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Origin of Indiana County Names

County Origin of Name Date of Organization County Seat
Adams President John Quincy Adams March1, 1836 Decatur
Allen Colonel John Allen of Kentucky April 1, 1824 Fort Wayne
Bartholomew Gen. Joseph Bartholomew, U. S. Senator February 12, 1821 Columbus
Benton Thomas H. Benton, U. S. Senator February 18, 1840 Fowler
Blackford Judge Isaac Blackford April 2, 1838 Hartford City
Boone Daniel Boone April 1, 1830 Lebanon
Brown Gen. Jacob Brown of War of 1812 April 1, 1836 Nashville
Carroll Charles Carroll of Maryland May 1, 1828 Delphi
Cass Gen. Lewis Cass, Governor of Michigan April 14, 1829 Logansport
Clark Gen. George Rogers Clark February 3, 1801 Jeffersonville
Clay Henry Clay April 1, 1825 Brazil
Clinton DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York March 1, 1830 Frankfort
Crawford Col. William Crawford March 1, 1818 English
Daviess Col. Joseph H. Daviess February 15, 1817 Washington
Dearborn Gen. Henry Dearborn, Sec. of War March 7, 1803 Lawrenceburg
Decatur Commodore Stephen Decator March 4, 1822 Greensburg
DeKalb Baron DeKalb May 1, 1837 Auburn
Delaware Delaware Indian tribe April 1, 1827 Muncie
Dubois Toussaint Dubois February 1, 1818 Jasper
Elkhart Elkhart Indian tribe April 1,1830 Goshen
Fayette Marquis de Lafayette January 1, 1819 Connersville
Floyd Davis Floyd
(Previously identified as Col. John Floyd of Virginia - learn more)
February 1, 1819 New Albany
Fountain Maj. Fountain of Kentucky April 1, 1826 Covington
Franklin Benjamin Franklin January 1, 1811 Brookville
Fulton Robert Fulton April 1, 1836 Rochester
Gibson John Gibson, Governor of Indiana Territory April 1, 1813 Princeton
Grant Capts.. Samuel and Moses Grant of Kentucky April 1, 1831 Marion
Greene Gen. Nathaniel Greene of American Revolution February 5, 1821 Bloomfield
Hamilton Alexander Hamilton April 7, 1823 Noblesville
Hancock John Hancock March 1, 1828 Greenfield
Harrison William Henry Harrison, Territorial Governor December 1, 1808 Corydon
Hendricks William Hendricks, Governor of Indiana April 1, 1824 Danville
Henry Patrick Henry June 1, 1822 New Castle
Howard Gen. T. A. Howard May 1, 1844 Kokomo
Huntington Samuel Huntington February 2, 1832 Huntington
Jackson Gen. Andrew Jackson January 1, 1816 Brownstown
Jasper Sergeant William Jasper, Revolutionary War March 15, 1838 Rensselaer
Jay John Jay, Governor of New York March 1, 1836 Portland
Jefferson Thomas Jefferson January 1, 1811 Madison
Jennings Jonathon Jennings, 1st Governor of Indiana February 1, 1817 Vernon
Johnson Judge John Johnson, Indiana Supreme Court May 5, 1823 Franklin
Knox Gen. Knox, Secretary of War June 20,1790 Vincennes
Kosciusko Kosciusko, Hero of American Revolution June 1, 1836 Warsaw
LaGrange Name of Lafayette's home near Paris April 1, 1832 LaGrange
Lake Lake Michigan February 15, 1837 Crown Point
La Porte French for "the door" or "the port" April 1, 1832 La Porte
Lawrence Capt. James Lawrence March 16, 1818 Bedford
Madison James Madison July 1, 1823 Anderson
Marion Gen. Francis Marion April 1, 1822 Indianapolis
Marshall Chief Justice John Marshall April 1, 1836 Plymouth
Martin Maj. John T. Martin of Kentucky February 1, 1820 Shoals
Miami Miami Indian tribe March 1, 1834 Peru
Monroe James Monroe April 10, 1818 Bloomington
Montgomery Gen. Richard Montgomery March 1, 1823 Crawfordsville
Morgan Gen. Daniel Morgan February 15, 1822 Martinsville
Newton Sgt. John Newton December 8, 1859 Kentland
Noble James Noble, 1st U. S. Senator from Indiana March 1, 1836 Albion
Ohio Ohio River March 1, 1844 Rising Sun
Orange Orange County, North Carolina February 1, 1816 Paoli
Owen Col. Abraham Owen, Tippecanoe Battle casualty January 1, 1819 Spencer
Parke Benjamin Parke, 1st territorial delegate to Congress April 2, 1821 Rockville
Perry Commodore Oliver H. Perry November 1, 1814 Tell City
Pike Gen. Zebulon M. Pike February 1, 1817 Petersburg
Porter Commodore David Porter, War of 1812 February 1, 1836 Valparaiso
Posey Gen.Thomas Posey November 1, 1814 Mt. Vernon
Pulaski Count Casimir Pulaski, American Revolution May 6, 1839 Winamac
Putnam Gen. Israel Putnam April 1, 1822 Greencastle
Randolph Thomas Randolph or Randolph Co. North Carolina August 10, 1818 Winchester
Ripley Gen. E. W. Ripley, War of 1812 April 10, 1818 Versailles
Rush Dr. Benjamin Rush April 1, 1822 Rushville
Scott Gen. Charles Scott, Governor of Kentucky February 1, 1820 Scottsburg
Shelby Isaac Shelby April 1, 1822 Shelbyville
Spencer Capt. Spier Spencer February 1, 1818 Rockport
Starke General Starke January 15, 1850 Knox
St. Joseph St. Joseph River April 1, 1830 South Bend
Steuben Baron Steuben of the Revolutionary War May 1, 1837 Angola
Sullivan General Daniel Sullivan January 15, 1817 Sullivan
Switzerland Switzerland, native land of first settlers October 1, 1814 Vevay
Tippecanoe Tippecanoe River and battleground March 1, 1826 Lafayette
Tipton Gen. John Tipton May 1, 1844 Tipton
Union Symbolical of union of interests February 1, 1821 Liberty
Vanderburgh Henry Vanderburgh, Territorial judge February 1, 1818 Evansville
Vermillion Vermillion River February 1, 1824 Newport
Vigo Col. Francis Vigo February 15, 1818 Terre Haute
Wabash Wabash River March 1, 1835 Wabash
Warren Gen. Joseph Warren, American Revolution March 1, 1827 Williamsport
Warrick Capt. Jacob Warrick April 1, 1813 Boonville
Washington George Washington January 17, 1814 Salem
Wayne Gen. Anthony Wayne January 1, 1811 Richmond
Wells Capt. William A. Wells May 1, 1837 Bluffton
White Col. Isaac White April 1, 1834 Monticello
Whitley Col. William Whitley April 1, 1838 Columbia City
Based on "Here Is Your Indiana Government" 1997-98 edition, published by Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indianapolis, IN