Nansemond County, Virginia

Nansemond is an extinct locality that was located in Virginia Colony and the Commonwealth of Virginia (after statehood) in the United States, from 1646 until 1974. It was Nansemond County until 1972, and the independent city of Nansemond from 1972 to 1974. It is now the independent city of Suffolk.

It was named for the Nansemond, a tribe of Native Americans, who have lived along the Nansemond River before the time the English colonists established Jamestown began arriving in 1607 and through to the present day.

In 1634, the King of England directed the formation of eight shires (or counties) in the colony of Virginia. One of these was Elizabeth City Shire, which included land area on both sides of Hampton Roads. New Norfolk County was formed in 1636 from Elizabeth City Shire. It included all the area in South Hampton Roads now incorporated in the five independent cities located there in modern times. In 1637, New Norfolk County was divided into Upper Norfolk County and Lower Norfolk County. Upper Norfolk County became Nansemond County in 1646. In 1910, Suffolk, the county seat since 1750, became an independent city, but remained the county seat.

Under the Virginia Company of London, in 1619, the area which became Nansemond County was included in Elizabeth Cittie [sic], one of four large "boroughs", or "incorporations". In 1624, the Virginia Company lost its proprietary charter, and Virginia became a royal colony.

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