County · code 45057
Lancaster CountySouth Carolina
Lancaster County is in South Carolina and was created in 1785 within Camden District, with its seat at Lancaster.
- Founded1785
- County seatLancaster
- Land area549 sq mi + 6 sq mi water
- Population96,016 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped56,491 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Lancaster on the map of South Carolina
South Carolina has 46 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Founded in 1785
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Lancaster County was formed in 1785. Lancaster is the county seat.
- 1785Lancaster County created Lancaster created within Camden District. · S.C. Statutes, 4:661-666; S.C. Acts 1797, pp. 144-145
- 1791Gained territory Lancaster gained from York, lost to creation of Kershaw. · S.C. Acts 1791, Jan. sess., pp. 21, 45
- 1792
- 1800Lancaster County created Lancaster District created from Camden District, with same boundaries as Lancaster County. Between 1 January 1800 and 16 April 1868, judicial districts were the principal administrative subdivisions of the state, while counties survived mostly as geographical references. · S.C. Acts 1798, pp. 37-44
- 1868Eliminated Lancaster District eliminated when new state constitution abolished all judicial districts. Lancaster County continued and assumed all functions of local government from both judicial districts and parishes. · Swindler, 8:497
Show all 9 changes
- 1785Lancaster County created Lancaster created within Camden District. · S.C. Statutes, 4:661-666; S.C. Acts 1797, pp. 144-145
- 1791Gained territory Lancaster gained from York, lost to creation of Kershaw. · S.C. Acts 1791, Jan. sess., pp. 21, 45
- 1792
- 1800Lancaster County created Lancaster District created from Camden District, with same boundaries as Lancaster County. Between 1 January 1800 and 16 April 1868, judicial districts were the principal administrative subdivisions of the state, while counties survived mostly as geographical references. · S.C. Acts 1798, pp. 37-44
- 1813Gained territory Lancaster gained small area from North Carolina when North Carolina / South Carolina boundary adjusted. · S.C. Acts 1813, Nov. sess., p. 52
- 1868Eliminated Lancaster District eliminated when new state constitution abolished all judicial districts. Lancaster County continued and assumed all functions of local government from both judicial districts and parishes. · Swindler, 8:497
- 1892Boundary clarified Boundary between Lancaster and Kershaw redefined (no change).with Kershawno change· S.C. Acts 1892, no. 203, sec. 1/p. 296
- 1977Gained territory Lancaster gained from Kershaw. · S.C. Acts 1977, no. 348, secs. 1, 5/pp. 982-984
- 1979Lost territory Lancaster lost to Kershaw. · S.C. Acts 1979, no. 273, secs. 1, 6/pp. 968-970
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Lancaster
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 56,491 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 16 October 2026 · checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Lancaster 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
Lancaster by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Lancaster 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 Lancaster County
- When was Lancaster County founded?
- Lancaster County was founded in 1785.
- What is the county seat of Lancaster County?
- The county seat of Lancaster County is Lancaster.
- Is there an online parcel map for Lancaster County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 56,491 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Lancaster County's boundary or name changed?
- Lancaster County was created in 1785. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 7 later changes, chiefly involving Kershaw County and York County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Lancaster County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby