carroll of Carrollton (1737–1832), signed the Declaration of Independence on behalf of Maryland 15,387 444 sq mi
(1,150 km2)
Cass County 017 Virginia 1837 Morgan County Lewis Cass (1782–1866), second governor of Michigan Territory, fourteenth United States Secretary of War 13,642 376 sq mi
(974 km2)
Champaign County 019 Urbana 1833 Vermilion County Champaign County, Ohio, which took its name from the French for "open level country" 201,081 997 sq mi
(2,582 km2)
Christian County 021 Taylorville 1839 Sangamon County Christian County, Kentucky, which was itself named after Colonel William Christian 34,800 709 sq mi
(1,836 km2)
Clark County 023 Marshall 1819 Crawford County George Rogers Clark (1752–1818), highest-ranking officer in the Northwest Territory during the American Revolution 16,335 502 sq mi
(1,300 km2)
Clay County 025 Louisville 1824 Wayne, Lawrence, Fayette, and Crawford County Henry Clay (1777–1852), Kentucky legislator who negotiated the Missouri Compromise 13,815 469 sq mi
(1,215 km2)
Clinton County 027 Carlyle 1824 Washington, Bond, and Fayette County DeWitt Clinton (1769–1828), Governor of New York, responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal 37,762 474 sq mi
(1,228 km2)
Coles County 029 Charleston 1830 Clark and Edgar County Edward Coles (1786–1868), second Governor of Illinois, responsible for the abolition of slavery in Illinois 53,873 508 sq mi
(1,316 km2)
Cook County 031 Chicago 1831 Putnam County Daniel Pope Cook (1794–1827), politician and first Attorney General of Illinois 5,194,675 946 sq mi
(2,450 km2)
Crawford County 033 Robinson 1816 Edwards County William H. Crawford (1772–1834), ninth United States Secretary of War, seventh Secretary of the Treasury 19,817 444 sq mi
(1,150 km2)
Cumberland County 035 Toledo 1843 Coles County Disputed: Cumberland Road, which entered the county; Cumberland, Maryland; or Cumberland River in Kentucky 11,048 346 sq mi
(896 km2)
DeWitt County 039 Clinton 1839 Macon and McLean County DeWitt Clinton (1769–1828), Governor of New York, responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal 16,561 398 sq mi
(1,031 km2)State map highlighting DeWitt County DeKalb County 037 Sycamore 1837 Kane County Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), German soldier in the Continental Army who fought alongside Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette 105,160 634 sq mi
(1,642 km2)
Douglas County 041 Tuscola 1859 Coles County Stephen A. Douglas (1813–1861), prominent Illinois Democrat who engaged in debates with Abraham Lincoln 19,980 417 sq mi
(1,080 km2)
DuPage County 043 Wheaton 1839 Cook County DuPage River 916,924 334 sq mi
(865 km2)
Edgar County 045 Paris 1823 Clark County John Edgar (c. 1750–1832), Illinois delegate to the Northwest Territory legislature; at time, wealthiest man in Illinois 18,576 624 sq mi
(1,616 km2)
Edwards County 047 Albion 1814 Gallatin County and Madison County Ninian Edwards (1775–1833), third Governor of the State of Illinois and only governor of the Illinois Territory 6,721 222 sq mi
(575 km2)
Effingham County 049 Effingham 1831 Fayette and Crawford County Lord Edward Effingham, military officer who resigned from the British Army to avoid fighting the American colonies 34,242 479 sq mi
(1,241 km2)
Fayette County 051 Vandalia 1821 Bond, Wayne, Clark, Jefferson, and Crawford County Marquis de la Fayette (1757–1834), French military officer who was a key factor in the American and French Revolutions. 22,140 716 sq mi
(1,854 km2)
Ford County 053 Paxton 1859 Kankakee County Thomas Ford (1800–1850), eighth Governor of Illinois; served during the Illinois Mormon War 14,081 486 sq mi
(1,259 km2)
Franklin County 055 Benton 1818 White County and Gallatin County Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), prolific writer, inventor, and politician; key factor in the American Revolution 39,561 412 sq mi
(1,067 km2)
Fulton County 057 Lewistown 1823 Pike County Robert Fulton (1765–1815), inventor of the steamboat 37,069 866 sq mi
(2,243 km2)
Gallatin County 059 Shawneetown 1812 Randolph County Albert Gallatin (1761–1849), fourth and longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury 5,589 324 sq mi
(839 km2)
Greene County 061 Carrollton 1821 Madison County Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), major general in the Continental Army 13,886 543 sq mi
(1,406 km2)
Grundy County 063 Morris 1841 LaSalle County Felix Grundy (1777–1840), Tennessean senator that served as the thirteenth United States Attorney General 50,063 420 sq mi
(1,088 km2)
Hamilton County 065 McLeansboro 1821 White County Alexander Hamilton (1755–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury 8,457 435 sq mi
(1,127 km2)
Hancock County 067 Carthage 1825 Adams County John Hancock (1737–1793), first governor of the Massachusetts colony and president of the Second Continental Congress 19,104 795 sq mi
(2,059 km2)
Hardin County 069 Elizabethtown 1839 Pope County Hardin County, Kentucky, which was itself named after John Hardin 4,320 178 sq mi
(461 km2)
Henderson County 071 Oquawka 1841 Warren County Henderson County, Kentucky, which was itself named after Richard Henderson 7,331 379 sq mi
(982 km2)
Henry County 073 Cambridge 1825 Adams County Patrick Henry (1736-1799), American Revolutionary War figure and first and sixth Governor of Virginia 50,486 823 sq mi
(2,132 km2)
Iroquois County 075 Watseka 1833 Vermilion County Iroquois Native Americans 29,718 1,116 sq mi
(2,890 km2)
Jackson County 077 Murphysboro 1816 Randolph County and Johnson County Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), seventh President of the United States, United States Senator from Tennessee, and general in the War of 1812 60,218 588 sq mi
(1,523 km2)
Jasper County 079 Newton 1831 Clay and Crawford County Sgt. William Jasper (c. 1750-1779), American Revolutionary War soldier popularized by Parson Weems 9,698 494 sq mi
(1,279 km2)
Jefferson County 081 Mount Vernon 1819 Edwards and White County Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), third President of the United States, second Vice President of the United States, Governor of Virginia, and one of the foremost Founding Fathers of the United States 38,827 571 sq mi
(1,479 km2)
Jersey County 083 Jerseyville 1839 Greene County State of New Jersey, from which many early settlers hailed 22,985 369 sq mi
(956 km2)
Jo Daviess County 085 Galena 1827 Henry, Mercer, and Putnam County Joseph Hamilton Daveiss (1774-1811), commander of the Indiana Dragoons at the Battle of Tippecanoe 22,678 601 sq mi
(1,557 km2)
Johnson County 087 Vienna 1812 Randolph County Richard Mentor Johnson (abt. 1780-1850), ninth Vice President of the United States and United States Senator form Kentucky 12,582 346 sq mi
(896 km2)
Kane County 089 Geneva 1836 Cook County Elias Kane (1794-1835), United States Senator from Illinois 515,269 521 sq mi
(1,349 km2)
Kankakee County 091 Kankakee 1853 Iroquois and Will County Kankakee River 113,449 678 sq mi
(1,756 km2)
Kendall County 093 Yorkville 1841 LaSalle and Kane County Amos Kendall (1789-1869), United States Postmaster General under Presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren 114,736 321 sq mi
(831 km2)
Knox County 095 Galesburg 1825 Fulton County Gen. Henry Knox (1750-1806), American Revolutionary War general and first United States Secretary of War 52,919 716 sq mi
(1,854 km2)
Lake County 097 Waukegan 1839 McHenry County Lake Michigan 703,462 448 sq mi
(1,160 km2)
LaSalle County 099 Ottawa 1831 Putnam County Sieur de la Salle (1643-1687), French explorer of the Great Lakes. 113,924 1,135 sq mi
(2,940 km2)
Lawrence County 101 Lawrenceville 1821 Crawford and Edwards County Capt. James Lawrence (1781-1813), commander of the USS Chesapeake in the War of 1812. Famous for his command "Don't give up the ship!" 16,833 372 sq mi
(963 km2)
Lee County 103 Dixon 1839 Ogle County "Light Horse" Henry Lee III (1756-1818), American Revolutionary War officer and ninth Governor of Virginia 36,031 725 sq mi
(1,878 km2)
Livingston County 105 Pontiac 1837 LaSalle and McLean County Edward Livingston (1764-1836), prominent jurist, Congressman from New York and Louisiana, and U.S. Secretary of State from 1831 to 1833. 38,950 1,044 sq mi
(2,704 km2)
Logan County 107 Lincoln 1839 Sangamon County John Logan, a country doctor and early settler, and the father of John A. Logan. 30,305 618 sq mi
(1,601 km2)
Macon County 115 Decatur 1829 Shelby County Nathaniel Macon (1758-1837), sixth Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senator from North Carolina. 110,768 581 sq mi
(1,505 km2)
Macoupin County 117 Carlinville 1829 Greene County Native American word Macoupin, meaning American lotus 47,765 864 sq mi
(2,238 km2)
Madison County 119 Edwardsville 1812 St. Clair County and Randolph County James Madison (1751-1836), fourth President of the United States and principal author of the Constitution of the United States. 269,282 725 sq mi
(1,878 km2)
Marion County 121 Salem 1823 Fayette and Jefferson County Francis Marion (c. 1732-1795), general in the American Revolutionary War known as "The Swamp Fox" 39,437 572 sq mi
(1,481 km2)
Marshall County 123 Lacon 1839 Putnam County John Marshall (1755-1835), fourth and longest-serving Chief Justice of the United States, wrote opinion in Marbury v. Madison establishing the principle of judicial review 12,640 386 sq mi
(1,000 km2)
Mason County 125 Havana 1841 Tazewell and Menard County Named after Mason County, Kentucky, itself named after George Mason 14,666 539 sq mi
(1,396 km2)
Massac County 127 Metropolis 1843 Pope and Johnson County Fort Massac, a colonial-era fort on the Ohio River 15,429 239 sq mi
(619 km2)
McDonough County 109 Macomb 1826 Schuyler County Commodore Thomas Macdonough (1783-1825), commander of American naval forces at the Battle of Plattsburgh 32,612 589 sq mi
(1,526 km2)
McHenry County 111 Woodstock 1836 Cook County Major William McHenry (c. 1771-1835), officer in during several campaigns against Native Americans and member of the Illinois legislature 308,760 604 sq mi
(1,564 km2)
McLean County 113 Bloomington 1830 Tazewell County John McLean (1791-1830), United States Representative and United States Senator from Illinois (the latter from 1824-1825 and 1829-1830) 169,572 1,184 sq mi
(3,067 km2)
Menard County 129 Petersburg 1839 Sangamon County Pierre Menard (1766-1844), prominent early settler and first Lieutenant Governor of Illinois 12,705 314 sq mi
(813 km2)
Mercer County 131 Aledo 1825 Schuyler County Hugh Mercer (1726-1777), British officer in the Seven Years' War and general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War 16,434 561 sq mi
(1,453 km2)
Monroe County 133 Waterloo 1816 Randolph County and St. Clair County James Monroe (1758-1831), seventh United States Secretary of State, eighth United States Secretary of War, Governor of Virginia, and fifth President of the United States 32,957 388 sq mi
(1,005 km2)
Montgomery County 135 Hillsboro 1821 Bond and Madison County Gen. Richard Montgomery (1738-1775), brigadier-general in the Continental Army who led the unsuccessful invasion of Canada 30,104 704 sq mi
(1,823 km2)
Morgan County 137 Jacksonville 1823 Sangamon County Gen. Daniel Morgan (1736-1802), successful tactician in the American Revolutionary War and later United States Representative from Virginia 35,547 569 sq mi
(1,474 km2)
Moultrie County 139 Sullivan 1843 Shelby and Macon County Gen. William Moultrie (1730-1805), American Revolutionary War general and Governor of South Carolina 14,846 336 sq mi
(870 km2)
Ogle County 141 Oregon 1836 Jo Daviess Joseph Ogle (1737-1821), early settler in southwest Illinois, who helped found the first Methodist church in Illinois 53,497 759 sq mi
(1,966 km2)
Peoria County 143 Peoria 1825 Fulton County The Peoria Native American tribe 186,494 620 sq mi
(1,606 km2)
Perry County 145 Pinckneyville 1827 Randolph and Jackson County Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (1785-1819), American naval officer who led the victorious American forces at the Battle of Lake Erie 22,350 441 sq mi
(1,142 km2)
Piatt County 147 Monticello 1841 DeWitt and Macon County John Piatt, the patriarch of a prominent settler family in the early history of the county 16,729 440 sq mi
(1,140 km2)
Pike County 149 Pittsfield 1821 Madison, Bond, and Clark County Zebulon Pike (1779-1813), early explorer of the American Southwest, namesake of Pikes Peak 16,430 830 sq mi
(2,150 km2)
Pope County 151 Golconda 1816 Gallatin and Johnson County Nathaniel Pope (1784-1850), early Delegate from Illinois Territory to Congress and judge on the United States District Court for the District of Illinois 4,470 371 sq mi
(961 km2)
Pulaski County 153 Mound City 1843 Alexander and Johnson County Gen. Casimir Pulaski (1745-1779), Polish American general of cavalry in the American Revolutionary War 6,161 201 sq mi
(521 km2)
Putnam County 155 Hennepin 1825 Peoria County Gen. Israel Putnam (1718-1790), commander of American forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill 6,006 160 sq mi
(414 km2)
Randolph County 157 Chester 1795 St. Clair County Edmund Randolph (1753-1813), first Attorney General of the United States, and briefly United States Secretary of State 33,476 578 sq mi
(1,497 km2)
Richland County 159 Olney 1841 Clay and Lawrence County Richland County, Ohio, itself named for its rich soil 16,233 360 sq mi
(932 km2)
Rock Island County 161 Rock Island 1831 Jo Daviess County Rock Island 147,546 427 sq mi
(1,106 km2)
Saline County 165 Harrisburg 1847 Gallatin County Salt springs within the county 24,913 383 sq mi
(992 km2)
Sangamon County 167 Springfield 1821 Madison and Bond County Sangamon River 197,465 868 sq mi
(2,248 km2)
Schuyler County 169 Rushville 1825 Pike and Fulton County Gen. Philip Schuyler (1733-1804), American Revolutionary War general and United States Senator from New York 7,544 437 sq mi
(1,132 km2)
Scott County 171 Winchester 1839 Morgan County Scott County, Kentucky, itself named after Charles Scott 5,355 251 sq mi
(650 km2)
Shelby County 173 Shelbyville 1827 Fayette County Isaac Shelby (1750-1826), soldier in the American Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and first and fifth Governor of Kentucky 22,363 759 sq mi
(1,966 km2)
St. Clair County 163 Belleville 1790 original two counties Arthur St. Clair (1737-1818), major general in the American Revolutionary War and first Governor of the Northwest Territory 270,056 664 sq mi
(1,720 km2)
Stark County 175 Toulon 1839 Knox and Putnam County Gen. John Stark (1728-1822), general in the American Revolutionary War, called the "Hero of Bennington" 5,994 288 sq mi
(746 km2)
Stephenson County 177 Freeport 1837 Jo Daviess and Winnebago County Benjamin Stephenson (1769-1822), representative of Illinois Territory in the United States Congress from 1814 to 1816 47,711 564 sq mi
(1,461 km2)
Tazewell County 179 Pekin 1827 Sangamon County Littleton Waller Tazewell (1774-1860), United States Senator from (and later governor of) Virginia 135,394 649 sq mi
(1,681 km2)
Union County 181 Jonesboro 1818 Johnson County The federal union of the states 17,808 416 sq mi
(1,077 km2)
Vermilion County 183 Danville 1826 Clark and Edgar County The Vermilion River 81,625 899 sq mi
(2,328 km2)
Wabash County 185 Mount Carmel 1824 Edwards County The Wabash River 11,947 224 sq mi
(580 km2)
Warren County 187 Monmouth 1825 Schuyler County Joseph Warren (1741-1775), played a role in American Patriot movements, a prominent early fatality in the American Revolutionary War 17,707 543 sq mi
(1,406 km2)
Washington County 189 Nashville 1818 St. Clair County George Washington (1732-1799), commander-in-chief of American forces in the American Revolutionary War and first President of the United States 14,716 563 sq mi
(1,458 km2)
Wayne County 191 Fairfield 1819 Edwards County Gen. "Mad" Anthony Wayne (1745-1796), major general in the United States Army in the American Revolutionary War and the Northwest Indian War 16,760 714 sq mi
(1,849 km2)
White County 193 Carmi 1815 Gallatin County Isaac White (1776-1811), resident of Illinois who enlisted in the Indiana militia and was killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe 14,665 495 sq mi
(1,282 km2)
Whiteside County 195 Morrison 1836 Jo Daviess and Henry County Samuel Whiteside (1783-1868), state legislator and militia leader 58,498 685 sq mi
(1,774 km2)
Will County 197 Joliet 1836 Cook and Iroquois County Conrad Will (1779-1835),[5] physician, local businessman and longtime member of the state legislature 677,560 837 sq mi
(2,168 km2)
Williamson County 199 Marion 1839 Franklin County Hugh Williamson (1735-1819), delegate from North Carolina to the Philadelphia Convention 66,357 424 sq mi
(1,098 km2)
Winnebago County 201 Rockford 1836 Jo Daviess Winnebago Native Americans 295,266 514 sq mi
(1,331 km2)
Woodford County 203 Eureka 1841 Tazewell and McLean County Gen. William Woodford (1734-1780), brigadier general in the American Revolutionary War who died while a British prisoner 38,664 528 sq mi
(1,368 km2)
Defunct counties
- Dane County was renamed in 1840 to the current Christian County.
- The original Knox County, Illinois, became extinct with the formation of the Illinois Territory in 1809 - or, more precisely, it became Knox County, Indiana. The modern Knox County, Illinois was formed much later and was not a part of the original Knox County.
See also
- List of census-designated places in Illinois
- List of cities in Illinois
- List of Illinois townships
- List of precincts in Illinois
- List of towns and villages in Illinois
- List of unincorporated communities in Illinois
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Illinois
References
- ^ "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/state.cfm&statecode=il. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
- ^ a b c d National Association of Counties. "Find a county". http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
- ^ "Illinois County Biographies". Genealogy Trails.com. Genealogy Trails. 2000. http://genealogytrails.com/ill/cobiosad.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
- ^ "The Origin of Illinois County Names". Genealogy Trails.com. Genealogy Trails. 2000. http://genealogytrails.com/ill/ilcohx.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
- ^ Matile, Roger (22 June 2006). "Reflections: Was Dr. Conrad Will really worth his salt?". Ledger-Sentinel. http://www.ledgersentinel.com/article.asp?a=5216. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
External links
- Census 2000 Gazetteer
- Illinois Association of County Board Members and Commissioners
- Illinois City/County Management Association
- National Association of Counties
- Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties, Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State, 2010.
- Illinois County Boundaries: 1790 to Present: Historical maps showing territorial changes
List of U.S. counties and county-equivalents
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Categories:- Illinois counties
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