Alamance was formed in 1849 from Orange. The name is supposedly derived from the Indian word meaning "blue clay." The county gets its name from the Alamance Creek on the banks of which was fought the battle between the colonial troops under Governor Tryon and the Regulators on May 17, 1771. It is in the central part of the State and is bounded by Orange, Chatham, Randolph, Guilford, and Caswell counties. The present land area is 429.99 square miles and the 2000 population was 130,800. The first court was ordered to be held at Providence Meeting House until a courthouse could be erected, provided the justices of the peace at the first session did not select some other place for all subsequent courts until the buildings were completed. Commissioners were named to select a site in the center of the county, acquire land, erect a courthouse, and lay out a town by the name of Graham. Graham was established in 1851 and is the county seat.

Alexander was formed in 1847 from Iredell, Caldwell, and Wilkes counties. It was named in honor of William J. Alexander of Mecklenburg County, several times a member of the Legislature and speaker of the House of Commons. It is in the west central section of the State and is bounded by Iredell, Catawba, Caldwell, and Wilkes counties. The present land area is 260.18 square miles and the 2000 population was 33,603. The court was ordered to be held at James's Cross Roads until the county seat could be established. Commissioners were named to select a site for the county seat as near the center as possible, to acquire land, lay off the town of Taylorsville, and erect public buildings. Taylorsville is the county seat.

Alleghany was formed in 1859 from Ashe. It was named for an Indian tribe, and the name is derived from "a corruption of the Delaware Indian name for the Alleghany and Ohio Rivers and is said to have meant "a fine stream." It is in the northwestern section of the State and is bounded by the state of Virginia and Surry, Wilkes and Ashe counties. The present land area is 234.65 square miles and the 2000 population was 10,677. The act creating the county ordered the court to be held at Shiloah Church until the public buildings were erected unless otherwise directed by the justices of the peace. Commissioners were named to locate a site for the county seat at the geographical center of the county, acquire the land, establish the town of Sparta, and erect the courthouse. Sparta is the county seat.

Anson was formed in 1750 from Bladen. It was named in honor of George, Lord Anson, a celebrated English admiral who circumnavigated the globe. It is in the south center section of the State and is bounded by the state of South Carolina and Union, Stanly, and Richmond counties. Its land area is 531.57 square miles and its population in 2000 was 25,275. From 1755 to 1780 the county seat was called Anson Court House. In 1782 and 1783 laws were passed concerning the courthouse. In the latter year New Town was authorized to be established. In 1787, Newton, the county seat, was changed to Wadesboro. Wadesboro is the county seat.

Ashe was formed in 1799 from Wilkes. It was named in honor of Samuel Ashe, a Revolutionary patriot, a superior court judge, and Governor of the State. It is in the northwestern section of the State and is bounded by the states of Tennessee and Virginia and Alleghany, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The present land area is 426.03 square miles and the 2000 population was 24,384. In 1803 the town of Jefferson was laid out and the public buildings erected. Jefferson is the county seat.

Avery County was formed in 1911 from Mitchell, Watauga, and Caldwell. It was named in honor of Colonel Waightstill Avery, a soldier of the Revolution and Attorney General of North Carolina. It is in the northwestern section of the State and is bounded by the state of Tennessee and the counties of Watauga, Caldwell, Burke, McDowell and Mitchell. The present land area is 247.00 square miles and the 2000 population was 17,167. Commissioners were named in the act establishing the county who were to select two or more sites for the county seat after which the county would vote on the sites. Newland is the county seat.

Beaufort was first called Pamptecough, the name being changed about 1712. It was named for Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort, who in 1709 became one of the Lords Proprietors. It is in the eastern section of the State and is bounded by Craven, Hyde, Martin, Pamlico, Pitt, and Washington counties. The present land area is 827.97 square miles and the 2000 population was 44,958. Bath, incorporated in 1705, was the first county seat. Washington was made the county seat in 1785.

Bertie was formed in 1722 from Chowan. It was named in honor of James Bertie, a Lords Proprietor. It is in the northeastern section of the State and is bounded by Albemarle Sound, Chowan River, and Washington, Martin, Halifax, Northampton and Hertford counties. Its land area is 699.19 square miles and its population in 2000 was 19,757. An act of 1743 provided that the courthouse, etc., "shall be built between Cusby Bride and Will's Quarter Bridge." Windsor was established in 1766 and was made the county seat in 1774.

Bladen was formed in 1734 from New Hanover. It was named in honor of Martin Bladen, one of the members of the Board of Trade which had charge of colonial affairs. It is in the southeastern section of the State and is bounded by Sampson, Pender, Columbus, Robeson and Cumberland counties. The present land area is 874.94 square miles and its 2000 population was 32,278. The county seat was first called Bladen Court House. Elizabethtown, established in 1773, is the county seat.

Brunswick was formed in 1764 from New Hanover and Bladen. It was named in honor of the town of Brunswick, which was named for King George I, Duke of Brunswick and Lunenberg. It is in the southeastern section of the State and is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Cape Fear River, the state of South Carolina, and Columbus, Pender and New Hanover counties. The present land area is 854.79 square miles and the population in 2000 was 73,141. Brunswick, established in 1745, was made a borough town in 1754, and when Brunswick County was established in 1764 it was made the county seat. In 1779 the county seat was authorized to be moved to the plantation of John Bell near Lockwood's Folly Bridge. In 1784 Walkersburg, named in honor of John Walker on whose land it was situated, was established. Provisions were made in the act for a courthouse and other public buildings to be established there. It was located near Deep Water Point. This act specified that the courts were to be held at the most convenient place until the courthouse was completed. It is doubtful that the act was put into effect because in 1808 an act was passed authorizing the removal of the courthouse from Lockwood's Folly to Smithville. Court was held at the courthouse from 1805-1858. The record does not indicate where the courthouse was. This town, established in 1792, was named in honor of Benjamin Smith, Governor of North Carolina, 1810-1811. In 1879 an effort to move the courthouse failed. In 1887 Smithville was changed to Southport. Southport served as the county seat until 1977 when the county seat was moved to Bolivia, following a referendum on the question.

Buncombe was formed in 1791 from Burke and Rutherford. It was named in honor of Colonel Edward Buncombe, a Revolutionary soldier, who was wounded and captured at the Battle of Germantown, October 4, 1777, and in May, 1778, died a paroled prisoner in Philadelphia. It is in the western section of the State and is bounded by McDowell, Henderson, Haywood, Madison, and Yancey counties. The present land area is 655.99 square miles and the 2000 population was 206,330. Asheville, named in honor of Samuel Ashe, Governor of North Carolina, 1796-1798, is the county seat.

Burke was formed in 1777 from Rowan. The act was to become effective June 1, 1777. It was named in honor of Dr. Thomas Burke, a member of the Continental Congress and governor of North Carolina, 1781-1782. It is in the west central section of the State and is bounded by Catawba, Cleveland, Rutherford, McDowell, Avery and Caldwell counties. The present land area is 506.72 square miles and the 2000 population was 89,145. The act establishing Burke specified that the first court was to be held at a place the justices should decide until they selected a permanent place for the courthouse and had the same erected. In 1784 Morgansborough was established and made the county seat. Morganton is the present county seat.