When was DeKalb County founded?

DeKalb County was founded in 1836, formed from Jackson County and St. Clair County, and named after Johann de Kalb.

What is the county seat of DeKalb County?

The county seat of DeKalb County is Fort Payne.

Is there an online parcel map for DeKalb County?

Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 53,516 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has DeKalb County's boundary or name changed?

DeKalb County was created in 1836 from Jackson County and St. Clair County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 17 later changes, chiefly involving Cherokee County, Jackson County and Marshall County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for DeKalb County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 01049

DeKalb CountyAlabama

DeKalb County is a county in Alabama with its seat at Fort Payne, formed on January 9, 1836. The county covers 777.1 square miles and has a population of 71,608 as of 2020.

Founded1836
County seatFort Payne
Named forJohann de Kalb
Land area777 sq mi + 1.6 sq mi water
Population71,608 2020 Census
Parcels mapped53,516 checked 15 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in DeKalb County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 19 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1836 from Jackson County and St. Clair County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

DeKalb County was formed in 1836 from Jackson County and St. Clair County, and named after Johann de Kalb. Fort Payne is the county seat.

Deeds and plats from before 1836 for land now in DeKalb County may have been recorded in Jackson County and St. Clair County.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

1836
DeKalb County created De Kalb created from Jackson and St. Clair.
from Jackson from St. Clair
9 January 1836 · Ala. Acts 1835, ann. sess., no. 179/p. 170
1844
Gained territory De Kalb gained from Cherokee.
from Cherokee
16 January 1844 · Ala. Acts 1843, ann. sess., no. 109/p. 69
1848
Lost territory De Kalb lost to Jackson.
to Jackson
3 March 1848 · Ala. Acts 1847, 1st bien. sess., no. 273/p. 363
1854
Gained territory De Kalb gained from Jackson.
from Jackson
15 February 1854 · Ala. Acts 1853, 4th bien. sess., no. 296/p. 184
1860
Gained territory De Kalb gained from Jackson.
from Jackson
25 February 1860 · Ala. Acts 1859, 7th bien. sess., no. 383/p. 523

Show all 21 changes (16 more)

1836
DeKalb County created De Kalb created from Jackson and St. Clair.
from Jackson from St. Clair
9 January 1836 · Ala. Acts 1835, ann. sess., no. 179/p. 170
1843
Exchanged territory De Kalb exchanged with Marshall. Boundary between De Kalb and Jackson was adjusted.
with Marshall with Jackson
7 February 1843 · Ala. Acts 1842, ann. sess., no. 199/p. 158
1844
Gained territory De Kalb gained from Cherokee.
from Cherokee
16 January 1844 · Ala. Acts 1843, ann. sess., no. 109/p. 69
1848
Lost territory De Kalb lost to Jackson.
to Jackson
3 March 1848 · Ala. Acts 1847, 1st bien. sess., no. 273/p. 363
1854
Gained territory De Kalb gained from Jackson.
from Jackson
15 February 1854 · Ala. Acts 1853, 4th bien. sess., no. 296/p. 184
1858
Gained territory De Kalb gained small area from Jackson to accommodate local property owner, and De Kalb lost to Marshall.
from Jackson from Marshall
2 February 1858 · Ala. Acts 1857, 6th bien. sess., no. 335/p. 337
1858
Lost territory De Kalb lost small area to Cherokee.
to Cherokee
6 February 1858 · Ala. Acts 1857, 6th bien. sess., no. 308/p. 319
1860
Gained territory De Kalb gained from Jackson.
from Jackson
25 February 1860 · Ala. Acts 1859, 7th bien. sess., no. 383/p. 523
1866
Lost territory De Kalb lost to creation of Baine (extinct).
to Baine
7 December 1866 · Ala. Acts 1866, reg. sess., no. 92, sec. 1/p. 76
1867
Boundary clarified Boundary between De Kalb and Cherokee was redefined (no change).
with Cherokeeno change
13 February 1867 · Ala. Acts 1866, reg. sess., no. 382/p. 420
1867
Gained territory De Kalb gained from Baine (extinct).
from Baine
19 February 1867 · Ala. Acts 1866, reg. sess., no. 633/p. 677
1867
Gained territory De Kalb gained part of Baine (extinct); Baine eliminated.
from Baine
3 December 1867 · Ala. Acts 1868, Ord. of St. Conv. [1867], no. 27/p. 178
1868
Lost territory De Kalb lost to creation of Etowah and lost to Marshall.
to Etowah to Marshall
1 December 1868 · Ala. Acts 1868, reg. sess., no. 20, sec. 1/p. 359
1870
Changed Legislature authorized De Kalb to gain from Jackson, dependent on local referendum (later repealed); no evidence found that the referendum was held (no change).
Jackson
3 March 1870 · Ala. Acts 1869, reg. sess., no. 353/p. 449
1872
Changed Act of 3 March 1870, intended to change the boundary between De Kalb and Jackson, was repealed (no change).
Jackson
8 February 1872 · Ala. Acts 1871, reg. sess., no. 151/p. 161
1876
Lost territory De Kalb lost to Cherokee.
to Cherokee
7 March 1876 · Ala. Acts 1875, reg. sess., no. 226/p. 350
1877
Gained territory De Kalb gained from Marshall.
from Marshall
30 January 1877 · Ala. Acts 1876, bien. sess., no. 210/p. 235
1879
Lost territory De Kalb lost to Etowah.
to Etowah
31 January 1879 · Ala. Acts 1878, bien. sess., no. 193/p. 225
1879
Lost territory De Kalb lost to Marshall.
to Marshall
4 February 1879 · Ala. Acts 1878, bien. sess., no. 191/p. 224
1884
Lost territory De Kalb lost small area to Cherokee.
to Cherokee
12 December 1884 · Ala. Acts 1884, bien. sess., no. 150/p. 261
1901
Gained territory De Kalb gained from Cherokee.
from Cherokee
14 February 1901 · Ala. Acts 1900, bien. sess., no. 415/p. 1077

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in DeKalb

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 53,516 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 24 November 2025 · checked 15 October 2026
Address points Missing

No public address points layer found for DeKalb County yet.
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

DeKalb by the Census

Population

71,608 2020 Census count

Housing units

30,584 2020 Census count

Land area

777 square miles

Water area

1.6 square miles

People per sq mi

92 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

DeKalb County's official site

We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.

County government

County government
The official website of DeKalb County.
dekalbcountyal.us

See your own lot on these maps

Open DeKalb County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about DeKalb County

When was DeKalb County founded?: DeKalb County was founded in 1836, formed from Jackson County and St. Clair County, and named after Johann de Kalb.
What is the county seat of DeKalb County?: The county seat of DeKalb County is Fort Payne.
Is there an online parcel map for DeKalb County?: Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 53,516 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has DeKalb County's boundary or name changed?: DeKalb County was created in 1836 from Jackson County and St. Clair County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 17 later changes, chiefly involving Cherokee County, Jackson County and Marshall County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for DeKalb County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby