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Counties in the Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma are shown in the map on the right. See below this table for additional information on each county. The Cherokee Nation used the term 'District' rather than 'County.' |
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| District | Date Created | Parent District | |
| Adair | 16 July 1907 | Choctaw Lands | |
| Cherokee | 16 July 1907 | Choctaw Lands | |
| Craig | 16 July 1907 | Cherokee Lands | |
| Delaware | 16 July 1907 | Cherokee County | |
| Mayes | 16 July 1907 | Cherokee Lands | |
| McIntosh | 16 July 1907 | Creek Lands | |
| Muskogee | 1898 | Creek Nation | |
| Nowata | 16 July 1907 | Cherokee Lands | |
| Ottawa | 16 July 1907 | Cherokee Nation | |
| Rogers | 16 July 1907 | Cherokee Nation | |
| Sequoyah | 16 July 1907 | Cherokee Lands | |
| Tulsa | 1905 | Creek Lands | |
| Wagoner | 1908 | Creek Lands | |
| Washington |
1897 |
Cherokee Lands | |
County Creation - Additional Data
A convention met at Tahlequah in September, composed mostly of Eastern Cherokees, and framed a new constitution, which was ratified by a convention of Old Settlers at Fort Gibson, June 26, 1840. For purposes of civil administration and the apportionment of legislators, the Cherokee Nation was divided into nine districts similar in size and organization to counties. They were called Canadian, Illinois, Sequoyah, Flint, Delaware, Goingsnake, Tahlequah, and Cooweescoowee, the last one being named in honor of John Ross, whose Cherokee name that was.
The Constitutional Convention named all of the counties which were formed from that part of the state of Oklahoma which was included in the Indian Territory together with several new counties which were formed from portions of Oklahoma Territory. Two new counties have been formed and named since the state was admitted to the Union.
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County Seat |
Creation |
Etymology |
Population | Area | Map | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair | Stilwell | The Adair family of the Cherokee tribe. |
21,038 |
576 sq mi (1,492 km) |
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|
| Cherokee | Tahlequah |
Originally settled by Cherokee Indians following the Trail of Tears |
Cherokee Nation's Tahlequah District; name said to have been derived from a Chickasaw word "Chiluk-ki," meaning cave people. |
42,521 |
751 sq mi (1,945 km) |
 |
| Craig | Vinita | Granville Craig, a prominent mixed-blood-Cherokee farmer who had lived in the Welch-Bluejacket area since 1873. |
14,950 |
761 sq mi (1,971 km) |
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|
| Delaware | Jay | Delaware District of old Cherokee Nation. |
37,077 |
741 sq mi (1,919 km) |
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|
| Mayes | Pryor |
(See below).* |
Honors Cherokee Chief Samuel H. Mayes. Pryor, or Pryor Creek, named for early trader and Indian subagent Nathaniel Pryor, became the county seat. |
38,369 |
656 sq mi (1,699 km) |
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| McIntosh | Eufaula | Named for the prominent McIntosh family of the Creek Nation, many of whom were chiefs and leaders. | 19,456 | 620 sq mi (1,606 km) |
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| Muskogee | Muskogee | County named from the city, which in turn was named for the Muskogee or Creek tribe of Indians. The word is a corruption of "Maskoki" said to have been derived from an Algonquin word signifying swamp or marshy land. | 69,451 | 814 sq mi (2,108 km) |
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| Nowata | Nowata | County named from its county seat town. The name is said to be a corruption of the Delaware Indian word "Noweeta" meaning "welcome." | 10,569 | 565 sq mi (1,463 km) |
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| Ottawa | Miami | Named for the tribal name, corruption of "Adawe," meaning to trade or traffic. | 33,194 | 471 sq mi (1,220 km) |
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| Rogers | Claremore | Named for Clement V. Rogers, member of the Constitutional Convention and father of Will Rogers, the stage comedian. | 70,641 | 675 sq mi (1,748 km) |
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| Sequoyah | Sallisaw | Named for the Cherokee Native who invented the Cherokee alphabet. | 38,972 | 674 sq mi (1,746 km) |
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| Tulsa | Tulsa | Tulsey Town, an old Creek settlement in Oklahoma | 563,299 | 570 sq mi (1,476 km) |
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| Wagoner | Wagoner |
The County was named for its county seat, which in turn is said to have been named for Bailey P. Waggoner, attorney of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company at the time of building one of its lines led to the founding of the town. |
57,491 | 563 sq mi (1,458 km) |
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| Washington | Bartlesville | In honor of President George Washington. |
48,996 |
417 sq mi (1,080 km) |
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*Creation of Mayes county began with the constitution for the proposed State of Sequoyah in August 1905. The document designated 48 counties. Nine of these, including Mayes, became part of the state by the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention, effective at statehood on November 16, 16 July 1907.