Formation of Kentucky Counties
Note: Any counties formed prior to 1792, when Kentucky became a state, were a part of the state of Virginia, Kentucky County
Formation of Current Virginia Counties
Map below is of Present Kentucky Counties
County Date Formed Parent County County Seat Destruction of Records
Adair
1801
Green
Columbia
Allen
1815
Barren, Warren
Scottsville
1902
Anderson
1827
Franklin, Mercer, Washington
Lawrenceburg
1859, 1915
Ballard
1842
Hickman, McCracken
Wickliffe
1880
Barren
1798
Green, Warren
Glasgow
Bath
1811
Montgomery
Owingsville
1864
Bell
1867
Knox, Harlan
Pineville
1914, 1918, 1944, 1976
Boone
1798
Campbell
Burlington
1880s
Bourbon
1785
Fayette
Paris
1872, 1901
Boyd
1860
Carter, Lawrence, Greenup
Catlettsburg
Boyle
1842
Mercer, Lincoln
Danville
1860
Bracken
1796
Campbell, Mason
Brooksville
1848
Breathitt
1839
Clay, Estill, Perry
Jackson
1866, 1873
Breckinridge
1799
Hardin
Hardinsburg
1958
Bullitt
1796
Jefferson, Nelson
Shepherdsville
Butler
1810
Logan, Ohio
Morgantown
1872
Caldwell
1809
Livingston
Princeton
1864
Calloway
1822
Hickman
Murray
1906
Campbell
1795
Harrison, Mason, Scott
Alexandria
& Newport
Carlisle
1886
Graves, Ballard
Bardwell
1980
Carroll
1838
Gallatin, Henry, Trimble
Carrollton
Carter
1838
Greenup, Lawrence
Grayson
Casey
1806
Lincoln
Liberty
Christian
1797
Logan
Hopkinsville
1864
Clark
1792
Bourbon, Fayette
Winchester
Clay
1806
Madison, Floyd, Knox
Manchester
1936
Clinton
1835
Wayne, Cumberland
Albany
1864, 1980
Crittenden
1842
Livingston
Marion
1865, 1870
Cumberland
1796
Green
Burkesville
1826, 1865, 1933
Daviess
1815
Ohio
Owensboro
1865
Edmonson
1825
Grayson, Hart, Warren
Brownsville
Elliott
1869
Carter, Lawrence, Morgan
Sandy Hook
1957
Estill
1808
Clark, Madison
Irvine
1864
Fayette
1780
Kentucky Co., VA
Lexington
1803, 1897
Fleming
1798
Mason
Flemingsburg
Floyd
1799
Fleming, Mason, Montgomery
Prestonsburg
1808
Franklin
1794
Woodford, Mercer, Shelby
Frankfort
1995
Fulton
1845
Hickman
Hickman
Gallatin
1798
Franklin, Shelby
Warsaw
Garrard
1796
Madison, Lincoln, Mercer
Lancaster
Grant
1820
Pendleton
Williamstown
Graves
1823
Hickman
Mayfield
1864, 1887
Grayson
1810
Hardin, Ohio
Leitchfield
1864, 1896
Green
1792
Lincoln, Nelson
Greensburg
Greenup
1803
Mason
Greenup
1937
Hancock
1828
Daviess, Ohio, Breckinridge
Hawesville
Hardin
1792
Nelson
Elizabethtown
1864, 1932
Harlan
1819
Knox
Harlan
1863
Harrison
1793
Bourbon, Scott
Cynthiana
1851, 1997
Hart
1819
Hardin, Barren, poss. Green
Munfordville
1928
Henderson
1798
Christian
Henderson
Henry
1798
Shelby
New Castle
1804
Hickman
1821
Caldwell, Livingston
Clinton
Hopkins
1806
Henderson
Madisonville
1829, 1864
Jackson
1858
Rockcastle, Owsley, Madison, Clay, Estill, Laurel
McKee
1949
Jefferson
1780
Kentucky Co., VA
Louisville
1905
Jessamine
1798
Fayette
Nicholasville
Johnson
1843
Floyd, Morgan, Lawrence
Paintsville
Kenton
1840
Campbell
Independence
Covington
Knott
1884
Perry, Breathitt, Floyd, Letcher
Hindman
1929
Knox
1799
Lincoln
Barbourville
LaRue
1843
Hardin
Hodgenville
1865
Laurel
1825
Whitley, Clay, Knox, Rockcastle
London
1958
Lawrence
1821
Floyd, Greenup
Louisa
Lee
1870
Owsley, Breathitt, Wolfe, Estill
Beattyville
Leslie
1878
Clay, Harlan, Perry
Hyden
Letcher
1842
Perry, Harlan
Whitesburg
Lewis
1806
Mason
Vanceburg
Lincoln
1780
Kentucky Co., VA
Stanford
Livingston
1798
Christian
Smithland
Logan
1792
Lincoln
Russellville
Lyon
1854
Caldwell
Eddyville
Madison
1785
Lincoln
Richmond
Magoffin
1860
Floyd, Johnson, Morgan
Salyersville
1957
Marion
1834
Washington
Lebanon
1863
Marshall
1842
Calloway
Benton
1888, 1914
Martin
1870
Lawrence, Floyd, Pike, Johnson
Inez
1892
Mason
1788
Bourbon
Maysville
McCracken
1824
Hickman
Paducah
McCreary
1912
Wayne, Pulaski, Whitley
Whitley City
1927, 1951
McLean
1854
Muhlenberg, Daviess, Ohio
Calhoun
Meade
1824
Hardin, Breckinridge
Brandenburg
1974
Menifee
1869
Powell, Wolfe, Bath, Morgan, Montgomery
Frenchburg
Mercer
1785
Lincoln
Harrodsburg
1928
Metcalfe
1860
Monroe, Adair, Barren, Cumberland, Green
Edmonton
1865, 1867
Monroe
1820
Barren, Cumberland
Tompkinsville
1863, 1887
Montgomery
1796
Clark
Mount Sterling
1851, 1863
Morgan
1822
Floyd, Bath
West Liberty
1862, 1925
Muhlenberg
1798
Christian, Logan
Greenville
Nelson
1784
Jefferson
Bardstown
Nicholas
1799
Bourbon, Mason
Carlisle
Ohio
1799
Hardin
Hartford
1864
Oldham
1823
Henry, Shelby, Jefferson
LaGrange
1873
Owen
1819
Scott, Franklin, Gallatin, Pendleton
Owenton
Owsley
1843
Clay, Estill, Breathitt
Booneville
1929, 1967
Pendleton
1798
Bracken, Campbell
Falmouth
1997
Perry
1820
Clay, Floyd
Hazard
1885, 1911
Pike
1821
Floyd
Pikeville
1977
Powell
1852
Clark, Estill, Montgomery
Stanton
1863, 1864
Pulaski
1798
Green, Lincoln
Somerset
1838, 1871
Robertson
1867
Nicholas, Bracken, Mason, Fleming, Harrison
Mt. Olivet
Rockcastle
1810
Pulaski, Lincoln, Madison
Mount Vernon
1871
Rowan
1856
Fleming, Morgan
Morehead
1864, 1880s
Russell
1825
Cumberland, Adair, Wayne
Jamestown
1976
Scott
1792
Woodford
Georgetown
1837, 1876
Shelby
1792
Jefferson
Shelbyville
Simpson
1819
Allen, Logan, Warren
Franklin
1882
Spencer
1824
Shelby, Bullitt, Nelson
Taylorsville
1865, 1914
Taylor
1848
Green
Campbellsville
1864
Todd
1819
Christian, Logan
Elkton
Trigg
1820
Christian, Caldwell
Cadiz
1864, 1892, 1920
Trimble
1836
Henry, Oldham, Gallatin
Bedford
1952
Union
1811
Henderson
Morganfield
Warren
1796
Logan
Bowling Green
1864
Washington
1792
Nelson
Springfield
1795, 1814
Wayne
1800
Pulaski, Cumberland
Monticello
1898
Webster
1860
Hopkins, Union, Henderson
Dixon
Whitley
1818
Knox
Williamsburg
1930
Wolfe
1860
Owsley, Breathitt, Powell, Morgan
Campton
1886, 1913
Woodford
1788
Fayette
Versailles
1965