When was Essex County founded?

Essex County was founded in 1683, and named after Essex, England.

What is the county seat of Essex County?

The county seat of Essex County is Newark.

Is there an online parcel map for Essex County?

Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 187,140 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Essex County's boundary or name changed?

Essex County was created in 1683. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 11 later changes, chiefly involving Union County, Passaic County and Bergen County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

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

County · code 34013

Essex CountyNew Jersey

Essex County is a county in New Jersey, with Newark as its seat, originally created on March 7, 1683.

Founded1683
County seatNewark
Named forEssex, England
Land area126 sq mi + 3.3 sq mi water
Population863,728 2020 Census
Parcels mapped187,140 checked 15 October 2026

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

Updated 20 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Founded in 1683

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

Essex County was formed in 1683, and named after Essex, England. Newark is the county seat.

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

1683
Essex County created 7 March 1682/1683. Essex was created as one of four original counties in East New Jersey. Two segments of the line between Essex and West New Jersey must be estimated, and this compilation uses the versions chosen by John P. Snyder for his book on New Jersey's internal boundaries. Non-County Area (East) eliminated. 7 March 1683 · Shaw, 1:212, 231; Snyder, 10-11, 29-31; Wall and Pickersgill, 1:63
1687
Gained territory 8 January 1686/1687. Essex gained from Non-County Area (West) in northern part of West New Jersey when commissioners from East and West New Jersey agreed on a new division between their colonies. The line ran west of the boundary specified in the Quintipartite Deed of 1676. The southern part of this line was demarcated in the spring of 1687 and became known as the Keith Line, named for the surveyor. 8 January 1687 · Snyder, 9, 31
1688
Lost territory Essex lost to Non-County Area (West) in West New Jersey when the absentee governors of East and West New Jersey agreed on a compromise boundary between the two colonies that ran irregularly from the northern end of the Keith Line (1687) to the land boundary with New York. Two segments of this line must be estimated, and this compilation has adopted the versions chosen by John P. Snyder for his book on New Jersey's internal boundaries. 5 September 1688 · Snyder, 9, 31
1702
Became part of New Jersey Proprietors of East and West New Jersey surrendered to Queen Anne their rights to govern their colonies, and the two colonies were united into the single royal province of New Jersey. Essex became a county in the royal province of New Jersey; boundaries were unchanged. 17 April 1702 · Pomfret, Colonial New Jersey, 87; Snyder, 13; Swindler, 6:439-445, Van Zandt, 79
1710
Lost territory 21 January 1709/1710. Essex lost to Bergen. Two segments of Essex's boundary with Non-county Area (West) must be estimated and have been plotted following John P. Snyder's interpretation.
to Bergen
21 January 1710 · Paterson, 2-3; Snyder, 30-32

Show all 17 changes (12 more, mostly small adjustments)

1683
Essex County created 7 March 1682/1683. Essex was created as one of four original counties in East New Jersey. Two segments of the line between Essex and West New Jersey must be estimated, and this compilation uses the versions chosen by John P. Snyder for his book on New Jersey's internal boundaries. Non-County Area (East) eliminated. 7 March 1683 · Shaw, 1:212, 231; Snyder, 10-11, 29-31; Wall and Pickersgill, 1:63
1687
Gained territory 8 January 1686/1687. Essex gained from Non-County Area (West) in northern part of West New Jersey when commissioners from East and West New Jersey agreed on a new division between their colonies. The line ran west of the boundary specified in the Quintipartite Deed of 1676. The southern part of this line was demarcated in the spring of 1687 and became known as the Keith Line, named for the surveyor. 8 January 1687 · Snyder, 9, 31
1688
Lost territory Essex lost to Non-County Area (West) in West New Jersey when the absentee governors of East and West New Jersey agreed on a compromise boundary between the two colonies that ran irregularly from the northern end of the Keith Line (1687) to the land boundary with New York. Two segments of this line must be estimated, and this compilation has adopted the versions chosen by John P. Snyder for his book on New Jersey's internal boundaries. 5 September 1688 · Snyder, 9, 31
1702
Became part of New Jersey Proprietors of East and West New Jersey surrendered to Queen Anne their rights to govern their colonies, and the two colonies were united into the single royal province of New Jersey. Essex became a county in the royal province of New Jersey; boundaries were unchanged. 17 April 1702 · Pomfret, Colonial New Jersey, 87; Snyder, 13; Swindler, 6:439-445, Van Zandt, 79
1710
Lost territory 21 January 1709/1710. Essex lost to Bergen. Two segments of Essex's boundary with Non-county Area (West) must be estimated and have been plotted following John P. Snyder's interpretation.
to Bergen
21 January 1710 · Paterson, 2-3; Snyder, 30-32
1739
Lost territory 15 Mar 1738/1739. Essex lost to the creation of Morris.
to Morris
15 March 1739 · Paterson, 12-13; Snyder, 32
1741
Lost territory Essex lost to Somerset.
to Somerset
4 November 1741 · Paterson, 13; Snyder, 32
1822
Boundary clarified Water boundaries of Essex, Middlesex, and Monmouth were redefined to assert New Jersey's claim to the western half of Arthur Kill, the water separating Staten Island, N.Y.,from the New Jersey mainland.
with Middlesex with Monmouthwith N.y.no change
28 November 1822 · N.J. Acts 1822, p. 35; Snyder, 34-36
1837
Lost territory Essex lost to the creation of Passaic.
to Passaic
7 February 1837 · N.J. Acts 1837, pp. 96-97; Snyder, 36-37
1857
Lost territory Essex lost to the creation of Union.
to Union
19 March 1857 · N.J. Acts 1857, pp. 244-245; Snyder, 41
1871
Boundary clarified Boundary between Essex and Union clarified (no change).
with Unionno change
21 March 1871 · N.J. Acts 1871, p. 604; Snyder, 42
1876
Boundary clarified Boundary between Essex and Union redefined (no change).
with Unionno change
22 February 1876 · N.J. Acts 1876, p. 482; Snyder, 42
1882
Boundary clarified Boundary between Essex and Union clarified (no change).
with Unionno change
17 March 1882 · N.J. Acts 1882, pp. 365-366; Snyder, 43
1891
Lost territory Essex lost small area to Union.
to Union
17 February 1891 · N.J. Acts 1891, p. 536; Snyder, 43-44
1892
Boundary clarified Boundary between Essex and Union redefined (no change).
with Unionno change
3 February 1892 · N.J. Acts 1892, pp. 483-484; Snyder, 44
1907
Gained territory Essex gained small area from Passaic.
from Passaic
28 October 1907 · N.J. Acts 1907, p. 692; Snyder, 45
1958
Gained territory Essex gained small area on the line between Millburn and Springfield townships from Union.
from Union
29 July 1958 · N.J. Acts 1958, pp. 630-632; Snyder, 47-48

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Essex

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

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 187,140 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026
Address points Official

One point per address, 369,584 in all from NJOGIS.
edited 23 September 2026 · 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

Essex by the Census

Population

863,728 2020 Census count

Housing units

334,896 2020 Census count

Land area

126 square miles

Water area

3.3 square miles

People per sq mi

6,851 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

Essex 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 Essex County.
essex-countynj.org

See your own lot on these maps

Open Essex 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 Essex County

When was Essex County founded?: Essex County was founded in 1683, and named after Essex, England.
What is the county seat of Essex County?: The county seat of Essex County is Newark.
Is there an online parcel map for Essex County?: Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 187,140 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Essex County's boundary or name changed?: Essex County was created in 1683. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 11 later changes, chiefly involving Union County, Passaic County and Bergen County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Essex County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby