Wake was formed in 1771 from Johnston, Cumberland and Orange. The act became effective March 12,1771. It was named in honor of Margaret Wake, wife of William Tryon. It is in the east central section of the State and is bounded by Johnston, Harnett, Chatham, Durham, Granville and Franklin counties. The present land area is 831.92 square miles and the population in 2000 was 627,866. The first courthouse was erected at what is known as Bloomsbury. It was called Wake County Court House until 1792, when Raleigh was established and was made the capital of the State. Raleigh is the county seat.

Warren was formed in 1779 from Bute. It was named in honor of Joseph Warren, a soldier of Massachusetts who fell while fighting at Bunker Hill. It is in the northeastern section of the State and is bounded by Northampton, Halifax, Franklin, and Vance counties and the state of Virginia. The present land area is 428.70 square miles and the 2000 population was 19,972. The act establishing the county specified that the first court was to be held at the courthouse of Bute; it also provided that subsequent courts were to be held at a place decided upon by the justices of the peace until a courthouse could be erected. Commissioners were named to select a site at the center of the county, purchase land and have the courthouse, prison and the stocks erected. In 1779 another act was passed establishing Warrenton. This act provided that the courts were to be held at the home of Thomas Christmas until the courthouse was built. Warrenton is the county seat.

Washington was formed in 1799 from Tyrrell. It was named in honor of George Washington. It is in the eastern section of the State and is bounded by Tyrrell, Hyde, Beaufort, Martin and Bertie counties, and the Albemarle Sound. The present land area is 348.46 square miles and the 2000 population was 13,723. The courts were ordered to be held at Lee's Mill until a courthouse could be erected. Plymouth, already in existence when the county was established was incorporated in 1807. In 1823 the courthouse was moved from Lee's Mill to Plymouth. In 1873 the General Assembly authorized that the county seat be moved from Plymouth to McKey's Ferry provided the people approved the same by popular vote. Plymouth is the county seat.

Watauga was formed in 1849 from Ashe, Wilkes, Caldwell and Yancey. It was named for the Watauga River, which name came from an Indian word meaning "beautiful water." It is in the northwestern section of the State and is bounded by the State of Tennessee and Ashe, Wilkes, Caldwell and Avery counties. The present land area is 312.51 square miles and the 2000 population was 42,693. The first court was ordered to be held at the home of George Council, at which time justices of the peace were to decide upon a place for the future courts until the courthouse was erected. Commissioners were named to select a site for a county seat "which site shall be between Reuben Bartley's and a point one-half mile west of Willie McGee's east and west direction, and between John Pennell's and Howard's Knob north and south direction." They were to acquire the land and lay out a town and erect the public buildings. In 1851 a superior court was established for Watauga, and it directed that court was to be held in the courthouse at Boone. Boone, named in honor of Daniel Boone, is the county seat.

Wayne was formed in 1779 from Dobbs. It was named in honor of Anthony Wayne, one of Washington's most trusted soldiers. It is in the eastern section of the State and is bounded by Greene, Lenoir, Duplin, Sampson, Johnston and Wilson counties. The present land area is 552.57 square miles and the 2000 population was 113,329. The act establishing the county provided that the first court should be held at the home of Josiah Sasser at which time the justices were to decide on a place for all subsequent courts until a courthouse could be erected. By 1782 the commissioners were named. In 1787 an act was passed establishing Waynesborough on the west side of the Neuse on the land of Andrew Bass "where the courthouse now stands." In 1845, and again in 1847, acts were passed moving the courthouse from Waynesborough to Goldsboro provided the people voted for the same. Goldsboro is the county seat.

Wilkes was formed in 1777 from Surry and the District of Washington. The act was to become effective February 15, 1778. It was named in honor of John Wilkes who was a violent opponent of the Tory party in England. He was not allowed to take his seat in Parliament to which he had been elected. The Americans imagined that he was suffering in the cause of liberty and named this county in his honor. It is in the northwestern section of the State and is bounded by Yadkin, Iredell, Alexander, Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany and Surry counties. The present land area is 757.19 square miles and the 2000 population was 65,632. The act establishing the county stipulated that the first court was to be held at the home of John Brown. Commissioners were named to select a place centrally located for the erection of the courthouse, prison and stocks. The second court was held June, 1, 1778, in the "bent of the Yadkin." The next day it was held at Mulberry Field Meeting House. On June 3 the commissioners who were to select a site for the county seat reported as follows: "We, the commissioners appointed by act of Assembly to lay out and appoint pillory and stocks of the said county, have met and materially considered the same, do adjudge and appoint the place where the Mulbury Meeting House stands as the most central, suitable and proper place whereon to locate public buildings." In September, 1778, court was held at the courthouse of Wilkes. In 1795 an act was passed naming new commissioners to select a site for the erection of a courthouse, pillory and stocks. It also named commissioners to purchase fifty acres of land on which to lay out a town and to erect public buildings. By 1801 Wilkesborough had been laid out at the courthouse. In 1823 an act was passed authorizing a new courthouse to be erected on the public square in Wilkesboro. Wilkesboro is the county seat.

Wilson was formed in 1855 from Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston and Wayne. It was named in honor of Louis D. Wilson, many times a member of the Legislature from Edgecombe County, a soldier of the Mexican War who died near Vera Cruz of fever, and a benefactor of the poor of his native county. It is in the east central section of the State and is bounded by Pitt, Greene, Wayne, Johnston, Nash and Edgecombe counties. The present land area is 371.09 square miles and the 2000 population was 73,811. The court was ordered to be held at Benjamin Barden's store in Wilson, a village already established, until a courthouse could be built. Commissioners were to acquire a site within one-fourth of a mile of the town of Wilson and erect a courthouse.

Yadkin was formed in 1850 from Surry. Its name is derived from the Yadkin River which runs through it. It is in the north central section of the State and is bounded by Forsyth, Davie, Iredell, Wilkes and Surry counties. The present land area is 335.55 square miles and the 2000 population was 36,348. The first court was ordered to be held at Dowellton, at which time the justices were to adjourn to any place they wished until a courthouse could be erected. Commissioners were named to select a site for the courthouse as near of the center of the county as possible. Also, they were to acquire land and lay off a town by the name of Wilson. In 1852 an act was passed changing Wilson to Yadkinville. Yadkinville is the county seat.

Yancey was formed in 1833 from Burke and Buncombe. It is named in honor of Bartlett Yancey, an eloquent orator, many times a member of the Legislature, speaker of the State Senate and member of Congress. He was also one of the earliest advocates of the public school system in North Carolina. It is in the western section of the State and is bounded by the state of Tennessee and Mitchell, McDowell, Buncombe and Madison counties. The present land area is 312.45 square miles and the 2000 population was 17,774. The act establishing the county named and authorized commissioners to purchase land, lay out a town, and erect a courthouse. Burnsville, named for Captain Otway Burns of Beaufort, North Carolina, who won fame in the War of 1812, is the county seat.