County name | State | Origin |
Sabine County | Texas | Named for the Sabine River (from Spanish sabina, "cypress") |
Sabine Parish | Louisiana |
Sac County | Iowa | Named for the Sauk (Sac) people |
Sacramento County | California | Named for the city of Sacramento, California, itself named after the sacrament of the Eucharist |
Sagadahoc County | Maine | From an Abenaki word meaning "mouth of the big river;" referring to the Kennebec River. |
Saginaw County | Michigan | Uncertain; probably from Ojibwe words meaning "place of the outlet": sag (opening) + ong (place of). |
Saguache County | Colorado | From a Ute word, "Sa-gua-gua-chi-pa", which roughly translated to "Blue Earth" and referred to clear blue waters from springs in the county. |
City of Salem | Virginia | Named for Salem, New Jersey, in honor of William Bryan, who had moved from there. |
Salem County | New Jersey | From Salem, a town mentioned in the Old Testament, from Hebrew shalom, "peace"; also from Salem Tenth, an early division of colonial West Jersey. |
Saline County | Arkansas | Named for the salt water (brine) springs in the area. |
Saline County | Illinois | Named for the Saline River (a tributary of the Ohio River). |
Saline County | Kansas | Named for the Saline River (a tributary of the Smoky Hill River). |
Saline County | Missouri | Named for the salt water (brine) springs in the area. |
Saline County | Nebraska | Named for a belief held by the early pioneers that great salt springs and deposits could be found in the area, a hope found to be false. |
Salt Lake County | Utah | Named for the Great Salt Lake. |
Saluda County | South Carolina | Named for the Saluda River, named for a Native American tribe that lived along it (also Seleuda, Salutah). |
Sampson County | North Carolina | Named for John Sampson, politician. |
San Augustine County | Texas | Named for the town of San Augustine, Texas, named for the Presidio de San Agustín de Ahumada, named for Agustín de Ahumada, 2nd Marquess of Amarillas. |
San Benito County | California | Named for the San Benito River, named in turn for Saint Benedict of Nursia. |
San Bernardino County | California | Named for the San Bernardino Valley, named for San Bernardino de Sena Estancia, named in turn for Bernardino of Siena. |
San Diego County | California | Named for Saint Didacus of Alcalá. |
City and County of San Francisco | California | From Mission San Francisco de Asís, a Spanish mission located in what is now the city's Mission District and named for Francis of Assisi. |
San Jacinto County | Texas | Named for the Battle of San Jacinto, which took place near the San Jacinto River, named for Saint Hyacinth of Caesarea. |
San Joaquin County | California | Named for the San Joaquin River, named for Joachim, father of Mary, mother of Jesus. |
San Juan County | Colorado | Named for the San Juan River, named for John the Baptist. |
San Juan County | New Mexico |
San Juan County | Utah |
San Juan County | Washington | Named for the San Juan Islands. |
San Luis Obispo County | California | Named for the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa ("Mission of Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse"), named in turn for Louis of Toulouse. |
San Mateo County | California | Named for Saint Matthew. |
San Miguel County | Colorado | Named for the San Miguel River, which runs through the county. |
San Miguel County | New Mexico | Named for the church at San Miguel del Vado, Spanish for "Saint Michael of the ford." |
San Patricio County | Texas | Named for Saint Patrick; the original settlers were Irish Catholics. |
San Saba County | Texas | Named for the San Saba River, which was named for Saint Sabbas the Sanctified. |
Sanborn County | South Dakota | Named for George W. Sanborn, president of the Milwaukee Railroad. |
Sanders County | Montana | Named for Wilbur Fiske Sanders, pioneer and U.S. Senator. |
Sandoval County | New Mexico | Named for the Sandoval family, 17th-century landowners. |
Sandusky County | Ohio | Named for the Sandusky River, from Wyandot saandusti, "water (within water-pools)"; or andusti, "cold water". |
Sangamon County | Illinois | Named for the Sangamon River, from Pottawatomie Sain-guee-mon meaning "where there is plenty to eat." |
Sanilac County | Michigan | Named for Sanilac, a Wyandot (Huron) chief. |
Sanpete County | Utah | Named for Sanpitch, a Ute chief. |
Santa Barbara County | California | Named for Santa Barbara, California, named for the Santa Barbara Channel, named for Saint Barbara. |
Santa Clara County | California | Named for Santa Clara, California, named for the Mission Santa Clara de Asís, itself named for Saint Clare of Assisi. |
Santa Cruz County | Arizona | Named for the Santa Cruz River. ("Holy Cross" in Spanish) |
Santa Cruz County | California | Named for Santa Cruz, California, named for the Mission Santa Cruz, itself named for Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. |
Santa Fe County | New Mexico | Named for Santa Fe, New Mexico, from the Spanish for "holy faith." |
Santa Rosa County | Florida | Named for Saint Rose of Viterbo. |
Sarasota County | Florida | Named for Sarasota, Florida, first recorded as Zarazote, of uncertain origin. |
Saratoga County | New York | From Iroquois sah-rah-ka, "the hill beside the river" |
Sargent County | North Dakota | Named for H. E. Sargent, railroad executive. |
Sarpy County | Nebraska | Named for Peter A. Sarpy, fur trader and businessman. |
Sauk County | Wisconsin | Named for the Sauk people. |
Saunders County | Nebraska | Named for Alvin Saunders, governor of the Nebraska Territory. |
Sawyer County | Wisconsin | Named for Philetus Sawyer, politician. |
Schenectady County | New York | Named for Schenectady, New York, from the Mohawk skahnéhtati, "beyond the pines." |
Schleicher County | Texas | Named for Gustav Schleicher, engineer, politician and Confederate soldier. |
Schley County | Georgia | Named for William Schley, lawyer, jurist, and politician. |
Schoharie County | New York | Named for Schoharie, New York, from the Mohawk skoharle, "driftwood." |
Schoolcraft County | Michigan | Named for Henry Schoolcraft, geographer, geologist, and ethnologist. |
Schuyler County | Illinois | Named for Philip Schuyler, Revolutionary War general and U.S. Senator. |
Schuyler County | Missouri |
Schuyler County | New York |
Schuylkill County | Pennsylvania | Named for the Schuylkill River, from Dutch meaning "hidden river" or "sheltered creek." |
Scioto County | Ohio | Named for the Scioto River, from Wyandot skɛnǫ·tǫ, "deer." |
Scotland County | Missouri | Named for Scotland. |
Scotland County | North Carolina |
Scott County | Iowa | Named for General Winfield Scott. |
Scott County | Kansas |
Scott County | Minnesota |
Scott County | Tennessee |
Scott County | Virginia |
Scott County | Indiana | Named for Charles Scott, 4th Governor of Kentucky. |
Scott County | Kentucky | |
Scott County | Arkansas | Named for Andrew Scott, judge. |
Scott County | Illinois | Named for Scott County, Kentucky. |
Scott County | Mississippi | Named for Abram M. Scott, 7th Governor of Mississippi. |
Scott County | Missouri | Named for John Scott, politician. |
Scotts Bluff County | Nebraska | Named for Scotts Bluff, named for mountain man and trapper Hiram Scott. |
Screven County | Georgia | Named for General James Screven, Revolutionary War soldier. |
Scurry County | Texas | Named for William Read Scurry, Confederate general. |
Searcy County | Arkansas | Named for Richard Searcy, first clerk and judge in the Arkansas Territory. |
Sebastian County | Arkansas | Named for William K. Sebastian, U.S. Senator. |
Sedgwick County | Colorado | Named for Fort Sedgwick, an Army post itself named for Civil War general John Sedgwick. |
Sedgwick County | Kansas | Named for Civil War general John Sedgwick. |
Seminole County | Florida | Named for the Seminole people. |
Seminole County | Georgia |
Seminole County | Oklahoma |
Seneca County | New York | Named for the Seneca people. |
Seneca County | Ohio |
Sequatchie County | Tennessee | From a Cherokee chief, whose name was from Cherokee siqua utsetsisti, "opossum, he grins or runs". |
Sequoyah County | Oklahoma | Named for Sequoyah, Cherokee linguist. |
Sevier County | Arkansas | Named for Ambrose Hundley Sevier, politician. |
Sevier County | Tennessee | Named for John Sevier (1745–1815), governor of the State of Franklin and first Governor of Tennessee. |
Sevier County | Utah | Named for the Sevier River (Spanish: Río Severo, "harsh river"). |
Seward County | Kansas | Named for William H. Seward, U.S. Secretary of State and opponent of slavery. |
Seward County | Nebraska |
Shackelford County | Texas | Named for Jack Shackelford, doctor and soldier of the Texas Revolution. |
Shannon County | Missouri | Named for George Shannon, explorer on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. |
Sharkey County | Mississippi | Named for William L. Sharkey, 25th Governor of Mississippi. |
Sharp County | Arkansas | Named for Ephraim Sharp, a state legislator. |
Shasta County | California | Named for Mount Shasta, named in turn for the Shasta people. |
Shawano County | Wisconsin | From Sawanoh, a Menominee chief. |
Shawnee County | Kansas | Named for the Shawnee people. |
Sheboygan County | Wisconsin | Named for the Sheboygan River, from Chippewa Shawb-wa-way-gun, meaning "hollow bone", "noise underground" or "river disappearing underground." |
Shelby County | Alabama | Named for Isaac Shelby, soldier and politician. |
Shelby County | Illinois |
Shelby County | Indiana |
Shelby County | Iowa |
Shelby County | Kentucky |
Shelby County | Missouri |
Shelby County | Ohio |
Shelby County | Tennessee |
Shelby County | Texas |
Shenandoah County | Virginia | Named for the Shenandoah River, named for the Senedo people. |
Sherburne County | Minnesota | Named for Moses Sherburne, politician and judge. |
Sheridan County | Kansas | Named for Philip Sheridan, U.S. Army general. |
Sheridan County | Montana |
Sheridan County | Nebraska |
Sheridan County | North Dakota |
Sheridan County | Wyoming |
Sherman County | Kansas | Named for Founding Father Roger Sherman. |
Sherman County | Nebraska |
Sherman County | Oregon |
Sherman County | Texas |
Shiawassee County | Michigan | Named for the Shiawassee River, from the Chippewa shia-was-see, "river straight ahead." |
Shoshone County | Idaho | Named for the Shoshone people. |
Sibley County | Minnesota | Named for Henry Hastings Sibley, first Governor of Minnesota. |
Sierra County | California | Named for the Sierra Nevada ("snowy jagged mountain range"). |
Sierra County | New Mexico | Named for the Black Range (Spanish: Sierra Diablo). |
Silver Bow County | Montana | Named for the Silver Bow Creek, named for how it sparkled in the sun. |
Simpson County | Kentucky | Named for John Simpson, soldier and politician. |
Simpson County | Mississippi | Named for Josiah Simpson, judge. |
Sioux County | Iowa | Named for the Sioux (Oceti Sakowin) people. |
Sioux County | Nebraska |
Sioux County | North Dakota |
Siskiyou County | California | Named for the Siskiyou Trail, of unclear origin: Chinook Jargon for "bob-tailed horse," or French six callioux, "six stones." |
Sitka City and Borough | Alaska | From Tlingit Shee At'iká, "people on the outside of Baranof Island." |
Skagit County | Washington | Named for the Skagit peoples. |
Skamania County | Washington | From the Cascades Chinook sk'mániak, "swift waters." |
Slope County | North Dakota | Named for the Missouri Slope, a geographical feature. |
Smith County | Kansas | Named for J. Nelson Smith, Union soldier in the Civil War. |
Smith County | Mississippi | Named for David Smith, Revolutionary War major. |
Smith County | Tennessee | Named for Revolutionary War officer and U.S. Senator Daniel Smith |
Smith County | Texas | Named for James Smith, a general during the Texas Revolution. |
Smyth County | Virginia | Named for Alexander Smyth, politician. |
Snohomish County | Washington | Named for the Snohomish River and the Snohomish people. |
Snyder County | Pennsylvania | Named for Simon Snyder, third Governor of Pennsylvania. |
Socorro County | New Mexico | Named for Socorro, New Mexico, from the Spanish socorro, "help, aid." |
Solano County | California | Named for Sem-Yeto, Suisun chief baptized as Francisco Solano. |
Somerset County | Maine | Named for Somerset, England. |
Somerset County | Maryland | Named for Mary, Lady Somerset, wife of Sir John Somerset and daughter of Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour. |
Somerset County | New Jersey | Named for Somerset, England. |
Somerset County | Pennsylvania |
Somervell County | Texas | Named for Alexander Somervell, Secretary of War of the Republic of Texas. |
Sonoma County | California | Named for the city of Sonoma, California, from the Miwok sonoma, "many moons." |
Southampton County | Virginia | Named for either Southampton, England, or Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton. |
Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | Alaska | Named for its location to the southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska |
Spalding County | Georgia | Named for Thomas Spalding, politician. |
Spartanburg County | South Carolina | Named for Spartanburg, South Carolina, from a local militia called the Spartan Regiment in the Revolutionary War. |
Spencer County | Indiana | Named for Spier Spencer, soldier. |
Spencer County | Kentucky |
Spink County | South Dakota | Named for S. L. Spink, politician. |
Spokane County | Washington | Named for the Spokane people. |
Spotsylvania County | Virginia | Named for Alexander Spotswood, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. |
St. Bernard Parish | Louisiana | Named for Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, who was the patron saint of colonial administrator Bernardo de Gálvez, 1st Viscount of Galveston. |
St. Charles County | Missouri | Named for Saint Charles Borromeo. |
St. Charles Parish | Louisiana |
St. Clair County | Alabama | Named for Arthur St. Clair, major general in the Revolutionary War and first Governor of the Northwest Territory. |
St. Clair County | Illinois |
St. Clair County | Michigan | Named for Lake St. Clair, named in honor of Saint Clare of Assisi. |
St. Clair County | Missouri | Named for Arthur St. Clair, major general in the Revolutionary War and first Governor of the Northwest Territory. |
St. Croix County | Wisconsin | Named for the St. Croix River. |
St. Francis County | Arkansas | Named for the St. Francis River. |
St. Francois County | Missouri |
St. Helena Parish | Louisiana | Named for Saint Helena. |
St. James Parish | Louisiana | Named for Saint James. |
St. John the Baptist Parish | Louisiana | Named for John the Baptist. |
St. Johns County | Florida | Named for the San Juan del Puerto mission ("Saint John of the Port"). |
St. Joseph County | Indiana | Named for the St. Joseph River. |
St. Joseph County | Michigan | Named for Fort St. Joseph in Niles, which was named for Saint Joseph. |
St. Landry Parish | Louisiana | Named for St. Landry Catholic Church, named in honor of Saint Landry of Paris (Landericus). |
St. Lawrence County | New York | Named for the Saint Lawrence River, named in honor of Saint Lawrence. |
City of St. Louis | Missouri | Named for Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France). |
St. Louis County | Minnesota | Named for the Saint Louis River, named by Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye after the Order of Saint Louis that he received. |
St. Louis County | Missouri | Named for Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France). |
St. Lucie County | Florida | Named for the St. Lucie Inlet, named in turn for Saint Lucy. |
St. Martin Parish | Louisiana | Named for Saint Martin of Tours. |
St. Mary Parish | Louisiana | Named for Mary, mother of Jesus. |
St. Mary's County | Maryland | Named for St. Mary's City, Maryland, named in honor of Mary, mother of Jesus. |
St. Tammany Parish | Louisiana | Named for Tamanend, a Lenni-Lenape chief in the Delaware Valley during the 17th century who made peace with William Penn. |
Stafford County | Kansas | Named for Lewis Stafford, Union soldier in the Civil War. |
Stafford County | Virginia | Named for Staffordshire, England. |
Stanislaus County | California | Named for the Stanislaus River, named in turn for Estanislao, a Lakisamni leader. |
Stanley County | South Dakota | Named for David S. Stanley, Union Army Civil War general. |
Stanly County | North Carolina | Named for John Stanly, politician. |
Stanton County | Kansas | Named for Edwin Stanton, U.S. Attorney General and Secretary of War. |
Stanton County | Nebraska |
City of Staunton | Virginia | Named for Lady Rebecca Staunton, wife of Virginia colonial governor Sir William Gooch, 1st Baronet. |
Stark County | Illinois | Named for John Stark, general in the Revolutionary War. |
Stark County | North Dakota | Named for George Stark, a vice president of the Northern Pacific Railroad. |
Stark County | Ohio | Named for John Stark, general in the Revolutionary War. |
Starke County | Indiana |
Starr County | Texas | Named for James Harper Starr, director of the postal service of the Trans-Mississippi Department. |
Ste. Genevieve County | Missouri | Named for Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, named for Saint Genevieve. |
Stearns County | Minnesota | Named for Charles Thomas Stearns, politician. |
Steele County | Minnesota | Named for Franklin Steele, early settler. |
Steele County | North Dakota | Named for Edward H. Steele, businessman. |
Stephens County | Georgia | Named for Alexander Stephens, Vice President of the Confederate States of America. |
Stephens County | Oklahoma | Named for John Hall Stephens, Texas politician. |
Stephens County | Texas | Named for Alexander Stephens, Vice President of the Confederate States of America. |
Stephenson County | Illinois | Named for Benjamin Stephenson, politician. |
Sterling County | Texas | Named for W. S. Sterling, an early settler. |
Steuben County | Indiana | Named for Baron Frederick von Steuben, an officer of the Revolutionary War. |
Steuben County | New York |
Stevens County | Kansas | Named for Thaddeus Stevens, politician. |
Stevens County | Minnesota | Named for Isaac Stevens, soldier and first Governor of Washington Territory. |
Stevens County | Washington |
Stewart County | Georgia | Named for General Daniel Stewart. |
Stewart County | Tennessee | Named for Duncan Stewart, Tennessee state legislator and lieutenant governor of Mississippi Territory. |
Stillwater County | Montana | Named for the Stillwater River. |
Stoddard County | Missouri | Named for Amos Stoddard, soldier. |
Stokes County | North Carolina | Named for John Stokes, judge. |
Stone County | Arkansas | Named for its rocky terrain. |
Stone County | Mississippi | Named for John Marshall Stone, 31st and 33rd Governor of Mississippi. |
Stone County | Missouri | Named for William Stone, early settler. |
Stonewall County | Texas | Named for Lieutenant General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson |
Storey County | Nevada | Named for Edward Farris Storey, Nevada settler killed by Paiute. |
Story County | Iowa | Named for Joseph Story, a preeminent United States Supreme Court Justice. |
Strafford County | New Hampshire | Named for William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford, English nobleman. |
Stutsman County | North Dakota | Named for Enos Stutsman, lawyer and politician. |
Sublette County | Wyoming | Named for William Sublette, mountain man and fur trapper. |
City of Suffolk | Virginia | Named for Suffolk, England. |
Suffolk County | Massachusetts |
Suffolk County | New York |
Sullivan County | Indiana | Named for Daniel Sullivan, a soldier of the Revolutionary War. |
Sullivan County | Missouri | Named for John Sullivan, General in the Revolutionary War and Governor of New Hampshire. |
Sullivan County | New Hampshire |
Sullivan County | New York |
Sullivan County | Pennsylvania | Named for Charles C. Sullivan, politician. |
Sullivan County | Tennessee | Named for John Sullivan, Governor of New Hampshire. |
Sully County | South Dakota | Named for Alfred Sully, soldier. |
Summers County | West Virginia | Named for George W. Summers, politician. |
Summit County | Colorado | Named for the numerous mountain peaks which fill the region, including Grays Peak and Torreys Peak. |
Summit County | Ohio | Named for the highest elevation on the Ohio and Erie Canal. |
Summit County | Utah | Named for the summits of the Wasatch Range and Uinta Mountains. |
Sumner County | Kansas | Named for Jethro Sumner (1733–1785), an American colonist who defended North Carolina against the British in 1780. |
Sumner County | Tennessee |
Sumter County | Alabama | Named for Thomas Sumter, general in the Revolutionary War. |
Sumter County | Florida |
Sumter County | Georgia |
Sumter County | South Carolina |
Sunflower County | Mississippi | Named for the Sunflower River. |
Surry County | North Carolina | Named for Surrey, England. |
Surry County | Virginia |
Susquehanna County | Pennsylvania | Named for the Susquehanna River, from Unami Sisa'we'hak'hanna, “Oyster River” |
Sussex County | Delaware | Named for Sussex, England. |
Sussex County | New Jersey |
Sussex County | Virginia |
Sutter County | California | Named for Sutter's Fort, built by John Sutter. |
Sutton County | Texas | Named for John S. Sutton, Confederate officer. |
Suwannee County | Florida | Named for the Suwannee River. |
Swain County | North Carolina | Named for David Lowry Swain, 26th Governor of North Carolina. |
Sweet Grass County | Montana | Named for the abundant sweet grass (Muhlenbergia sericea). |
Sweetwater County | Wyoming | Named for the Sweetwater River. |
Swift County | Minnesota | Named for Henry Adoniram Swift, 3rd Governor of Minnesota. |
Swisher County | Texas | Named for James G. Swisher, a soldier of the Texas Revolution. |
Switzerland County | Indiana | Named for Switzerland, homeland of many of the early settlers. |