County · code 54001
Barbour CountyWest Virginia
Barbour County is a county in West Virginia with its seat in Philippi. It was created in 1843 by Virginia from Harrison, Lewis, and Randolph counties and named after Philip Pendleton Barbour.
- Founded1843
- County seatPhilippi
- Named forPhilip Pendleton Barbour
- Land area341 sq mi + 1.8 sq mi water
- Population15,465 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped15,407 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Barbour on the map of West Virginia
West Virginia has 55 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1843 from Harrison County, Lewis County and Randolph County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Barbour County was formed in 1843 from Harrison County, Lewis County and Randolph County, and named after Philip Pendleton Barbour. Philippi is the county seat.
Deeds and plats from before 1843 for land now in Barbour County may have been recorded in Harrison County, Lewis County and Randolph County.
- 1843Barbour County created Barbour created by Virginia from Harrison, Lewis, and Randolph. · Va. Acts 1842-1843, ch. 53, sec. 1/pp. 37-40
- 1844Lost territory Barbour lost to creation of Taylor. · Va. Acts 1843-1844, ch. 44, sec. 1/pp. 34-37
- 1851Lost territory Barbour lost to creation of Upshur. · Robinson, 88; Va. Acts 1850-1851, ch. 26, sec. 1/pp. 23-25
- 1863Became part of West Virginia Barbour separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. · Swindler, 10:363
- 1871Lost territory Barbour lost to Tucker. · W. Va. Acts 1871, 9th sess., ch. 12, sec. 1/pp. 19-20
- 1871Boundary clarified Boundary between Barbour and Harrison clarified (no change).with Harrisonno change· W. Va. Acts 1871, 9th sess., ch. 49, sec. 1/p. 68
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Barbour
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 15,407 parcels from West Virginia University GIS Technical Center. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 10,576 in all from WV GIS Technical Center (WVGISTC, West Virginia University — the state's GIS clearinghouse) serving WV Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (WVDHSEM) SAMS-II address points.
checked 13 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
Barbour 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
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Barbour County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Barbour 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 Barbour County
- When was Barbour County founded?
- Barbour County was founded in 1843, formed from Harrison County, Lewis County and Randolph County, and named after Philip Pendleton Barbour.
- What is the county seat of Barbour County?
- The county seat of Barbour County is Philippi.
- Is there an online parcel map for Barbour County?
- Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 15,407 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Barbour County's boundary or name changed?
- Barbour County was created in 1843 from Harrison County, Lewis County and Randolph County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 4 later changes, chiefly involving Taylor County, Tucker County and Upshur County.
- Who issues building permits in Barbour County?
- The county's page on building permits: Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Barbour County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby