Beaufort County, North Carolina

Beaufort County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 47,759. Its county seat is Washington. The county was founded in 1705 as Pamptecough Precinct. Originally included in Bath County, it was renamed Beaufort Precinct in 1712 and became Beaufort County in 1739.Beaufort County comprises the Washington, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Greenville-Washington, NC Combined Statistical Area.HistoryBeaufort County was first called Pamptecough. The name was changed about 1712 to Beaufort, named for Henry Somerset-Scudamore, 3rd Duke of Beaufort, who became one of Carolina's Lords Proprietor around 1709.GeographyAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (14%) is water. It is the fifth-largest county in North Carolina by total area.Adjacent countiesWashington County (northeast)Hyde County (east)Pamlico County (southeast)Craven County (southwest)Pitt County (west)Martin County (northwest)