DNR - Michigan Counties

The names of Michigan's 83 counties reflect the state's Native American, French, British and early American heritage. Thirty-two counties have names drawn from Native American languages; 29 are named for people; 16 are named for natural features such as rivers that already had been given names; and 6 have names meant to describe the county's geography (e.g., Hillsdale).

The earliest counties were organized by the territorial government as areas became settled. The first county was Wayne. Michigan had 38 counties by the end of the year in which it became a state (1837). Throughout the years some county names and many county borders have changed.

(NOTE: Not all authorities agree about the sources of Michigan's county names. You will find a list of books and articles for further research at the end of the list of counties.)

County Name	Year of Organization	Source of Name
Alcona	1869	Believed to have been made up by Henry R. Schoolcraft with "al" from the Arabic for "the," "co" the root of a word for "plain" or "prairie," and "na" for excellent; thus the word is interpreted as "excellent plain."
Alger	1885	Named for Russell A. Alger, governor of Michigan at the time (1885-1886) and later U.S. senator (1902-1907).
Allegan	1835	Its derivation is obscure. Most sources say it was a Henry Schoolcraft creation with "al" for "the" and "egan" from "sa-gi-e-gan" (Chippewa for "lake"). Other meanings often given are "fine river" or "fair river."
Alpena	1857	Not a Native American name, it is believed to have been created by Henry Schoolcraft with "al" for "the" and "pinai" for partridge or "penaissee" for bird. The best interpretation is "the bird."
Antrim	1863	Named for County Antrim in Ireland.
Arenac	1883	A name made up by Henry Schoolcraft, it is a combination of the Latin "arena" (sandy) and the Native American "ac" (earth). The combined words mean "sandy place."
Baraga	1875	Named for missionary Bishop Frederick Baraga (1797-1868), who worked among the Native Americans in the area and wrote a Chippewa grammar and dictionary.
Barry	1839	Named for William T. Barry (1785-1835) of Kentucky, postmaster general in the cabinet of President Andrew Jackson 1829-1835.
Bay	1858	It was so named because the northern border of the county encircles the head of Saginaw Bay.
Benzie	1869	The French named the river here "Riviere Aux-Bec-Scies." It was changed to "Betsey" because of the way Americans pronounced the French "Bec-Scies." Later it was changed to Benzie.
Berrien	1831	Named for John M. Berrien of Georgia, attorney general under President Jackson (1829-1831).
Branch	1833	Named for John Branch of North Carolina, secretary of the Navy under President Jackson (1829-1831).
Calhoun	1833	Named for John C. Calhoun (1782-1850), vice president of the United States (1824-1832).
Cass	1829	Named for Lewis Cass (1782-1866), second governor of the Michigan Territory, secretary of war under President Jackson (1831-1836).
Charlevoix	1869	Named for Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix (1682-1761), a French Jesuit missionary, explorer and historian who traveled through the Great Lakes region in 1721.
Cheboygan	1853	This Native American word was first applied to the river. The word may have originally been "Chabwegan," meaning "a place of ore."
Chippewa	1827	Name for the Chippewa or Ojibwa, the largest of the Algonquin tribes. The word referred to the puckered seams on their moccasins: "he who wears puckered shoes."
Clare	1871	Named for County Clare in the western part of Ireland.
Clinton	1839	Named for DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828), the New York governor under whose administration the Erie Canal was built.
Crawford	1879	The name may have come from Fort Crawford (Prairie du Chien, WI), which was named for William H. Crawford, a prominent politician of the era.
Delta	1861	From the Greek "delta," it refers to the triangular shape of the original county which included segments of Menominee, Dickinson, Iron and Marquette counties.
Dickinson	1891	Named for Don M. Dickinson of Michigan, postmaster general during President Grover Cleveland's first term.
Eaton	1837	Named for John H. Eaton (1790-1856) of Tennessee, secretary of war under President Jackson (1829-1831).
Emmet	1853	Names for the Irish patriot Robert Emmet (1778-1803), who was hung as a traitor to the British government at the age of 23.
Genesee	1836	From a Seneca (Iroquoian) word, "je-nis-hi-yeh," meaning "beautiful valley": the county was named after the valley in western New York State from which many area settlers came.
Gladwin	1875	Named for Major Henry Gladwin, British commander of the fort at Detroit during the siege by Pontiac in 1763-64.
Gogebic	1887	This name probably comes from the Chippewa "bic" which most references interpret as "rock."
Grand Traverse	1851	The French phrase "grande travers" means "long crossing." It was given first to the bay by early French voyageurs.
Gratiot	1855	Named for Captain Charles Gratiot (1788-1855), who supervised the building of Fort Gratiot at the present site of Port Huron.
Hillsdale	1835	The rolling surface of the area (hills and dales) served as the basis for this name.
Houghton	Organized 1846; Reorganized 1848	Named for Dr. Douglass Houghton (1809-1845), first state geologist of Michigan, physician and surgeon, Detroit mayor 1842-43.
Huron	1859	Named for the lake (Lac des Hurons) the French named for the Native American tribe they called "hure" (Hurons)--meaning "head"--when they saw the fantastic way they dressed their hair. The tribe referred to itself as "Wendat" (Wyandotte), meaning "dwellers on a peninsula."
Ingham	1838	Named for Samuel D. Ingham of Pennsylvania, secretary of the treasury under President Jackson (1829-1831).
Ionia	1837	Named for a province in ancient Greece noted for its flourishing cities, commerce and culture.
Iosco	1857	This was a favorite name used by Henry Schoolcraft for Native American boys and men in his writings. He interpreted the word to mean "water of light."
Iron	1885	Named for the iron deposits and mines found in the county.
Isabella	1859	Schoolcraft proposed naming this county for Queen Isabella (1451-1504) of Spain, under whose patronage Columbus undertook his voyages in 1492.
Jackson	1832	Named for Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), 7^th president (1829-1837) of the United States.
Kalamazoo	1830	Named for the river that runs through it, the Native American form of which was probably "Ke-Ken-a-ma-zoo." A widely accepted translation is "boiling water." Other versions are "otter tail" or "reflected river."
Kalkaska	1871	This word was a Henry Schoolcraft creation, originally spelled Calcasca. One suggestion is that this is a play on words. Schoolcraft's family name formerly was Calcraft. The Ks may have been added to make the name appear more like a Native American word.
Kent	1836	Named for Chancellor James Kent (1763-1847), New York jurist. Michigan employed him to defend its rights during the "Toledo War," 1836-37.
Keweenaw	1861	A Native American word, "Kee-wi-wai-non-ing" meaning "portage" or "place where portage is made" is the source of this name.
Lake	1871	The county has several small lakes and is only one county away (Mason) from the shore of Lake Michigan.
Lapeer	1833	This is said to be a derivation of the French "la pierre," meaning flint or flint stone.
Leelanau	1863	Created by Henry Schoolcraft (Ottawas and Ojibwas did not use the letter L), who gave the name "Leelinau" to some Native American women in his stories.
Lenawee	1826	From a Native American word meaning "man," either from the Delaware "leno or lenno" or the Shawnee "lenawai."
Livingston	1836	Named for Edward Livingston (1764-1836) of Louisiana, secretary of state under President Jackson from 1831 to 1833.
Luce	1887	Named for Cyrus G. Luce, then governor of Michigan (1887-1890).
Mackinac	1849	The county was originally laid out under the name of Michilimackinac in 1818. Some references claim the word was the French interpretation of a Native American word that meant "great turtle," the shape of the island from a distance. Others claim it came from "place of the Mishinimaki," an ancient tribe that inhabited the island and whose spirits still dwell there.
Macomb	1818	Named for General Alexander Macomb (1782-1841), an officer in the War of 1812.
Manistee	1855	This Native American name was first applied to the county's principal river. It means "river at whose mouth there are islands."
Marquette	Organized 1848; Reorganized 1851	Named for the French Jesuit missionary and explorer, Pere Jacques Marquette (1637-1675).
Mason	1855	Named for Stevens T. Mason (1811-1843), first governor of the State of Michigan (1835-1840).
Mecosta	1859	Named for the Indian chief, Mecosta.
Menominee	Organized as Bleeker, 1861; Reorganized 1863	This is the name of the Menominee tribe who lived in the vicinity. The word means "rice men" or "rice gatherers."
Midland	1850 (no elections held until 1855)	This county is located near the geographical center of the Lower Peninsula.
Missaukee	1871	Named for a Ottawa chief who signed the treaties of 1831 and 1833.
Monroe	1817	Named for James Monroe (1758-1831), 5^th president of the United States (1817-1825). He visited Detroit on August 13, 1817, and stayed five days. The county was named in anticipation of his visit.
Montcalm	1850	French General Marquis de Montcalm is this county's namesake. His defeat and death in 1759 marked the end of the French and Indian War in North America.
Montmorency	1881	It is not clear for which of the historical persons named Montmorency (or Morenci) the county was named. None had direct connections with Michigan.
Muskegon	1859	The county took its name from the river running through it that empties into Lake Michigan. The word comes from the Ojibwa/Chippewa word "mashkig" meaning "swamp" or "marsh."
Newaygo	1851	This was derived from then name of a Chippewa chief who signed the Saginaw Treaty of 1819 or from a Native American word meaning "much water."
Oakland	1821	Named for the numerous oak openings in the county. Bela Hubbard described an oak opening as "a majestic orchard of oaks and hickories varied by small prairies, grassy lawns and clear lakes."
Oceana	Organized 1851; Reorganized 1855	It borders Lake Michigan, the fresh water "ocean."
Ogemaw	1875	Named after Ogemaw-ki-keto, a prominent Saginaw Valley Indian chief who signed the Treaty of 1819. "Ogima" in Ottawa or Ojibwa is "chief" or "boss."
Ontonagon	1848	Named for the river, called "Nantounagon" on a 1670 French map. The Ojibwa "onagon" means "dish" or "bowl."
Osceola	1869	Named for the Seminole Indian chief, Osceola (1800?-1838), of national prominence.
Oscoda	1881	This Schoolcraft creation is believed to be a combination of two Ojibwa words, "ossin" (stone) and "muskoda" (prairie).
Otsego	1875	A county and a lake in New York bear the name derived from the Mohawk Iroquoian word that meant either "clear water" or "meeting place."
Ottawa	1837	Named for the Ottawa tribe called "Ondatahouats," or "people of the forest," by the Hurons.
Presque Isle	Organized 1871; Reorganized 1875	A derivation of the French phrase for "peninsula," literally "almost an island."
Roscommon	1875	Roscommon County is in the central part of Ireland.
Saginaw	1835	There are two possible derivations: from "Sace-nong" or "Sak-e-nong" (Sauk Town) because the Sauk (Sac) once lived there, or from Chippewa words meaning "place of the outlet" from "sag" (an opening) and "ong" (place of).
St. Clair	1821	Named for Lake St. Clair. According to Bela Hubbard in 1879, LaSalle and the crew of the Griffin came upon the lake on the feast day of Saint Claire in 1679 and named the waters for her. According to other sources, the county was named for General Arthur St. Clair, first governor of the Northwest Territory.
St. Joseph	1829	The river for which the county is named got its name from a mission established along it by the French. They named the mission for St. Joseph, the patron saint of New France. New France included the lands the French claimed in what are now Canada and the United States.
Sanilac	1848	Named for Sanilac, a chief, according to Wyandotte (Huron) traditions.
Schoolcraft	1871	Named for Henry R. Schoolcraft who lived in Michigan from 1820 to 1842. Author and Indian agent, he developed and suggested (in 1838) the names of many of Michigan's counties.
Shiawassee	1837	Named for the river, its derivation is difficult. Suggestions have included: "now it is light," "straight running river," "twisting river," "sparkling waters," green river" and "it runs backward and forward."
Tuscola	1850	Created by Henry Schoolcraft, it is believed to be a combination of "dusinagon" (level) and "cola" (lands).
Van Buren	1837	Named for Martin Van Buren of New York, secretary of state under President Jackson (1829-1831) and later 8^th President of the United States (1837-1841).
Washtenaw	Organized 1826	Native American people called the area west of Detroit, "Wash-ten-ong," meaning "further district" or "land beyond." Another explanation is that it was a name for the Grand River and referred to the areas along and near the river.
Wayne	1815	Named for the American General "Mad" Anthony Wayne (1745-1796).
Wexford	1869	Wexford County is in the southeastern part of Ireland.

For more information about Michigan counties and their names (note that not agree in their interpretations), please consult the following:

What does the name "Michigan" mean? Why is Michigan sometimes called the "Wolverine State" or the "Great Lake State?" Find out on the "Michigan FAQ" page.

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