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County · code 21013

Bell CountyKentucky

Bell County is a county in Kentucky, formed in 1867 and seated in Pineville.

  • Founded1867
  • County seatPineville
  • Named forJoshua Fry Bell
  • Land area359 sq mi + 2.1 sq mi water
  • Population24,097 2020 Census
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Updated

KnoxClaiborne, TNClayLeslieWhitleyHarlanLee, VA Pineville Census outline · seat marked

Where it is

Bell on the map of Kentucky

Kentucky has 120 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.

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Counties of Kentucky · Bell highlighted

History

Formed in 1867 from Harlan County and Knox County

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

Originally named Josh Bell when created in 1867 from Harlan and Knox counties, it was renamed Bell in 1873. The county was named after Joshua Fry Bell.

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

  1. 1867
    Bell County created Josh Bell (now Bell) created from Harlan and Knox.
    from Harlanfrom Knox
    · Ky. Acts 1867, Jan. adj. sess., ch. 1553, sec. 1/pp. 47-50
  2. 1871
    Exchanged territory Josh Bell (now Bell) exchanged with Whitley.
    with Whitley
    · Ky. Acts 1871, Jan. adj. sess., ch. 1118, sec. 1/pp. 5-6
  3. 1872
    Gained territory Josh Bell (now Bell) gained small area from Knox.
    from Knox
    · Ky. Acts 1871-1872, vol. 1, ch. 824, sec. 1/p. 74
  4. 1873
    Renamed Josh Bell renamed Bell.
    formerly Josh Bell
    · Ky. Acts 1873, Jan. adj. sess., ch. 47, sec. 1/pp. 4-5
  5. 1876
    Gained territory Bell gained small area from Knox.
    from Knox
    · Ky. Acts 1875-1876, vol. 1, ch. 233, sec. 1/p. 374
Show all 8 changes (3 more, mostly small adjustments)
  1. 1867
    Bell County created Josh Bell (now Bell) created from Harlan and Knox.
    from Harlanfrom Knox
    · Ky. Acts 1867, Jan. adj. sess., ch. 1553, sec. 1/pp. 47-50
  2. 1871
    Exchanged territory Josh Bell (now Bell) exchanged with Whitley.
    with Whitley
    · Ky. Acts 1871, Jan. adj. sess., ch. 1118, sec. 1/pp. 5-6
  3. 1872
    Gained territory Josh Bell (now Bell) gained small area from Knox.
    from Knox
    · Ky. Acts 1871-1872, vol. 1, ch. 824, sec. 1/p. 74
  4. 1873
    Boundary clarified Boundary between Josh Bell (now Bell) and Harlan was redefined (no change).
    with Harlanno change
    · Ky. Acts 1873, Jan. adj. sess., ch. 514, sec. 1/p. 63
  5. 1873
    Boundary clarified Boundary between Josh Bell (now Bell) and Clay was redefined (no change).
    with Clayno change
    · Ky. Acts 1873, Jan. adj. sess., ch. 938, sec. 1/p. 443
  6. 1873
    Renamed Josh Bell renamed Bell.
    formerly Josh Bell
    · Ky. Acts 1873, Jan. adj. sess., ch. 47, sec. 1/pp. 4-5
  7. 1876
    Gained territory Bell gained small area from Knox.
    from Knox
    · Ky. Acts 1875-1876, vol. 1, ch. 233, sec. 1/p. 374
  8. 1888
    Lost territory Bell lost small area to Whitley to accommodate local property owner.
    to Whitley
    · Ky. Acts 1887-1888, vol. 1, ch. 427, sec. 1/pp. 876-887

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Bell

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

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

Bell by the Census

Population
24,097 2020 Census count
Housing units
11,517 2020 Census count
Land area
359 square miles
Water area
2.1 square miles
People per sq mi
67 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

Bell County's official site

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

County government

See your own lot on these maps

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Questions

Common questions about Bell County

When was Bell County founded?
Bell County was founded in 1867, formed from Harlan County and Knox County, and named after Joshua Fry Bell.
What is the county seat of Bell County?
The county seat of Bell County is Pineville.
Is there an online parcel map for Bell County?
Not that we have found yet. Lot lines and owners of record are kept by the county assessor's office. When a public parcel map appears, it shows here.
Has Bell County's boundary or name changed?
Bell County was created in 1867 from Harlan County and Knox County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 5 later changes, most of them small boundary adjustments, chiefly involving Knox County, Whitley County and Josh Bell County. It was formerly called Josh Bell.
Is my lot in a flood zone?
We do not have flood maps for Bell County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby

Counties next door