Formed January 1, 1668 (4th county)
Perquimans County (13,006), Hertford (1,936)
The white brick Georgian and Federalist building was erected in 1824 at Church and Market streets. United States Highway 17 Business is Church Street in this part of the town. John Gatling provided the designs. Veteran memorials are on the grounds. The county was established on January 1, 1668 from Albemarle County, which no longer exists and is considered an original county (4th county.) The courthouse was remodeled in 1832, 1852 and 1952. Phelp’s Point was the first county seat until 1759 when Hertford assumed the role. The county was named for the Native American tribe. Hertford is named for Hertford, England.
Perquimans County government consists of a manager, a register, a sheriff, an attorney, and a clerk (executive). It has 6 Commissioners (legislative.) Sixteen Superior Court Judges serve Perquimans, Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Person, Pitt, Tyrrell, Vance, Warren, Washington, and Wilson counties, Two District Court Judges serve Perquimans, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, and Pasquotank counties and a court clerk serves Perquimans County (judicial.) Perquimans County is in northeast North Carolina. Norfolk, Virginia is northeast and Raleigh, North Carolina is southwest of the county. The county center is 5.6 miles Southeast of Hertford nearer Southern Shores. The county is surrounded clockwise by Pasquotank, Tyrrell, Chowan, and Gates counties.
The area of the county is 329 square miles. It is 81 out of 100 in the state. It ranks 90 out of 100 in population in the state. It has a density of 39.5 persons per square mile making it 87 out of 100 in the state. Perquimans County has 19.1% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 17 crosses the county from east to west from Pasquotank County to Chowan County. The county looks like a lobster claw. Hertford is located in the western quarter of the county. Hertford is the county seat and the largest city. It is 14.9% of the county population. The county is pronounced PER-KWI-MANZ. This county is in the Elizabeth City Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Hertford
Winfall
