Renamed Counties
Five counties in Florida have been renamed. Most renamings occurred between 1845 and 1861, during the first sixteen years of Florida's statehood. One occurred in 1997, when Dade County changed its name to Miami-Dade County.
| County | Dates | Etymology | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 1844–1850 | Thomas Benton (1782–1858), U.S. Senator from Missouri who supported the Armed Occupation Act of 1842 that many Floridians wanted in order to evict Native Americans | Original name of county was Hernando County, and the name was changed back to that in 1850 |
| Dade County | 1836–1997 | Francis L. Dade (c. 1793–1835), Major in the United States Army during the Second Seminole War | Changed to Miami-Dade County in 1997 in order to have a more recognizable name |
| Mosquito County | 1824–1845 | Taken from the name the Spanish had given the entire coast, "Los Mosquitos" | Changed to Orange County in 1845 |
| New River County | 1858–1861 | The New River | Changed to Bradford County in 1861 |
| St. Lucia County | 1844–1855 | Saint Lucy (283–304), the Christian martyr | Changed to Brevard County in 1855 |
Read more about this topic: List Of Counties In Florida