Powhatan County | |
|---|---|
 Powhatan County Courthouse | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Virginia | |
 Virginia's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 37°33′N 77°55′W / 37.55°N 77.92°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Virginia |
| Founded | 1777 |
| Named for | Powhatan |
| Seat | Powhatan |
| Area | |
• Total | 262 sq mi (680 km2) |
| • Land | 260 sq mi (700 km2) |
| • Water | 2.1 sq mi (5 km2) 0.8% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 30,033 |
| • Density | 110/sq mi (44/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 5th |
| Website | www |
Powhatan County (/ˈpaʊ.həˈtæn/) is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,033.[1] Its county seat is Powhatan.[2]
Powhatan County is included in the Greater Richmond Region.
The James River forms the county's northern border, and the Appomattox River is on the south side. The county is named for the paramount chief of the powerful confederacy of tribes of Algonquian-speaking Native Americans in the Tidewater in 1607, when the British settled at Jamestown. Historically this Piedmont area had been occupied by the Siouan-speaking Monacan. They moved further west, abandoning villages in this area, under pressure from colonists.
In 1700 French Huguenot refugees settled at a Monacan abandoned village, which they renamed as Manakin Town. It was located about 20 miles above the falls on the James River. French refugees also settled on the other side of the river in two villages now known collectively as Manakin-Sabot in nearby Goochland County to the north.
- ^ "Powhatan County, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.