County · code 10001
Kent CountyDelaware
Kent County is a county in Delaware, with its seat in Dover. It was created in 1683 and named after Kent.
- Founded1683
- County seatDover
- Named forKent, England
- Land area586 sq mi + 212 sq mi water
- Population181,851 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped83,144 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Kent on the map of Delaware
Delaware has 3 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Founded in 1683
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Originally called St. Jones, the county was created in 1680 under the authority of the Duke of York from New Castle and Hoarkill. In 1682, the Duke of York transferred the region to William Penn, and by December 1682 the county was renamed Kent. Kent County became part of Delaware when the colony separated from Pennsylvania in 1704.
- 1680Kent County created St. Jones (now Kent) created under the authority of the Duke of York from New Castle and Hoarkill (later Deale, now Sussex); no inland limits specified. · Docs. of N.Y., 12:654, 664, 666-667; Reed, 12
- 1682Renamed By 21 December 1682, St. Jones renamed Kent.formerly By 21 December 1682, St. Jones· Penn, 2:324
- 1682
- 1685Eliminated King James Ii approved decision of the Committee for Trade and Plantations (7 November 1685) settling the rival claims of Maryland and Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania's Lower Counties, now Delaware. Worcester (Md., original, extinct) eliminated, ending its overlap with Kent (Delaware)into Iiinto Worcester· Lunt, 47; Report on the Resurvey, 145; Van Zandt, 81
- 1704Independent city separated By 29 November 1704, Kent was separated from Pennsylvania when Delaware became a distinct colony. · Penn, 4:309; Rodney, 239
Show all 11 changes
- 1680Kent County created St. Jones (now Kent) created under the authority of the Duke of York from New Castle and Hoarkill (later Deale, now Sussex); no inland limits specified. · Docs. of N.Y., 12:654, 664, 666-667; Reed, 12
- 1682Changed St. Jones (now Kent) was transferred with the rest of the western Delaware Bay region from the Duke of York to William Penn. · Pa. Archives, 2d ser., 5:739-744
- 1682Changed William Penn annexed the Delaware River region to Pennsylvania. St. Jones (now Kent) became part of the area known as the Territories or Lower Counties of Pennsylvania. Maryland did not abandon its claim to the Delaware region but had no control there. · Swindler, 2:191-192
- 1682Renamed By 21 December 1682, St. Jones renamed Kent.formerly By 21 December 1682, St. Jones· Penn, 2:324
- 1682
- 1685Eliminated King James Ii approved decision of the Committee for Trade and Plantations (7 November 1685) settling the rival claims of Maryland and Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania's Lower Counties, now Delaware. Worcester (Md., original, extinct) eliminated, ending its overlap with Kent (Delaware)into Iiinto Worcester· Lunt, 47; Report on the Resurvey, 145; Van Zandt, 81
- 1687Gained territory Kent gained from Sussex; lost to New Castle. · Scharf, 2:1030
- 1704Independent city separated By 29 November 1704, Kent was separated from Pennsylvania when Delaware became a distinct colony. · Penn, 4:309; Rodney, 239
- 1775Lost territory Kent lost to Sussex; boundary was completed westward to the Maryland line. · Del., Laws of the State, vol. 1, ch. 229, sec. 4/pp. 569-570
- 1776Changed The three Lower Counties, including Kent, became an independent state. The name Delaware was formally adopted on 20 September 1776. · Declaration of Independence; Swindler, 2:197
- 1841Gained territory Kent gained from New Castle. · Del. Laws 1841, ch. 347/pp. 401-402; Scharf, 2:1030
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Kent
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 83,144 parcels from Kent County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Kent County yet.
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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
Kent by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Zoning and code
GIS and maps
County government
- County government
The official website of Kent County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Kent 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.
Questions
Common questions about Kent County
- When was Kent County founded?
- Kent County was founded in 1683, and named after Kent, England.
- What is the county seat of Kent County?
- The county seat of Kent County is Dover.
- Is there an online parcel map for Kent County?
- Yes. Kent County publishes a parcel map of 83,144 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Kent County's boundary or name changed?
- Kent County was created in 1680. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 10 later changes, chiefly involving Sussex County, New Castle County and Ii County. It was formerly called By 21 December 1682, St. Jones.
- Who issues building permits in Kent County?
- The county's page on building permits: Sewer Permits Kent County Levy Court. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Kent County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby