County · code 37163
Sampson CountyNorth Carolina
Sampson County is a county in North Carolina, with its seat in Clinton. The county was formed on June 2, 1784, and named after John Sampson.
- Founded1784
- County seatClinton
- Named forJohn Sampson
- Land area946 sq mi + 1.9 sq mi water
- Population59,036 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped50,668 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Sampson on the map of North Carolina
North Carolina has 100 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1784 from Duplin County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Sampson County was created from Duplin County on June 2, 1784. The county gained territory from New Hanover County three times: in 1795, 1847, and 1872.
- 1784Sampson County created Sampson created from Duplin. · N.C. Recs., ch. 75, secs. 1-2/24:642-644
- 1795Gained territory Sampson gained from New Hanover. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1795, ch. 24, sec. 1/p. 83
- 1847Gained territory Sampson gained from New Hanover. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1846-1847, ch. 128, sec. 1/pp. 273-274
- 1872Gained territory Sampson gained from New Hanover. · N.C. Sess. Laws 1871-1872, pub., ch. 144, sec. 1/pp. 222-223
- 1963Changed Boundary between Sampson and Duplin defined (no change). · N.C. Sess. Laws 1963, ch. 35, secs. 1-2/p. 28
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Sampson
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 50,668 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 5 October 2026 · checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 34,543 in all from NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (CGIA, NC Dept of Information Technology) for NC OneMap, with the North Carolina 911 Board (AddressNC program).
checked 14 October 2026 -
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
Sampson 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.
Permits
County government
- County government
The official website of Sampson County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Sampson 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 Sampson County
- When was Sampson County founded?
- Sampson County was founded in 1784, formed from Duplin County, and named after John Sampson.
- What is the county seat of Sampson County?
- The county seat of Sampson County is Clinton.
- Is there an online parcel map for Sampson County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 50,668 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Sampson County's boundary or name changed?
- Sampson County was created in 1784 from Duplin County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 3 later changes, chiefly involving New Hanover County.
- Who issues building permits in Sampson County?
- The county's page on building permits: Food Permits & Inspections. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Sampson County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby