County

County Seat

Origin

Etymology

Map

Adams
1799

Natchez

One of two original counties

John Adams, 2^nd US Pres.

Alcorn
1870

Corinth

Formed from Tippah and Tishomingo

James L. Alcorn, Reconstruction era US Senator from MS

Amite
1809

Liberty

Formed from Wilkinson County

Amite River

Attala
1833

Kosciusko

Formed from Madison County

Native American heroine from an early 19^th Century novel by Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand

Benton
1870

Ashland

Formed from Marshall and Tippah Counties

Thomas Hart Benton, US Senator from MO and prominent westward expansion advocate

Bolivar
1836

Cleveland

And

Rosedale

Formed from Tallahatchie and Washington counties

Simon Bolivar, South American democratic revolutionary

Calhoun
1852

Pittsboro

Formed from Chickasaw, Lafayette and Yalobusha Counties

John C. Calhoun, US Senator from South Carolina and prominent supporter of states’ rights

Carroll
1833

Carrollton and Vaiden

Formed from Lowndes, Monroe, Washington and Yazoo Counties

Charles Carroll, last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence

Chickasaw
1836

Houston and Okolona

Formed from Monroe County and Un-Organized

Chickasaw Native Americans

Choctaw
1833

Ackerman

Formed form Lowndes, Madison, Monroe and Yazoo Counties

Choctaw Native Americans

Claiborne
1802

Port Gibson

Formed from Jefferson (Pickering) County

William C.C. Claiborne Governor of the Mississippi Territory

Clarke
1833

Quitman

Formed from Wayne County

Joshua G. Clark, the 1^st elected judge following admittance to the Union

Clay
1871

West Point

Formed from Chickasaw, Lowndes, Monroe and Okitibbeha Counties (formerly Colfax County)

Henry Clay, US Senator from KY and giant of 19^th century politics

Coahoma
1836

Clarksdale

Formed from Un-Organized

Derives from Native American word meaning “red panther”

Copiah
1823

Hazlehurst

Formed from Franklin and Hinds Counties

Derives from Native American word meaning “calling panther”

Covington
1819

Collins

Formed from Lawrence and Wayne Counties

Leonard Covington, War of 1812 General

De Soto
1836

Hernando

Formed from Monroe and Washington Counties

Hernando de Soto, Spanish explorer of the Americas

Forrest
1906

Hattiesburg

Formed from Perry County

Nathan Bedford Forrest, Confederate general during the American Civil War

Franklin
1809

Meadville

Formed from Adams County

Benjamin Franklin, writer, orator, publisher and US Founding Father

George
1910

Lucedale

Formed from Greene and Jackson Counties

James Z. George, US Senator from MS

Greene
1811

Leakesville

Formed from Wayne County

Nathanael Greene, American Revolutionary War General

Grenada
1870

Grenada

Formed from Carroll, Choctaw, Tallahatchie and Yalobusha Counties

Spanish province of Grenada

Hancock
1812

Bay Saint Louis

Formed from Un-Organized

John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence

Harrison
 1841

Gulfport and Biloxi

Formed from Hancock County

William Henry Harrison, 9^th US President

Hinds
1821

Jackson and Raymond

Formed from Un-Organized (Choctaw Cession of 1820)

Thomas Hinds, War of 1812 General

Holmes
1833

Lexington

Formed from Yazoo County

David Holmes, first Governor of MS

Humphreys
1918

Belzoni

Formed from Holmes, Sunflower, Washington and Yazoo Counties

Benjamin G. Humphreys, Reconstruction era Governor of MS

Issaquena
1844

Mayersville

Formed from Washington County

Native American word for “Deer River”

Itawamba
1836

Fulton

Formed from Monroe County

Itawamba, a Chickasaw Chief

Jackson
1812

 Pascagoula

Formed from Un-Organized

Andrew Jackson, War of 1812 hero and 7^th US President

Jasper
1833

 Bay Springs and Paulding

Formed form Jones and Wayne Counties

William Jasper, Revolutionary War Sergant

Jefferson
1799

Fayette

One of the two original counties (formerly Pickering)

Thomas Jefferson, 3^rd US President and principal author of the Declaration of Independence

Jefferson Davis
1906

Prentiss

Formed from Covington and Lawrence Counties

Jefferson Davis, only President of the Confederate States of America

Jones
1826

Laurel and Ellisville

Formed from Covington and Wayne Counties (formerly Davis/1865-1869/Civil War)

John Paul Jones, Revolutionary War Naval Captain

Kemper
1833

DeKalb

Formed from Lowndes, Rankin and Wayne Counties

Reuben Kemper, American pioneer and revolutionary in Spanish Florida

Lafayette
1836

Oxford

Formed from Monroe County

Marquis de la Fayette, French born Revolutionary War General

Lamar
1904

Purvis

Formed from Marion and Pearl River Counties

Lucius Q.C. Lamar, US Senator from MS and US Secretary of the Interior

Lauderdale
1833

Meridian

Formed from Rankin and Wayne Counties

James Lauderdale, War of 1812 Colonel

Lawrence
1814

Monticello

Formed from Marion County

James Lawrence, War of 1812 Naval Captain

Leake
1833

Carthage

Formed from Madison and Rankin Counties

Walter Leake, Governor of MS

Lee
1866

Tupelo

Formed from Itawamba and Pontotoc Counties

Robert E. Lee, Commanding Confederate General

Leflore
1871

Greenwood

Formed from Carroll and Sunflower Counties

Greenwood LeFlore, mixed race advocate of citizenship for Native Americans and US Senator for MS

Lincoln
1870

Brookhaven

Formed from Amite, Copiah, Franklin, Lawrence and Pike Counties

Abraham Lincoln, 16^th US President

Lowndes

1830

Columbus

Formed from Monroe County and Un-Organized

William Jones Lowndes, US Representative from SC

Madison
1828

Canton

Formed from Yazoo County

James Madison, 4^th US President

Marion
1811

Columbia

Formed from Amite, Franklin and Wayne Counties

Francis Marion, Revolutionary War General

Marshall

1836

Holly Springs

Formed from Monroe County

John Marshall, Chief Justice of the US who shaped the Supreme Court’s power

Monroe
1821

Aberdeen

Formed from Un-Organized (Chickasaw Cession of 1816)

James Monroe, 5^th President of US

Montgomery
1871

Winona

Formed from Carroll and Choctaw Counties

Richard Montgomery, Revolutionary War General

Neshoba
1833

Philadelphia

Formed from Jones, Madison, Rankin and Wayne Counties

Native American word for “Grey Wolf”

Newton
1836

Decatur

Formed from Neshoba County

Isaac Newton, English Scientist

Noxubee
1833

Macon

Formed from Lowndes and Rankin Counties

Native American word for “stinking water”

Oktibbeha
1833

Starkville

Formed from Lowndes County

Native American word for “Bloody Water”

Panola
1836

Batesville and Sardis

Formed from Monroe and Washington Counties

Native American word for “Cotton”

Pearl River
1890

Poplerville

Formed from Hancock and Marion Counties

The Pearl River

Perry County
1820

New Augusta

Formed from Greene County

Oliver Hazzard Perry, War of 1812 Naval Captain

Pike County
1815

Magnolia

Formed from Marion County

Zebulon Pike, Western Explorer

Pontotoc
1836

Pontotoc

Formed from Monroe County

Native American word for “Land of Hanging Grapes”

Prentiss
1870

Booneville

Formed from Itawamba and Tishomingo Counties

Seargent Smith Prentiss, US Representative from MS

Quitman
1877

Marks

Formed from Coahoma, Panola, Tallahatchie and Tunica Counties

John A. Quitman, Governor of MS

Rankin
1828

Brandon

Formed from Hinds County

Christopher Rankin, US Representative from MS

Scott
1833

Forest

Formed from Covington, Jones and Rankin Counties

Abram M. Scott, Governor of MS

Sharkey
1876

Rolling Fork

Formed from Issaquena, Warren and Washigton Counties

William L. Sharkey, MS Supreme Court Justice

Simpson
1824

Mendenhall

Formed from Copiah County

Josiah Simpson, first Federal Judge appointed in the state

Smith
1833

Raleigh

Formed from Covington, Jones and Rankin Counties

David Smith, Revolutionary War Major

Stone
1916

Wiggins

Formed from Harrison County

John M. Stone, Governor of MS

Sunflower
1844

Indianola

Formed from Bolivar County

The Sunflower River

Tallahatchie
1833

Charleston and Sumner

Formed from Washington and Yazoo Counties

The Tallahatchie River

Tate
1873

Senatobia

Formed from DeSoto and Marshall Counties

Thomas Simpson Tate, the county’s original settler

Tippah
1836

Ripley

Formed from Monroe County

Native American word for “Cut Off”

Tishomingo
1836

Iuka

Formed from Monroe County

Chief Tishomingo, Chickasaw Leader

Tunica
1836

Tunica

Formed from Washington County and Un-Organized

Tunica Native Americans

Union
1870

New Albany

Formed from Lee, Pontotoc and Tippah Counties

Reunion of Confederacy with the US

Walthall
1912

Tylertown

Formed from Marion and Pike Counties

Edward Walthall, US Senator from MS

Warren
1809

Vicksburg

Formed from Claiborne County

Joseph Warren, Revolutionary War General

Washington
1827

Greenville

Formed from Warren and Yazoo Counties

George Washington, 1^st US President

Wayne
1809

Waynesboro

Formed from Washington County (AL)

Anthony Wayne, Revolutionary War General

Webster
1847

Walthall

Formed from Chickasaw, Choctaw and Montgomery Counties (formerly Sumner County)

Daniel Webster, US Senator from MA and giant of 19^th Century politics

Wilkinson
1802

Woodville

Formed from Adams County

James Wilkinson, Revolutionary War General

Winston
1833

Louisville

Formed from Lowndes, Rankin and Wayne Counties

Louis Winston, MS Supreme Court Justice

Yalobusha
1833

Water Valley and Coffeeville

Formed from Monroe, Washington and Yazoo Counties

Native American word for “Tadpole Place”

Yazoo
1823

Yazoo City

Formed from Hinds County

Yazoo Native Americans