Delaware's Hundreds and Counties
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On October 25, 1682, William Penn directed that Delaware be divided
into hundreds for the purposes of taxation. A "hundred" is an old English
Saxon land division which is smaller than a county or shire
and larger than a tithing. A hundred was comprised of ten tithings,
each of which held ten freeholder families. The hundreds of Delaware originally
served as judicial or legislative districts, but they now remain
only as a basis for property tax assessment.
Originally, there were five hundreds in New Castle (NC) County, five in Kent (KT) County and two in Sussex (SX) County. As the population grew, several of the hundreds divided, creating new hundreds. By 1875, the total number of hundreds had grown to thirty-three. Since then, there have been no more changes. For a map of the hundreds as they were from 1775-1830 see The MD-DE Divide In the table below the present-day hundreds are designated by * and all the former names are included. Reference: Donn Devine's article in Delaware 1782 Tax Assessment and Census Lists (Delaware Genealogical Society, 1994), by Ralph D. Nelson, Jr., Catherine B. Nelson, Thomas P. Doherty, and Mary Fallon Richards and John C. Richards. (This has a more thorough discussion on hundreds.) |
HUNDRED*(2)(County) ABBREV ESTAB REMARKS (former or later name) Appoquinimink*(NC) Appoqu 1682 part is now Blackbird Baltimore*(SX) Baltim 1775 was part of Worcester County MD Blackbird*(NC) Blackb 1875 was part of Appoquinimink Brandywine*(NC) Brandy 1682 Broad Creek*(SX) BroadC 1775 part is now Gumboro & Dagsboro; was MD Broadkill*(SX) Broadl 1696 part is now Georgetown; also Broadkiln Cedar Creek*(SX) CedarC 1702 also called Cedar Hook Cedar Hook (SX) CedarH 1702 now Cedar Creek Christiana*(NC) Christ 1682 part is now Wilmington Dagsborough*(SX) Dagsbo 1773 part was Broad Creek; part was MD <1775 Deep Creek (SX) DeepCr now Nanticoke Dover (KT) Dover 1823 was St Jones, now E & W Dover Duck Creek*(KT) DuckCr 1682 part is now Little Creek and part is Kenton East Dover*(KT) EDover 1859 was part of Dover Georgetown*(SX) George 1863 also 1833-35; was part of Broadkill Gumborough*(SX) Gumbor 1873 was part of Broad Creek and Dagsboro Indian Creek (SX) Indian 1706 now Indian River Indian River*(SX) IndiaR 1706 also called Indian Creek Kenton*(KT) Kenton 1869 was Duck Creek and Little Creek Lewes & Rehoboth*(SX) LewesR 1692 was also Rehoboth Little Creek*(KT) LitCrK 1869 was part of Duck Creek Little Creek*(SX) LitCrS 1774 was part of Somerset County MD Milford*(KT) Milfor 1830 was part of Mispillion Mill Creek*(NC) MillCr 1710 Mispillion*(KT) Mispil 1682 part is now Milford Motherkill (KT) Mother 1682 now N & S Murderkill Murderkill (KT) Murder was Motherkill, now N & S Murderkill Nanticoke*(SX) Nantic 1775 was Deep Creek New Castle*(NC) NewCas 1682 North Murderkill*(KT) NMurde 1855 was part of Murderkill Northwest Fork*(SX) Northw 1775 part is now Seaford; was Maryland Pencader*(NC) Pencad 1710 Red Lion*(NC) RedLio 1710 Rehoboth (SX) Rehobo 1696 now Lewes & Rehoboth St. Georges*(NC) StGeor 1682 St. Jones (KT) StJone 1682 Seaford*(SX) Seafor 1869 was part of Northwest Fork South Murderkill*(KT) SMurde 1855 was part of Murderkill West Dover*(KT) WDover 1859 was part of Dover White Clay Creek*(NC) WhiteC 1710 Wilmington*(NC) Wilmin 1833 was part of Christiana |
History of the Delaware CountiesReference: Mary Fallon Richards, Durham County Maryland - Sussex County Delaware in Delaware Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 3, p 73ff (Oct 1986) NAME CREATED REMARKS COUNTY SEAT Deale 1680 Renamed Sussex Co in 1682 Lewes Horrekill Dist 1664 Named in 1680 Kent*(KT) 1682 Formerly St. Jones Co Dover New Castle*(NC) 1673 Original county Wilmington St. Jones 1680 from Horrekill District in 1664 renamed Kent Co in 1682 Sussex* (SX) 1682 from Deale Co Lewes to 1791, & Durham Co MD(3) then Georgetown 
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© Delaware Genealogical Society -- July 16, 2010 -- delgensoc.org