List of counties in California

Counties of California
Location State of California
Created 1850 (27 original counties)
Number 58 counties
Populations Minimum: Alpine, 1,110
Maximum: Los Angeles, 10,170,292
Areas Minimum: San Francisco, 47 square miles (120 km2)
Maximum: San Bernardino, 20,062 square miles (51,960 km2)
Government Local government in California
Subdivisions Charter cities

The U.S. state of California is divided into 58 counties.[1] The region was first divided into twenty-seven counties on February 18, 1850. These were further sub-divided to form sixteen additional counties by 1860. Another fourteen were counties formed through further sub-division from 1861 to 1893. The last, Imperial County, was formed in 1907. California is home to San Bernardino County, the largest county in the contiguous United States, as well as Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States. The most recent county to form was Imperial County, in 1907.

California counties are general law counties by default, but may be chartered as provided in Article XI, Section 3 of the California Constitution.[2] A charter county is granted considerably more home rule authority than a general law county. Of the 58 counties in California, 14 are governed under a charter. They are Alameda, Butte, El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Placer, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Tehama.[3]

More counties in California are named for saints than in any other state.[4]

List

County
 FIPS code[5] County seat[6] Established[6] Formed from Etymology[7]General Law or Charter
[8]		 Population[9] Area[6] Map
Alameda County 001 Oakland1853Contra Costa and Santa ClaraThe oak and other trees, once abundant in the region; alameda is Spanish for "avenue shaded by trees" or "cottonwood grove".Charter 1,663,190 738 sq mi
(1,911 km2)		State map highlighting Alameda County
Alpine County 003 Markleeville1864Amador, El Dorado, Calaveras, Mono and TuolumneLocation high in the Sierra Nevada; alpine refers to the Alps or other mountains.General Law 1,120 739 sq mi
(1,914 km2)		State map highlighting Alpine County
Amador County 005 Jackson1854CalaverasJose Maria Amador (1794–1883), a soldier, rancher, and miner who, along with several Native Americans, established a successful gold mining camp near present-day Amador City in 1848.General Law 38,626 606 sq mi
(1,570 km2)		State map highlighting Amador County
Butte County 007 Oroville1850originalSutter Buttes, which were mistakenly thought to be in the county at the time of its establishment.Charter 229,294 1,640 sq mi
(4,248 km2)		State map highlighting Butte County
Calaveras County 009 San Andreas1850originalCalaveras River; calaveras is Spanish for "skulls".General Law 45,670 1,020 sq mi
(2,642 km2)		State map highlighting Calaveras County
Colusa County 011 Colusa1850originalRancho Colus land grant from Mexico.General Law 21,805 1,151 sq mi
(2,981 km2)		State map highlighting Colusa County
Contra Costa County 013 Martinez1850originalLocation across San Francisco Bay from San Francisco; contra costa is Spanish for "opposite coast".General Law 1,147,439 720 sq mi
(1,865 km2)		State map highlighting Contra Costa County
Del Norte County 015 Crescent City1857KlamathLocation along California's northern border; del norte is Spanish for "northern".General Law 27,470 1,008 sq mi
(2,611 km2)		State map highlighting Del Norte County
El Dorado County 017 Placerville1850originalEl Dorado, a mythical city of gold, owing to the area's significance in the California Gold Rush.Charter 188,987 1,712 sq mi
(4,434 km2)		State map highlighting El Dorado County
Fresno County 019 Fresno1856Mariposa, Merced and TulareThe city of Fresno; fresno is Spanish for "ash tree".Charter 989,255 5,963 sq mi
(15,444 km2)		State map highlighting Fresno County
Glenn County 021 Willows1891ColusaDr. Hugh J. Glenn, a California businessman and politician.General Law 28,094 1,315 sq mi
(3,406 km2)		State map highlighting Glenn County
Humboldt County 023 Eureka1853TrinityAlexander von Humboldt, a German naturalist and explorer.General Law 136,754 3,573 sq mi
(9,254 km2)		State map highlighting Humboldt County
Imperial County 025 El Centro1907San DiegoImperial Valley, named after the Imperial Land Company.General Law 182,830 4,175 sq mi
(10,813 km2)		State map highlighting Imperial County
Inyo County 027 Independence1866Mono and TulareExact etymology disputed; early settlers believed Inyo to be the native name for area mountains, but it may be the name of a Mono Indian leader.General Law 18,026 10,192 sq mi
(26,397 km2)		State map highlighting Inyo County
Kern County 029 Bakersfield1866Los Angeles and TulareEdward Kern, cartographer for John C. Fremont's 1845 expedition.General Law 893,119 8,142 sq mi
(21,088 km2)		State map highlighting Kern County
Kings County 031 Hanford1893TulareKings River; original Spanish name Rio de los Santos Reyes ("River of the Holy Kings").General Law 150,101 1,390 sq mi
(3,600 km2)		State map highlighting Kings County
Lake County 033 Lakeport1861NapaClear Lake.General Law 64,246 1,258 sq mi
(3,258 km2)		State map highlighting Lake County
Lassen County 035 Susanville1864Plumas and Shasta, and now defunct Lake County, NevadaPeter Lassen, a Danish naturalist and explorer.General Law 31,163 4,558 sq mi
(11,805 km2)		State map highlighting Lassen County
Los Angeles County 037 Los Angeles1850originalThe city of Los Angeles, derived from the original Spanish name El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula ("The Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels of the River of Porziuncola").Charter 10,163,507 4,060 sq mi
(10,515 km2)		State map highlighting Los Angeles County
Madera County 039 Madera1893MariposaThe city of Madera, which was named for the forested landscape; madera is Spanish for "wood".General Law 156,890 2,138 sq mi
(5,537 km2)		State map highlighting Madera County
Marin County 041 San Rafael1850originalExact etymology disputed; probably a corrupted abbreviation of Bahía de Nuestra Señora del Rosario la Marina, the Spanish name for area headlands along San Francisco Bay.General Law 260,955 520 sq mi
(1,347 km2)		State map highlighting Marin County
Mariposa County 043 Mariposa1850originalThe city of Mariposa; mariposa is Spanish for "butterfly".General Law 17,569 1,451 sq mi
(3,758 km2)		State map highlighting Mariposa County
Mendocino County 045 Ukiah1850originalAntonio de Mendoza, first viceroy of New Spain.General Law 88,018 3,509 sq mi
(9,088 km2)		State map highlighting Mendocino County
Merced County 047 Merced1855MariposaThe city of Merced, derived from the original Spanish name El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced ("River of Our Lady of Mercy").General Law 272,673 1,929 sq mi
(4,996 km2)		State map highlighting Merced County
Modoc County 049 Alturas1874SiskiyouThe Modoc people.General Law 8,859 3,944 sq mi
(10,215 km2)		State map highlighting Modoc County
Mono County 051 Bridgeport1861Calaveras, Fresno and MariposaMono Lake; derived from Monachi, a Yokut name for native peoples of the Sierra Nevada.General Law 14,168 3,044 sq mi
(7,884 km2)		State map highlighting Mono County
Monterey County 053 Salinas1850originalDerived from Monterey Bay, which was named for a Viceroy of New Spain, Gaspar de Zúñiga, 5th Count of Monterrey.General Law 437,907 3,322 sq mi
(8,604 km2)		State map highlighting Monterey County
Napa County 055 Napa1850originalDisputed origin; possibly derived from the Patwin word napo, meaning "home".General Law 140,973 754 sq mi
(1,953 km2)		State map highlighting Napa County
Nevada County 057 Nevada City1851YubaThe phrase Sierra Nevada; nevada is Spanish for "snow-covered," referencing the area's high elevation. The neighboring state was named after the county, which was named after Nevada City.General Law 99,814 958 sq mi
(2,481 km2)		State map highlighting Nevada County
Orange County 059 Santa Ana1889Los AngelesOranges, which were widely cultivated in the area at the time the county was established.Charter 3,190,400 948 sq mi
(2,455 km2)		State map highlighting Orange County
Placer County 061 Auburn1851SacramentoCalifornia Gold Rush, a reference to the area being a center of the California Gold Rush.Charter 386,166 1,407 sq mi
(3,644 km2)		State map highlighting Placer County
Plumas County 063 Quincy1854ButteThe Feather River; plumas is Spanish for "feathers".General Law 18,742 2,554 sq mi
(6,615 km2)		State map highlighting Plumas County
Riverside County 065 Riverside1893San Bernardino and San DiegoThe city of Riverside, named for its location on the Santa Ana River.General Law 2,423,266 7,208 sq mi
(18,669 km2)		State map highlighting Riverside County
Sacramento County 067 Sacramento1850originalThe city of Sacramento, named after the Santisimo Sacramento (Spanish for "Most Holy Sacrament").Charter 1,530,615 966 sq mi
(2,502 km2)		State map highlighting Sacramento County
San Benito County 069 Hollister1874MontereySaint Benedict (Benito is a Spanish diminutive of Benedict).General Law 60,310 1,389 sq mi
(3,597 km2)		State map highlighting San Benito County
San Bernardino County 071 San Bernardino1853Los AngelesThe city of San Bernardino, named after Saint Bernardino of Siena (Spanish for Saint Bernardine).Charter 2,157,404 20,062 sq mi
(51,960 km2)		State map highlighting San Bernardino County
San Diego County 073 San Diego1850originalThe city of San Diego, from Mission San Diego (Spanish for Saint Didacus).Charter 3,337,685 4,204 sq mi
(10,888 km2)		State map highlighting San Diego County
San Francisco 075 San Francisco1850originalThe city of San Francisco, from Presidio of San Francisco and Mission San Francisco de Asís, named after Saint Francis of Assisi (Spanish for Saint Francis).Charter 884,363 47 sq mi
(122 km2)		State map highlighting San Francisco
San Joaquin County 077 Stockton1850originalSpanish for Saint Joachim, father of the Virgin Mary.General Law 745,424 1,399 sq mi
(3,623 km2)		State map highlighting San Joaquin County
San Luis Obispo County 079 San Luis Obispo1850originalThe city of San Luis Obispo, from Mission San Luis Obispo, named after Saint Louis of Toulouse (Spanish for Saint Louis, the Bishop).General Law 283,405 3,304 sq mi
(8,557 km2)		State map highlighting San Luis Obispo County
San Mateo County 081 Redwood City1856San Francisco and Santa CruzSpanish for Saint Matthew.Charter 771,410 449 sq mi
(1,163 km2)		State map highlighting San Mateo County
Santa Barbara County 083 Santa Barbara1850originalThe city of Santa Barbara, from Mission Santa Barbara, (Spanish for Saint Barbara).General Law 448,150 2,738 sq mi
(7,091 km2)		State map highlighting Santa Barbara County
Santa Clara County 085 San Jose1850originalCity of Santa Clara, from Mission Santa Clara de Asís, named for Saint Clare of Assisi (Spanish for Saint Clare).Charter 1,938,153 1,291 sq mi
(3,344 km2)		State map highlighting Santa Clara County
Santa Cruz County 087 Santa Cruz1850originalThe city of Santa Cruz, from Mission Santa Cruz (Spanish for "holy cross").General Law 275,897 446 sq mi
(1,155 km2)		State map highlighting Santa Cruz County
Shasta County 089 Redding1850originalMount Shasta; the indigenous Shasta people.General Law 179,921 3,786 sq mi
(9,806 km2)		State map highlighting Shasta County
Sierra County 091 Downieville1852YubaSierra is Spanish for "mountain range", a reference to the area's topography.General Law 2,999 953 sq mi
(2,468 km2)		State map highlighting Sierra County
Siskiyou County 093 Yreka1852Shasta and KlamathSiskiyou Mountains; exact etymology of Siskiyou is disputed.General Law 43,853 6,287 sq mi
(16,283 km2)		State map highlighting Siskiyou County
Solano County 095 Fairfield1850originalChief Solano of the Suisunes.General Law 445,458 828 sq mi
(2,145 km2)		State map highlighting Solano County
Sonoma County 097 Santa Rosa1850originalExact etymology disputed; probably a Pomo term meaning "valley of the moon," which references a native legend about spiritual activity in the area.General Law 504,217 1,576 sq mi
(4,082 km2)		State map highlighting Sonoma County
Stanislaus County 099 Modesto1854TuolumneStanislaus River, named after Estanislao, a native of the area when California was under Spanish and Mexican rule.General Law 547,899 1,495 sq mi
(3,872 km2)		State map highlighting Stanislaus County
Sutter County 101 Yuba City1850originalJohn Sutter, a Swiss pioneer of California associated with the California Gold Rush.General Law 96,648 603 sq mi
(1,562 km2)		State map highlighting Sutter County
Tehama County 103 Red Bluff1856Butte, Colusa and ShastaThe city of Tehama, probably a native term describing its location.Charter 63,926 2,951 sq mi
(7,643 km2)		State map highlighting Tehama County
Trinity County 105 Weaverville1850originalThe city of Trinidad, Spanish for "trinity".General Law 12,709 3,179 sq mi
(8,234 km2)		State map highlighting Trinity County
Tulare County 107 Visalia1852MariposaTulare Lake, which is named after the tule rush (Schoenoplectus acutus) that grew in the marshes and sloughs along its shores.General Law 464,493 4,824 sq mi
(12,494 km2)		State map highlighting Tulare County
Tuolumne County 109 Sonora1850originalExact etymology disputed; probably a corruption of the native term talmalamne, which means "cluster of stone wigwams," a reference to local cave dwelling tribes.General Law 54,248 2,236 sq mi
(5,791 km2)		State map highlighting Tuolumne County
Ventura County 111 Ventura1872Santa BarbaraThe city of Ventura, derived from Mission San Buenaventura (Spanish for St. Bonaventure).General Law 854,223 1,846 sq mi
(4,781 km2)		State map highlighting Ventura County
Yolo County 113 Woodland1850originalThe Yolan people, a local Native American tribe.General Law 219,116 1,012 sq mi
(2,621 km2)		State map highlighting Yolo County
Yuba County 115 Marysville1850originalNamed either by the Maidu people, a local Native American tribe who live on the banks of the Feather and Yuba Rivers, for one of their villages, or by Gabriel Moraga for the wild grapes (Vitis californica) that grow abundantly at the edge of the rivers (uva is Spanish for "grape").General Law 77,031 630 sq mi
(1,632 km2)		State map highlighting Yuba County

Defunct counties

  • Klamath County was created in 1851 from the northern half of Trinity County. Part of the county's territory went to Del Norte County in 1857, and in 1874 the remainder was divided between Humboldt and Siskiyou counties.
  • Pautah County was created in 1852 out of territory which, the state of California assumed, was to be ceded to it by the United States Congress from territory in what is now the state of Nevada. When the cession never occurred, the California State Legislature officially abolished the never-organized county in 1859.
  • Buena Vista County was created in 1855 by the California State Legislature out of the southeastern territory of Tulare County on the west of the Sierra Nevada but was never officially organized. The south of Tulare County was later organized as Kern County in 1866, with additions from Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
  • Coso County was created in 1864 by the California State Legislature out of territory of Mono County and Tulare County on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada but was never officially organized. The region was later organized in 1866 as Inyo County with additions from Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.

Notes

  1. ↑ "Find A County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2014-01-13. Retrieved 2012-04-07.
  2. ↑ "California Constitution, ARTICLE XI LOCAL GOVERNMENT [SEC. 1 - SEC. 15] SEC. 3". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. State of California. June 2, 1970. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  3. ↑ "County Structure & Powers". www.counties.org. California State Association of Counties. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  4. ↑ Kane, Joseph Nathan; Aiken, Charles Curry (2005). The American Counties: Origins of County Names, Dates of Creation, and Population Data, 1950-2000. Scarecrow Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-8108-5036-1.
  5. ↑ "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. Retrieved February 23, 2008.
  6. 1 2 3 National Association of Counties. "NACo - Find a county". Archived from the original on June 5, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
  7. ↑ Sanchez, Nellie Van de Grift (1914). Spanish and Indian Place Names of California: Their Meaning and Their Romance. San Francisco: A. M. Robertson. OCLC 4268886.
  8. ↑ "County Structure & Powers". www.counties.org. California State Association of Counties. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2017". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
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