Hampton County, South Carolina

Hampton County Education, Geography, and History

Hampton County is a county located in the state of South Carolina. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 21,090. Its county seat is Hampton. The name originates from Civil War general Wade Hampton.

Etymology - Origin of Hampton County Name

Hampton is named for Governor of South Carolina Wade Hampton.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Hampton County History

Hampton County and its county seat were named for Confederate General and South Carolina Governor Wade Hampton (1818-1902). The county was formed from Beaufort County in 1878, shortly after Wade Hampton took office as governor. Parts of Hampton County later went to form Jasper (1912) and Allendale (1919) counties. During the Civil War, while the coastal areas of Beaufort County were occupied by federal troops, many planters fled to the area that became Hampton County. General Sherman's troops passed through the county in 1865, fighting several skirmishes with Confederate troops. This section of the state has remained primarily agricultural. Athlete Lucile Ellerbe Godbold (1900-1981), who won two gold medals in track and field at the 1922 Olympics, grew up in Hampton County, and writer Vertamae Grosvenor was also born there.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 563 square miles (1,457 km²), of which, 560 square miles (1,450 km²) of it is land and 3 square miles (7 km²) of it (0.51%) is water.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Bamberg County, South Carolina - north
• Colleton County, South Carolina - east
• Beaufort County, South Carolina - southeast
• Jasper County, South Carolina - south
• Effingham County, Georgia - southwest
• Screven County, Georgia - west
• Allendale County, South Carolina - northwest

Education

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