Cass County: Named after Lewis Cass, who led an expedition that explored the area. He was also a governor of Michigan Territory, a U.S. senator, and held cabinet positions with two presidents. Est. Sept. 1, 1851.

Chippewa County: Named for the Chippewa, or Ojibway, Indians and the Chippewa River, which joins the Minnesota River in this county. "Chippewa" is a French corruption of "Ojibway." Est. Feb. 20, 1862.

Chisago County: Named after the county’s largest lake, Ki-chi-sago, meaning "large" and "lovely" in Ojibway. The Legislature meant to name the county "Chisaga," but a typographical error changed the last letter from "a" to "o." The mistake was never corrected. Est. Sept. 1, 1851.

Clay County: Named after American statesman Henry Clay, a member of both houses of Congress, speaker of the House, and a candidate for president several times. Est. March 8, 1862.

Clearwater County: Named after Clearwater Lake and Clearwater River that lie within the county. The Ojibway name — clear water — was inspired by the crystal clearness of the lake and river. Est. Dec. 20, 1902.

Cook County: Named after Major Michael Cook of Faribault, a prominent citizen who died fighting in the Civil War. Cook moved to Minnesota in 1855, worked as a carpenter, and served as both a territorial and state senator. Est. March 9, 1874.

Cottonwood County: Named after the Cottonwood River and the many cottonwood trees in southern Minnesota. Est. May 23, 1857.

Crow Wing County: Named for the Crow Wing River. The river’s name is an erroneous translation of the Ojibway term for "raven’s wing." The raven is a cousin of the crow. Est. May 23, 1857.

Dodge County: Named for Henry Dodge, a territorial and state governor of Wisconsin, and his son, Augustus C. Dodge, of Iowa. Wisconsin Territory had included parts of Minnesota. Est. Feb. 20, 1855.

Douglas County: Named in honor of Stephen Douglas, a U.S. senator, statesman, and leader in the Democratic Party. Est. March 8, 1858.

aribault County: Named after Jean Baptiste Faribault, a longtime trader with the Dakota. He moved to Minnesota in 1803 and was the first white settler to practice agriculture in the state. Est. Feb. 20, 1855.

Fillmore County: Named after Millard Fillmore, president of the United States from 1850 to 1853. Fillmore visited Minnesota in 1854 after leaving the presidency. Est. March 5, 1853.

Freeborn County: Named after William Freeborn, a territorial settler. Est. Feb. 20, 1855.

oodhue County: Named after the first printer-editor in Minnesota, James Madison Goodhue. He founded the Minnesota Pioneer in 1849. Est. March 5, 1853.

Grant County: Named in honor of Ulysses S. Grant, who led the Union forces to victory in the Civil War. He was later elected president of the United States. Grant visited Minnesota in 1883 to celebrate the completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Est. March 6, 1868.

ennepin County: Named after Louis Hennepin, a Franciscan missionary, explorer, and author. This early explorer came to the area during the 1670s. Est. March 6, 1852.

Houston County: Named for Samuel Houston, president of Texas before it became a state. Houston later became a U.S. senator. Est. Feb. 23, 1854.

santi County: Taken from the name of the Izaty Indians, the ancient name for the Santee Indians, members of the Dakota alliance. Est. Feb. 13, 1857.

Itasca County: Named from two Latin words for "truth" and "head." The Mississippi River passes through this county from Lake Itasca in Clearwater County. Est. Oct. 27, 1849.

ackson County: The origin of this name is still in dispute. Early sources have the county being named after Henry Jackson, the first merchant in St. Paul and a member of the first Territorial Legislature. Later accounts have the county named after Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States. Est. May 23, 1857.

anabec County: Named after the Ojibway word for "snake" and the Snake River within the county. Est. March 13, 1858.

Kandiyohi County: Taken from the Dakota language. "Kandiyohi" means "where the buffalo fish come." The fish swim upstream in the region’s rivers to spawn. Est. March 20, 1858.

Kittson County: Named after Norman Wolfred Kittson, an early pioneer of the area. Est. March 9, 1878.

Koochiching County: Named after an Ojibway word for Rainy Lake and Rainy River, it means "neighbor lake and river." Est. Dec. 19, 1906.

ac qui Parle County: Taken from the French translation of the Dakota words meaning "the lake that speaks." The name apparently stems from the echoes that bounce off the bluffs around the lake. Est. March 6, 1871.

Lake County: Received its name from Lake Superior, which is directly south of the county. Est. March 1, 1856.