County
|
FIPS Code
|
County seat
|
Est.
|
Origin
|
Etymology
|
Population
|
Area
|
Map
|
Alcona County
|
001
|
Harrisville |
1840 (boundaries declared) 1869 (organized) |
From unorganized territory; named Negwegon County until 1843 |
Schoolcraft pseudo-Native American name
|
10,235
|
1,791 sq mi (4,639 km2) |
|
Alger County
|
003
|
Munising |
1885 |
From part of Schoolcraft County |
Russell A. Alger, (1836-1907): Governor and national politician
|
8,821
|
5,049 sq mi (13,077 km2) |
|
Allegan County
|
005
|
Allegan |
1831 (boundaries declared) 1835 (organized) |
From part of Barry County, and unorganized territory |
Schoolcraft pseudo-Native American name
|
120,950
|
1,833 sq mi (4,747 km2) |
|
Alpena County
|
007
|
Alpena |
1840 (boundaries declared) 1857 (organized) |
From part of Mackinac County, and unorganized territory Was named Anamickee County until 1843. |
Schoolcraft pseudo-Native American name
|
28,893
|
1,695 sq mi (4,390 km2) |
|
Antrim County
|
009
|
Bellaire |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County; named Meegisee County until 1843 |
County Antrim, now in Northern Ireland
|
23,813
|
602 sq mi (1,559 km2) |
|
Arenac County
|
011
|
Standish |
1831 |
From unorganized territory; annexed to Bay County in 1857, but reinstated in 1883 |
Schoolcraft pseudo-Native American name
|
14,975
|
681 sq mi (1,764 km2) |
|
Baraga County
|
013
|
L'Anse |
1875 |
From part of Houghton County |
Frederic Baraga (1797-1868): Catholic missionary and first bishop of Sault Ste. Marie
|
8,215
|
1,069 sq mi (2,769 km2) |
|
Barry County
|
015
|
Hastings |
1829 |
From unorganized territory |
William T. Barry (1784-1835): Postmaster General in the Jackson Administration
|
62,992
|
577 sq mi (1,494 km2) |
|
Bay County
|
017
|
Bay City |
1857 |
From parts of Arenac, Midland, and Saginaw Counties |
Saginaw Bay
|
102,985
|
631 sq mi (1,634 km2) |
|
Benzie County
|
019
|
Beulah |
1863 |
From part of Leelenau County |
French name of Betsie River: (rivière aux) Bec-scies, the "(river of) sawbill ducks"
|
18,223
|
860 sq mi (2,227 km2) |
|
Berrien County
|
021
|
St. Joseph |
1829 |
From unorganized territory |
John M. Berrien (1781-1856): Attorney General in the Jackson Administration
|
153,101
|
1,581 sq mi (4,095 km2) |
|
Branch County
|
023
|
Coldwater |
1829 |
From unorganized territory |
John Branch (1782-1863): Secretary of the Navy in the Jackson Administration
|
44,985
|
519 sq mi (1,344 km2) |
|
Calhoun County
|
025
|
Marshall |
1829 |
From unorganized territory |
John C. Calhoun (1782-1850): Vice President of the United States in the Jackson Administration
|
133,819
|
718 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
|
Cass County
|
027
|
Cassopolis |
1829 |
From unorganized territory |
Lewis Cass (1782-1866): Secretary of War in the Jackson Administration
|
51,483
|
508 sq mi (1,316 km2) |
|
Charlevoix County
|
029
|
Charlevoix |
1869 |
From parts of Antrim, Emmet, and Otsego Counties |
Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix (1682-1761): Jesuit traveller and historian of New France
|
26,086
|
1,391 sq mi (3,603 km2) |
|
Cheboygan County
|
031
|
Cheboygan |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County |
Cheboygan River
|
25,752
|
885 sq mi (2,292 km2) |
|
Chippewa County
|
033
|
Sault Ste. Marie |
1827 |
From part of Mackinac County |
Ojibwa Native American tribe, also known as the Chippewa
|
36,816
|
2,698 sq mi (6,988 km2) |
|
Clare County
|
035
|
Harrison |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County, and unorganized territory; named Kaykakee County until 1843 |
County Clare, Ireland
|
31,065
|
575 sq mi (1,489 km2) |
|
Clinton County
|
037
|
St. Johns |
1831 |
From unorganized territory |
DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828): Governor of New York.
|
79,426
|
575 sq mi (1,489 km2) |
|
Crawford County
|
039
|
Grayling |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Was named Shawano County until 1843. |
William Crawford, (1732-82), American Revolutionary War colonel western surveyor
|
13,204
|
563 sq mi (1,458 km2) |
|
Delta County
|
041
|
Escanaba |
1843 |
From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. |
Greek letter delta, referring to the triangular shape of the original county, which included segments of Menominee, Dickinson, Iron and Marquette counties
|
36,826
|
1,992 sq mi (5,159 km2) |
|
Dickinson County
|
043
|
Iron Mountain |
1891 |
From parts of Iron County, Marquette County and Menominee County. |
Donald M. Dickinson (1846-1917): Postmaster General in the Cleveland Administration
|
25,787
|
777 sq mi (2,012 km2) |
|
Eaton County
|
045
|
Charlotte |
1829 |
From unorganized territory. |
John Eaton (1790-1856): Secretary of War in the Jackson Administration
|
108,944
|
579 sq mi (1,500 km2) |
|
Emmet County
|
047
|
Petoskey |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. Was named Tonegadana County until 1843. |
Robert Emmet (1778-1803): Irish nationalist and rebel leader
|
34,225
|
882 sq mi (2,284 km2) |
|
Genesee County
|
049
|
Flint |
1835 |
From parts of Lapeer County, Saginaw County and Shiawassee County. |
Seneca word, "je-nis-hi-yeh," meaning "beautiful valley": named after western New York valley from which many settlers came
|
404,208
|
649 sq mi (1,681 km2) |
|
Gladwin County
|
051
|
Gladwin |
1831 |
From unorganized territory. |
Major Henry Gladwin, British commander of the fort at Detroit during the siege by Chief Pontiac in 1763-64.
|
25,485
|
516 sq mi (1,336 km2) |
|
Gogebic County
|
053
|
Bessemer |
1887 |
From part of Ontonagon County. |
Probably from the Chippewa "bic" which most references interpret as "rock."
|
14,361
|
1,476 sq mi (3,823 km2) |
|
Grand Traverse County
|
055
|
Traverse City |
1851 |
From part of Omeena County. |
French grande traverse ("long crossing"), given first to Grand Traverse Bay by French voyageurs.
|
95,860
|
601 sq mi (1,557 km2) |
|
Gratiot County
|
057
|
Ithaca |
1831 |
From unorganized territory. |
Captain Charles Gratiot (1788-1855), built Fort Gratiot at the present site of Port Huron
|
41,544
|
572 sq mi (1,481 km2) |
|
Hillsdale County
|
059
|
Hillsdale |
1829 |
From unorganized territory. |
From its terrain, made up of hills and dales.
|
45,546
|
607 sq mi (1,572 km2) |
|
Houghton County
|
061
|
Houghton |
1845 |
From parts of Marquette County and Ontonagon County. |
Dr. Douglass Houghton (1809-1845), first state geologist of Michigan, physician and surgeon, mayor of Detroit (1842-1843)
|
37,313
|
1,502 sq mi (3,890 km2) |
|
Huron County
|
063
|
Bad Axe |
1840 |
From part of Sanilac County. |
Lake Huron, which the French named lac des Hurons after the Hurons.
|
31,252
|
2,136 sq mi (5,532 km2) |
|
Ingham County
|
065
|
Mason |
1829 (boundaries declared) 1838 (organized) |
From parts of Shiawassee County, Washtenaw County and unorganized territory. |
Samuel D. Ingham (1779-1860), U.S. Secretary of the Treasury in the Jackson Administration
|
284,034
|
561 sq mi (1,453 km2) |
|
Ionia County
|
067
|
Ionia |
1831 |
From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. |
Province in ancient Greece
|
67,197
|
580 sq mi (1,502 km2) |
|
Iosco County
|
069
|
Tawas City |
1840 |
From unorganized territory. Was named Kanotin County until 1843. |
Schoolcraft pseudo-Native American name
|
25,369
|
1,891 sq mi (4,898 km2) |
|
Iron County
|
071
|
Crystal Falls |
1885 |
From parts of Marquette County and Menominee County. |
For the iron deposits and mines found in the county
|
11,635
|
1,211 sq mi (3,136 km2) |
|
Isabella County
|
073
|
Mt. Pleasant |
1831 |
From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. |
Queen Isabella I (1451-1504) of Spain, under whose patronage Columbus undertook his voyages.
|
64,813
|
578 sq mi (1,497 km2) |
|
Jackson County
|
075
|
Jackson |
1829 (boundaries declared) 1832 (organised) |
From part of Washtenaw County and unorganized territory. |
Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), 7th President of the United States and President when Michigan was admitted to the Union
|
160,050
|
724 sq mi (1,875 km2) |
|
Kalamazoo County
|
077
|
Kalamazoo |
1829 |
From unorganized territory. |
Named for the Kalamazoo River. See Etymology of Kalamazoo for a discussion of the river's name.
|
261,108
|
580 sq mi (1,502 km2) |
|
Kalkaska County
|
079
|
Kalkaska |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. Was named Wabassee County until 1843. |
Schoolcraft pseudo-Native American name
|
17,979
|
571 sq mi (1,479 km2) |
|
Kent County
|
081
|
Grand Rapids |
1831 |
From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. |
New York jurist James Kent, who represented the Michigan Territory in its dispute with Ohio over the Toledo Strip.
|
658,046
|
872 sq mi (2,258 km2) |
|
Keweenaw County
|
083
|
Eagle River |
1861 |
From part of Houghton County. |
Ojibwe word gakiiwe-wewaning meaning "portage"
|
2,107
|
5,966 sq mi (15,452 km2) |
|
Lake County
|
085
|
Baldwin |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. Was named Aischum County until 1843. |
Has several small lakes and lies near Lake Michigan
|
12,308
|
575 sq mi (1,489 km2) |
|
Lapeer County
|
087
|
Lapeer |
1822 |
From parts of Oakland County and St. Clair County. |
An Americanization of the French la pierre, meaning "the rock" (flint)
|
88,513
|
663 sq mi (1,717 km2) |
|
Leelanau County
|
089
|
Suttons Bay Township |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. |
Schoolcraft pseudo-Native American name
|
22,623
|
2,532 sq mi (6,558 km2) |
|
Lenawee County
|
091
|
Adrian |
1822 |
From part of Monroe County. |
A Schoolcraft pseudo-Native American name for man, from either the Delaware leno or lenno or the Shawnee lenawai
|
98,956
|
761 sq mi (1,971 km2) |
|
Livingston County
|
093
|
Howell |
1833 (boundaries declared) 1836 (organized) |
From parts of Shiawassee County and Washtenaw County. |
Edward Livingston (1764-1836): second Secretary of State in the Andrew Jackson administration
|
195,014
|
585 sq mi (1,515 km2) |
|
Luce County
|
095
|
Newberry |
1887 |
From parts of Chippewa County and Mackinac County. |
Named for Michigan Governor Cyrus G. Luce
|
5,309
|
1,912 sq mi (4,952 km2) |
|
Mackinac County
|
097
|
St. Ignace |
1818 |
From part of Wayne County. Was named Michilimackinac County until 1837. |
Originally Michilimackinac, believed to be a French interpretation of the Native American name for Mackinac Island, meaning "big turtle"
|
10,906
|
2,101 sq mi (5,442 km2) |
|
Macomb County
|
099
|
Mt. Clemens |
1818 |
From part of Wayne County. |
Named for U.S. General Alexander Macomb, a notable officer of the War of 1812
|
876,792
|
570 sq mi (1,476 km2) |
|
Manistee County
|
101
|
Manistee |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. |
Named for the Manistee River, which in turn is from the Ojibwe name, ministigweyaa meaning "(river) at whose mouth there are islands"
|
25,350
|
1,281 sq mi (3,318 km2) |
|
Marquette County
|
103
|
Marquette |
1843 |
From parts of Chippewa County and Mackinac County. |
Named for French Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette
|
66,103
|
3,425 sq mi (8,871 km2) |
|
Mason County
|
105
|
Ludington |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. Was named Notipekago County until 1843. |
Named for Michigan Governor Stevens T. Mason
|
29,383
|
1,242 sq mi (3,217 km2) |
|
Mecosta County
|
107
|
Big Rapids |
1840 |
From parts of Mackinac County and Oceana County. |
Named for Mecosta, a Native American leader
|
40,031
|
571 sq mi (1,479 km2) |
|
Menominee County
|
109
|
Menominee |
1861 |
From part of Delta County. Was named Bleeker County until 1863. |
Named for the Menominee Native American people
|
23,299
|
1,338 sq mi (3,465 km2) |
|
Midland County
|
111
|
Midland |
1831 |
From part of Saginaw County and unorganized territory. |
Located near the geographical center of the Lower Peninsula
|
83,457
|
528 sq mi (1,368 km2) |
|
Missaukee County
|
113
|
Lake City |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. |
Named for Missaukee, an Ottawa leader who signed land-grant treaties in 1831 and 1833
|
15,130
|
574 sq mi (1,487 km2) |
|
Monroe County
|
115
|
Monroe |
1817 |
From part of Wayne County. |
Named for James Monroe, the fifth U.S. President
|
155,274
|
680 sq mi (1,761 km2) |
|
Montcalm County
|
117
|
Stanton |
1831 |
From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. |
Named for Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, a French military commander in Quebec
|
67,220
|
721 sq mi (1,867 km2) |
|
Montmorency County
|
119
|
Atlanta |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Was named Cheonoquet County until 1843. |
House of Montmorency, influential in the history of French Canada
|
9,297
|
562 sq mi (1,456 km2) |
|
Muskegon County
|
121
|
Muskegon |
1859 |
From parts of Oceana County and Ottawa County. |
Muskegon River running through county, from the Ojibwa/Chippewa word mashkig meaning "swamp" or "marsh."
|
176,511
|
1,459 sq mi (3,779 km2) |
|
Newaygo County
|
123
|
White Cloud |
1840 |
From parts of Mackinac County and Oceana County. |
Named for a Chippewa leader who signed the Saginaw Treaty of 1819
|
50,296
|
861 sq mi (2,230 km2) |
|
Oakland County
|
125
|
Pontiac |
1819 (boundaries declared) 1820 (organized) |
From part of Macomb County. |
The numerous "oak openings" in the area: "majestic orchard[s] of oaks and hickories varied by small prairies, grassy lawns and clear lakes"
|
1,270,017
|
908 sq mi (2,352 km2) |
|
Oceana County
|
127
|
Hart |
1831 |
From part of Mackinac County. |
Borders Lake Michigan, the freshwater "ocean."
|
26,815
|
1,307 sq mi (3,385 km2) |
|
Ogemaw County
|
129
|
West Branch |
1840 |
From unorganized territory. Annexed to Iosco County in 1867 and reinstated in 1873. |
The Ojibwe word ogimaa, meaning "chief" or "leader"
|
20,726
|
575 sq mi (1,489 km2) |
|
Ontonagon County
|
131
|
Ontonagon |
1843 |
From parts of Chippewa County and Mackinac County. |
Named for the Ontonagon River. The Ojibwa word onagon means "dish" or "bowl."
|
5,868
|
3,741 sq mi (9,689 km2) |
|
Osceola County
|
133
|
Reed City |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. Was named Unwattin County until 1843. |
Osceola (1804-1838), Seminole chief
|
23,105
|
573 sq mi (1,484 km2) |
|
Oscoda County
|
135
|
Mio |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. |
Schoolcraft pseudo-Native American name
|
8,311
|
572 sq mi (1,481 km2) |
|
Otsego County
|
137
|
Gaylord |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. Was named Okkudo County until 1843. |
Named for Otsego County, New York
|
25,289
|
526 sq mi (1,362 km2) |
|
Ottawa County
|
139
|
Grand Haven |
1831 |
From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. |
Named for the Native American Ottawa people.
|
299,157
|
1,632 sq mi (4,227 km2) |
|
Presque Isle County
|
141
|
Rogers City |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. |
A derivation of the French phrase for "peninsula", literally "almost an island."
|
13,093
|
2,573 sq mi (6,664 km2) |
|
Roscommon County
|
143
|
Roscommon |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Was named Mikenauk County until 1843. |
County Roscommon, Ireland
|
23,633
|
580 sq mi (1,502 km2) |
|
Saginaw County
|
145
|
Saginaw |
1822 |
From part of Oakland County. |
A Native American term, perhaps a reference to the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay, Ojibwe for "at the outlet"
|
189,591
|
816 sq mi (2,113 km2) |
|
St. Clair County
|
147
|
Port Huron |
1820 |
From part of Macomb County. |
Named for either Arthur St. Clair, first governor of the Northwest Territory, or Saint Clair on whose feast day Lake St. Clair was discovered
|
160,053
|
837 sq mi (2,168 km2) |
|
St. Joseph County
|
149
|
Centreville |
1829 |
From unorganized territory. |
The St. Joseph River, which flows through the county.
|
60,758
|
521 sq mi (1,349 km2) |
|
Sanilac County
|
151
|
Sandusky |
1822 |
From part of St. Clair County. |
Sanilac, a Wyandotte chief
|
40,506
|
1,590 sq mi (4,118 km2) |
|
Schoolcraft County
|
153
|
Manistique |
1843 |
From parts of Chippewa County and Mackinac County. |
Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, (1793-1864): American geographer and Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Michigan
|
8,030
|
1,884 sq mi (4,880 km2) |
|
Shiawassee County
|
155
|
Corunna |
1822 |
From parts of Oakland County and St. Clair County. |
Named for the Shiawassee River, and means 'river that twists about.
|
67,877
|
541 sq mi (1,401 km2) |
|
Tuscola County
|
157
|
Caro |
1840 |
From part of Sanilac County. |
Schoolcraft pseudo-Native American name
|
52,917
|
914 sq mi (2,367 km2) |
|
Van Buren County
|
159
|
Paw Paw |
1829 |
From unorganized territory. |
Martin Van Buren (1782-1862): Secretary of State in the Jackson Administration, later Vice President and eighth President of the United States
|
75,658
|
1,090 sq mi (2,823 km2) |
|
Washtenaw County
|
161
|
Ann Arbor |
1822 (boundaries declared) 1826 (organised) |
From parts of Oakland County and Wayne County |
From the Native American name for the Grand River, O-wash-ta-nong ("faraway water"), whose headwaters were within the county's bounds.
|
369,390
|
723 sq mi (1,873 km2) |
|
Wayne County
|
163
|
Detroit |
1815 |
All lands within Michigan Territory that had been ceded by Native Americans through the 1807 Treaty of Detroit. |
"Mad" Anthony Wayne, (1745-1796): United States Army general and statesman
|
1,774,816
|
672 sq mi (1,740 km2) |
|
Wexford County
|
165
|
Cadillac |
1840 |
From part of Mackinac County. Was named Kautawaubet County until 1843. |
County Wexford, Ireland
|
33,901
|
576 sq mi (1,492 km2) |
|