List of counties in Michigan

Counties of Michigan
MR LN HD BN SJ CS BE WY WA JK CA KA VB MB OK LV IN ET BR AG SC LP GE SH CN IO KN OW SN TS SG GT MT MK HR BA MD IB ME NW OE AR GL CL OS LK MS IS OG RS MI WX MA AC OD CR KK GT BZ AP MM OT AN LL PI CB EM CV ↘ ↑ MC CH LU SO AL DL MO MQ DK IR BG HO ON GO KW ↓ ↑
Location	State of Michigan
Number	83
Populations	2,156 (Keweenaw) – 1,820,584 (Wayne)
Areas	508 square miles (1,320 km^2) (Cass) – 5,966 square miles (15,450 km^2) (Keweenaw)
Government	County government
Subdivisions	cities, towns, townships, villages, unincorporated communities, census designated place

There are 83 counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The boundaries of these counties have not changed substantially since 1897. However, throughout the 19th century, the state legislature frequently adjusted county boundaries. County creation was intended to fulfill the goal of establishing government over unorganized territory, but a more important goal was encouraging settlement by surveying the land and dividing it into salable sections.

The creation of counties generally occurred in two stages. First the boundaries of a county were declared and given a name. The county appeared on maps, even though this may have been the entire extent of a county's tangible existence for several years. During this period, the as-yet–unorganized county was attached to another already organized county for administrative purposes. The legislature frequently changed the administrative attachment of these unorganized counties. Residents of such an attached county could petition the legislature for organization, which was the granting of full legal recognition to the county.

There are many cities and villages that span county boundaries in Michigan, including its capital, Lansing. For a few years during the early 1970s, split cities briefly had authority to petition to change the county boundaries to accord with the city boundaries. The only city to take advantage of this brief opportunity was New Baltimore (previously split between Macomb County and St. Clair County; now completely in Macomb). This transfer of territory from St. Clair to Macomb was the only county boundary change in Michigan since the early 20th century.

The state constitution of 1850 permitted an incorporated city with a population of at least 20,000 to be organized into a separate county of its own.^[1] The Constitution of 1908 retained this provision, but raised the population threshold to 100,000.^[2] No city was ever organized into an independent county in this fashion and when a new Constitution took effect in 1963, the provision was removed.

Michigan's boundary with Illinois is formed by Lake Michigan, and three counties have water boundaries with Illinois: Berrien County, Van Buren County, and Allegan County. Michigan also has a boundary with Minnesota, which is formed by Lake Superior. The water boundary in this instance is formed by two counties: Ontonagon County and Keweenaw County.

Etymologies

Nine counties have names invented by the ethnologist Henry Schoolcraft, usually adapted from parts of Native American words, but sometimes having parts from Greek, Arabic and Latin roots.^[3] Schoolcraft's made-up words have disputed sources. While he was a devotee of Native American words and culture, some of his words may have originated with tribes from other areas of the country, such as New York or the Northeast, where many settlers to Michigan came from. Real Native words were eradicated, and he substituted made-up words, sometimes with a kernel of Indian language or sound in them.^[4][5][6]

A second group of four counties were renamed for Irish locales (counties Antrim, Clare, Roscommon and Wexford), apparently because it was close to the heart for certain Michigan legislators or their constituents.

Ten counties, the so-called "cabinet counties", were named for persons who served in Andrew Jackson's presidential administration, which was tied to Michigan's anticipated ascendancy to statehood. Eight were named in 1829. Livingston County was named in 1833. Cass County was also named in 1829, but Governor Lewis Cass did not become a member of Jackson's Cabinet until 1831.^[3][4][7]

List of counties

County	FIPS Code[8]	County seat	Created	Origin	Etymology	Population	Area	Map
Alcona County	001	Harrisville	1840 (boundaries declared) 1869 (organized)	From unorganized territory. Was named Negwegon County until 1843.	Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft	10,942	1,791 sq mi (4,639 km^2)
Alger County	003	Munising	1885	From part of Schoolcraft County.	Russell A. Alger, (1836-1907): Governor of Michigan; Senator; and Secretary of War during the McKinley Administration	9,601	5,049 sq mi (13,077 km^2)
Allegan County	005	Allegan	1831 (boundaries declared) 1835 (organized)	From part of Barry County and unorganized territory.	Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft	111,408	1,833 sq mi (4,747 km^2)
Alpena County	007	Alpena	1840 (boundaries declared) 1857 (organized)	From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Was named Anamickee County until 1843.	Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft	29,598	1,695 sq mi (4,390 km^2)
Antrim County	009	Bellaire	1840	From part of Mackinac County. Was named Meegisee County until 1843.	County Antrim, Ireland	23,598	602 sq mi (1,559 km^2)
Arenac County	011	Standish	1831	From unorganized territory. Annexed to Bay County in 1857 and reinstated in 1883.	Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft	15,899	681 sq mi (1,764 km^2)
Baraga County	013	L'Anse	1875	From part of Houghton County.	Frederic Baraga (1797-1868): Catholic missionary and first bishop of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie	8,860	1,069 sq mi (2,769 km^2)
Barry County	015	Hastings	1829	From unorganized territory.	William T. Barry (1784-1835): Postmaster General in the Jackson Administration	59,173	577 sq mi (1,494 km^2)
Bay County	017	Bay City	1857	From parts of Arenac County, Midland County and Saginaw County.	Saginaw Bay	107,771	631 sq mi (1,634 km^2)
Benzie County	019	Beulah	1863	From part of Leelenau County.	French name of Betsie River: (rivière aux) Bec-scies, the "(river of) sawbill ducks"	17,525	860 sq mi (2,227 km^2)
Berrien County	021	St. Joseph	1829	From unorganized territory.	John M. Berrien (1781-1856): Attorney General in the Jackson Administration	156,813	1,581 sq mi (4,095 km^2)
Branch County	023	Coldwater	1829	From unorganized territory.	John Branch (1782-1863): Secretary of the Navy in the Jackson Administration	45,248	519 sq mi (1,344 km^2)
Calhoun County	025	Marshall	1829	From unorganized territory.	John C. Calhoun (1782-1850): Vice President of the United States in the Jackson Administration	136,146	718 sq mi (1,860 km^2)
Cass County	027	Cassopolis	1829	From unorganized territory.	Lewis Cass (1782-1866): Secretary of War in the Jackson Administration	52,293	508 sq mi (1,316 km^2)
Charlevoix County	029	Charlevoix	1869	From parts of Antrim County, Emmet County and Otsego County.	Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix (1682-1761): Jesuit traveller and historian of New France	25,949	1,391 sq mi (3,603 km^2)
Cheboygan County	031	Cheboygan	1840	From part of Mackinac County.	Cheboygan River	26,152	885 sq mi (2,292 km^2)
Chippewa County	033	Sault Ste. Marie	1827	From part of Mackinac County.	Ojibwa Native American tribe, also known as the Chippewa	38,520	2,698 sq mi (6,988 km^2)
Clare County	035	Harrison	1840	From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Was named Kaykakee County until 1843.	County Clare, Ireland	30,926	575 sq mi (1,489 km^2)
Clinton County	037	St. Johns	1831	From unorganized territory.	DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828): Governor of New York.	75,382	575 sq mi (1,489 km^2)
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	14,074	563 sq mi (1,458 km^2)
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	37,069	1,992 sq mi (5,159 km^2)
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	26,168	777 sq mi (2,012 km^2)
Eaton County	045	Charlotte	1829	From unorganized territory.	John Eaton (1790-1856): Secretary of War in the Jackson Administration	107,759	579 sq mi (1,500 km^2)
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	32,694	882 sq mi (2,284 km^2)
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	425,790	649 sq mi (1,681 km^2)
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.	25,692	516 sq mi (1,336 km^2)
Gogebic County	053	Bessemer	1887	From part of Ontonagon County.	Probably from the Chippewa "bic" which most references interpret as "rock."	16,427	1,476 sq mi (3,823 km^2)
Grand Traverse County	055	Traverse City	1851	From part of Omeena County.	French grande traverse[note 1] ("long crossing"), given first to Grand Traverse Bay by French voyageurs.	86,986	601 sq mi (1,557 km^2)
Gratiot County	057	Ithaca	1831	From unorganized territory.	Captain Charles Gratiot (1788-1855), built Fort Gratiot at the present site of Port Huron	42,476	572 sq mi (1,481 km^2)
Hillsdale County	059	Hillsdale	1829	From unorganized territory.	From its terrain, made up of hills and dales.[10]	46,688	607 sq mi (1,572 km^2)
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)	36,628	1,502 sq mi (3,890 km^2)
Huron County	063	Bad Axe	1840	From part of Sanilac County.	Lake Huron, which the French named lac des Hurons after the Hurons.	33,118	2,136 sq mi (5,532 km^2)
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	280,895	561 sq mi (1,453 km^2)
Ionia County	067	Ionia	1831	From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory.	Province in ancient Greece	63,905	580 sq mi (1,502 km^2)
Iosco County	069	Tawas City	1840	From unorganized territory. Was named Kanotin County until 1843.	Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft	25,887	1,891 sq mi (4,898 km^2)
Iron County	071	Crystal Falls	1885	From parts of Marquette County and Menominee County.	For the iron deposits and mines found in the county	11,817	1,211 sq mi (3,136 km^2)
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.	70,311	578 sq mi (1,497 km^2)
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	160,248	724 sq mi (1,875 km^2)
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.	250,331	580 sq mi (1,502 km^2)
Kalkaska County	079	Kalkaska	1840	From part of Mackinac County. Was named Wabassee County until 1843.	Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft	17,153	571 sq mi (1,479 km^2)
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.	602,622	872 sq mi (2,258 km^2)
Keweenaw County	083	Eagle River	1861	From part of Houghton County.	Ojibwe word gakiiwe-wewaning meaning "portage"	2,156	5,966 sq mi (15,452 km^2)
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	11,539	575 sq mi (1,489 km^2)
Lapeer County	087	Lapeer	1822	From parts of Oakland County and St. Clair County.	An Americanization of the French la pierre, meaning "the flint"	88,319	663 sq mi (1,717 km^2)
Leelanau County	089	Suttons Bay Township	1840	From part of Mackinac County.	Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft	21,708	2,532 sq mi (6,558 km^2)
Lenawee County	091	Adrian	1822	From part of Monroe County.	A Henry Schoolcraft neologism signifying a Native American word for man, either from the Delaware leno or lenno or the Shawnee lenawai	99,892	761 sq mi (1,971 km^2)
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	180,967	585 sq mi (1,515 km^2)
Luce County	095	Newberry	1887	From parts of Chippewa County and Mackinac County.	Named for Michigan Governor Cyrus G. Luce	6,631	1,912 sq mi (4,952 km^2)
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 the place	11,113	2,101 sq mi (5,442 km^2)
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	840,978	570 sq mi (1,476 km^2)
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"	24,733	1,281 sq mi (3,318 km^2)
Marquette County	103	Marquette	1843	From parts of Chippewa County and Mackinac County.	Named for French Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette	67,077	3,425 sq mi (8,871 km^2)
Mason County	105	Ludington	1840	From part of Mackinac County. Was named Notipekago County until 1843.	Named for Michigan Governor Stevens T. Mason	28,705	1,242 sq mi (3,217 km^2)
Mecosta County	107	Big Rapids	1840	From parts of Mackinac County and Oceana County.	Named for Mecosta, a Native American leader	42,798	571 sq mi (1,479 km^2)
Menominee County	109	Menominee	1861	From part of Delta County. Was named Bleeker County until 1863.	Named for the Menominee Native American people	24,029	1,338 sq mi (3,465 km^2)
Midland County	111	Midland	1831	From part of Saginaw County and unorganized territory.	Located near the geographical center of the Lower Peninsula	83,629	528 sq mi (1,368 km^2)
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	14,849	574 sq mi (1,487 km^2)
Monroe County	115	Monroe	1817	From part of Wayne County.	Named for James Monroe, the fifth U.S. President	152,021	680 sq mi (1,761 km^2)
Montcalm County	117	Stanton	1831	From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory.	Named for the Marquis de Montcalm, a French military commander in Quebec	63,342	721 sq mi (1,867 km^2)
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	9,765	562 sq mi (1,456 km^2)
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."	172,188	1,459 sq mi (3,779 km^2)
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[11]	48,460	861 sq mi (2,230 km^2)
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"[12]	1,202,362	908 sq mi (2,352 km^2)
Oceana County	127	Hart	1831	From part of Mackinac County.	Borders Lake Michigan, the freshwater "ocean."	26,570	1,307 sq mi (3,385 km^2)
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"	21,699	575 sq mi (1,489 km^2)
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."	6,780	3,741 sq mi (9,689 km^2)
Osceola County	133	Reed City	1840	From part of Mackinac County. Was named Unwattin County until 1843.	Osceola (1804-1838), Seminole chief	23,528	573 sq mi (1,484 km^2)
Oscoda County	135	Mio	1840	From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory.	Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft	8,640	572 sq mi (1,481 km^2)
Otsego County	137	Gaylord	1840	From part of Mackinac County. Was named Okkudo County until 1843.	Named for Otsego County, New York	24,164	526 sq mi (1,362 km^2)
Ottawa County	139	Grand Haven	1831	From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory.	Named for the Native American Ottawa people.	263,801	1,632 sq mi (4,227 km^2)
Presque Isle County	141	Rogers City	1840	From part of Mackinac County.	A derivation of the French phrase for "peninsula", literally "almost an island."	13,376	2,573 sq mi (6,664 km^2)
Roscommon County	143	Roscommon	1840	From part of Mackinac County and unorganized territory. Was named Mikenauk County until 1843.	County Roscommon, Ireland	24,449	580 sq mi (1,502 km^2)
Saginaw County	145	Saginaw	1822	From part of Oakland County.	A Native American term, perhaps a reference to the Sauks, who lived at the mouth of the river[13]	200,169	816 sq mi (2,113 km^2)
St. Clair County	147	Port Huron	1820	From part of Macomb County.	Either named for Arthur St. Clair, first governor of the Northwest Territory, or for Saint Clair on whose feast day Lake St. Clair was discovered	163,040	837 sq mi (2,168 km^2)
St. Joseph County	149	Centreville	1829	From unorganized territory.	The St. Joseph River, which gains much of its volume within the county.[14]	61,295	521 sq mi (1,349 km^2)
Sanilac County	151	Sandusky	1822	From part of St. Clair County.	Sanilac, a Wyandotte chief	43,114	1,590 sq mi (4,118 km^2)
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	8,485	1,884 sq mi (4,880 km^2)
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.[15]	70,648	541 sq mi (1,401 km^2)
Tuscola County	157	Caro	1840	From part of Sanilac County.	Pseudo-Native American name created by Henry Schoolcraft	55,729	914 sq mi (2,367 km^2)
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	76,258	1,090 sq mi (2,823 km^2)
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"),[16] whose headwaters were within the county's bounds.	344,791	723 sq mi (1,873 km^2)
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	1,820,584	672 sq mi (1,740 km^2)
Wexford County	165	Cadillac	1840	From part of Mackinac County. Was named Kautawaubet County until 1843.	County Wexford, Ireland	32,735	576 sq mi (1,492 km^2)

Defunct counties

1. Brown County formed in 1818 from unorganized territory when Michigan Territory was expanded to include area west of Lake Michigan upon formation of the state of Illinois. Transferred to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Brown County, Wisconsin.
2. Keskkauko County formed in 1840 from part of Mackinac County. Renamed Charlevoix County in 1843. Annexed to Emmet County in 1853. Reformed as Charlevoix County from Emmet County in 1869.
3. Crawford County formed in 1818 from unorganized territory when Michigan Territory was expanded to include area west of Lake Michigan upon formation of the state of Illinois. Transferred to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Crawford County, Wisconsin.
4. Des Moines County formed in 1834 from unorganized territory. Transferred to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Des Moines County, Iowa.
5. Dubuque County formed in 1834 from unorganized territory. Transferred to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Dubuque County, Iowa.
6. Iowa County formed in 1830 from part of Crawford County. Transferred to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Iowa County, Wisconsin.
7. Isle Royale County formed in 1875 from part of Keweenaw County. Returned to it in 1897.
8. Manitou County formed in 1855 from parts of Emmet County and Leelenau County. County government was disorganized in 1861 and attached for administrative purposes to Mackinac County. In 1865, it was attached to Leelanau and reattached to Mackinac in 1869. County was abolished in 1895 and absorbed by Charlevoix County and Leelanau County.
9. Milwaukee County formed in 1834 from part of Brown County. Transferred to Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and continues as Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
10. Omeena County formed in 1840 from part of Mackinac County. Annexed to Grand Traverse County in 1853.
11. Wyandot County formed in 1840 from part of Mackinac County. Annexed to Cheboygan County in 1853.

See also

• Cabinet counties
• List of abolished U.S. counties

References

1. Constitution of the State of Michigan, 1850, Article 10, Section 2
2. Constitution of the State of Michigan, 1908, Article 8, Section 2
3. Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography by county and region, including origin of county names
4. Romig, Walter; Massie, Larry B (Designer) (1986). Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-1838-6.
5. Vogel, Virgil J. (1986). Indian Names in Michigan. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. pp. 244, 8 B&W photographs & 3 maps. ISBN 978-0-472-06365-9.
6. Powers, Perry F.; Cutler, H.G., assisting (1912). A History of Northern Michigan and its People. at Google books
7. "Michigan Counties" from the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries, which contains additional references at the end of the article
8. "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
9. Centre national de ressources textuelles
10. Dan Bisher (1999). "A Brief History of 'Hillsdale County'". Retrieved 24 November 2008.
11. Clarke Historical Library bibliographic entry for Newaygo County
12. As described by Dr. Bela Hubbard, surveyor of Michigan
13. Clarke Historical Library bibliographic entry for Saginaw County
14. John Marvin. "Background History on St. Joseph County". Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2008.
15. Clarke Historical Library bibliographic entry for Shiawassee County
16. Publications of the Historical Society of Grand Rapids. 1906. p. 36.

1. In modern standard French, la grande traversée; as the sense of ‘crossing’ is obsolete for traverse.^[9]

Further reading

• Armitage, B. Phyllis. (October–December 1943). "A Study of Michigan's Place-Names". Michigan History magazine 27: 626–637.
• County histories published in Michigan History Magazine. Some back issues that include these histories are still available for purchase.
• Jenks, William L. (1912). "History and Meaning of the County Names of Michigan". Collections and Researches of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society 38: 439–478.
• Michigan Manual (the "Red Book") published biennially by the Legislative Service Bureau under the direction of the. Legislative Council, State of Michigan.
• Powers, Perry F.; Cutler, H.G., assisting (1912). A History of Northern Michigan and its People. at Google books
• Reports of Counties, Towns and Districts. Report of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan. I (2nd ed.) (Lansing, Michigan: Robert Smith Printing Co.). 1874-6 (1900). pp. 94–520. Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Romig, Walter; Massie, Larry B (Designer) (1986). Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-1838-6.
• Vogel, Virgil J. (1986). Indian Names in Michigan. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. pp. 244, 8 B&W photographs & 3 maps. ISBN 978-0-472-06365-9.

External links

• Bibliography by county and region, including origin of county names, Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University
• Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary
• History of County Creation
• Michigan County History and atlases, digitized database, including Powers, Perry F., assisted by H.G. Cutler, A History of Northern Michigan and its People (1912)
• Michigan County names per the Michigan government.
• Table of dates counties laid out and organized
• History of the name Sheboygan
• American FactFinder for the 2010 Census