User:Leakeyroof/VA County Descriptions2

Accomack Description
Accomack County is located on the Northernmost portion of Virginia's Eastern Shore. The county’s name comes from the Native American word Accawmack, meaning “the other shore”.

Albemarle Description
Albemarle County is located in the Central region of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of William Ann Keppel, second Earl of Albemarle, who was then governor of the colony.

Alexandria (Independent City) Description
The City of Alexandria is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and is included in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Alexandria was named for John Alexander to whom it was sold shortly after 1669.

Alleghany Description
Alleghany County is located on the far Western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia, sharing a boundary line with West Virginia. Alleghany took its name from the mountain range on which it borders.

Amelia Description
Amelia County is located in the Central region of the Commonwealth of Virginia just west of the state capital, Richmond. It was named in honor of Princess Amelia, daughter of King George II.

Amherst Description
Amherst County is located in the Piedmont region near the center of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of Lord Jeffery Amherst, British Commander-in-Chief.

Appomattox Description
Appomattox County is located in the Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after the Appamatuck people who were shown on Captain John Smith's map of 1612. The name eventually evolved into "Appomattox".

Arlington Description
Arlington County is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area. The name Arlington was chosen because General Robert E. Lee’s home of that name is located in the County, on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.

Augusta Description
Augusta County is located in the Shenandoah Valley of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for the Princess of Wales.

Bath Description
Bath County is located in the Southwest portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia sharing a border with West Virginia. It was named for England's resort City of Bath because it, too, is the home to a number of warm mineral springs.

Bedford Description
Bedford County is located in the West-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of John Russell, The Fourth Duke of Bedford, who was then Secretary of State for Great Britain during the reign of King George II.

Bedford (Independent City) Description
The City of Bedford is located in the West-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for John Russell, The Fourth Duke of Bedford, who was then Secretary of State for Great Britain during the reign of King George II.

Bland Description
Bland County is located in the Southwest portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia sharing a border with West Virginia. Bland County was named after Richard Bland, a leader of Colonial Virginia.

Botetourt Description
Botetourt County is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after popular governor Lord Botetourt, who was regarded as the best of governors.

Bristol (Independent City) Description
The City of Bristol is a twin city located directly on the Virginia-Tennessee state line and is located in the Southwestern corner of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Bristol was originally named Sapling Grove by General Evan Shelby, a well-known figure during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.

Brunswick Description
Brunswick County is located in the South-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia on the North Carolina border and was named for the House of Brunswick which had assumed the English throne in 1714.

Buchanan Description
Buchanan County is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and is the only county to border West Virginia and Kentucky. The County was named after the 15th U.S. President, James Buchanan.

Buckingham Description
Buckingham County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the origin of its name is unknown. Some surmise it was named for either a person or place in England; it is the only Buckingham County in the United States.

Buena Vista (Independent City) Description
The City of Buena Vista is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was originally named Mahonville after James and Martha Mahon who left many descendants, some of whom still live in the area. In 1879 the citizens voted to rename the town Buena Vista (Spanish for "beautiful view").

Campbell Description
Campbell County is located in the Piedmont area of the Commonwealth of Virginia was named for General William Campbell, the Revolutionary War hero famous for his leadership in defeating the Tories and Loyalists at the Battle of King’s Mountain in the Carolinas.

Caroline Description
Caroline County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of Caroline of Ansbach, wife of the then reigning King, George II of Great Britain.

Carroll Description
Carroll County is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with North Carolina. Carroll County was named in honor of Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Charles City Description
Charles City County is located in the East-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for the English King's son, Charles, who later became King Charles I.

Charlotte Description
Charlotte County is located in the South-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of Great Britain.

Charlottesville (Independent City) Description
The City of Charlottesville is located in the West-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of Princess Charlotte, who became queen of England when she married King George III in 1761.

Chesapeake (Independent City) Description
The City of Chesapeake is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and more than likely was named for the Chesapeake Bay on which it lies.

Chesterfield Description
Chesterfield County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Philip Dormer Stanhope, Fourth Earl of Chesterfield, a prominent English statesman who had been the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Clarke Description
Clarke County is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. Clarke County was named for revolutionary war hero, George Rogers Clark.

Clifton Forge (Independent City) Description
The Town of Clifton Forge is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mr. William Lyle Alexander of Lexington owned a forge in the Rainbow Gorge near Iron Gate, and he named the forge “Clifton” in honor of his father’s estate in Lexington.

Colonial Heights (Independent City) Description
The City of Colonial Heights is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The name Colonial Heights resulted from an incident during the American Revolutionary War.

Covington (Independent City) Description
The City of Covington is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of General Leonard Covington, the outstanding and courageous hero of the War of 1812.

Craig Description
Craig County is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia sharing a border with West Virginia. Craig County was named for Robert Craig, a 19th-century Virginia congressman.

Culpeper Description
Culpeper County is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after Thomas Culpeper, second baron Culpeper of Thoresway, a governor of Virginia 1677–1683.

Cumberland Description
Cumberland County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, second son of King George II of Great Britain.

Danville (Independent City) Description
The City of Danville is located in the Southern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named by Colonel William Byrd after the Dan River.

Dickenson Description
Dickenson County is located in the Southwest portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with Kentucky. The County was named for Delegate William J. Dickenson, who sponsored the bill in the House of Delegates to establish this 100th county.

Dinwiddie Description
Dinwiddie County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Robert Dinwiddie, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, 1751-1758.

Emporia (Independent City) Description
The City of Emporia is located in the Southern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after Emporia, Kansas.

Essex Description
Essex County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named either for the shire or county in England or for the Duke of Essex.

Fairfax Description
Fairfax County is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. The County was named for Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.

Fairfax (Independent City) Description
The City of Fairfax is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. Fairfax was named for Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.

Falls Church (Independent City) Description
The City of Falls Church is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. The community was established around The Falls Church (Episcopal) that was founded in 1734 and is one of the two geographically smallest cities in Virginia, at only 2.2 square miles.

Fauquier Description
Fauquier County is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. The County was named for Francis Fauquier, Lieutenant Governor of the Colony of Virginia from 1758 to 1768.

Floyd Description
Floyd County is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for then Governor John Floyd.

Fluvanna Description
Fluvanna County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for the Fluvanna River, the name given to the James River west of Columbia, Virginia. Fluvanna means "Annie's River" in honor of Queen Anne of England.

Franklin Description
Franklin County lies in the Western Piedmont of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Benjamin Franklin, the Governor of Pennsylvania, where many settlers originated

Franklin (Independent City) Description
The City of Franklin is located in the Southeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Benjamin Franklin, the Governor of Pennsylvania, where many settlers originated.

Frederick Description
Frederick County is located in the Northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with West Virginia. The County was named for Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707-51), eldest son of King George II of Great Britain and father of King George III.

Fredericksburg (Independent City) Description
The City of Fredericksburg is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707-51), eldest son of King George II of Great Britain and father of King George III.

Galax (Independent City) Description
The City of Galax is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for the mountain evergreen that grows profusely in the surrounding area.

Giles Description
Giles County is located in the Southwest portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia sharing a border with West Virginia. The county was named for William Branch Giles, United States Senator from Virginia at that time.

Gloucester Description
Gloucester County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Henry, Duke of Gloucester, third son of Charles I.

Goochland Description
Goochland County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia just west of the state capital, Richmond. Goochland was named for Colonial Governor William Gooch.

Grayson Description
Grayson County is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia sharing a border with North Carolina. Grayson was named for William Grayson one of Virginia’s first two senators.

Greene Description
Greene County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of Nathanael Greene who gained fame in the Revolutionary War as second-in-command to General George Washington.

Greensville Description
Greensville County is located in the Southeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with North Carolina. Greensville County was probably named for Sir Richard Grenville, leader of the settlement on Roanoke Island, 1585. There is also belief that it may be named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army and second-in-command to General George Washington.

Halifax Description
Halifax County is located in the South-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with North Carolina. Halifax County was named for the Second Earl of Halifax, George Montagu Dunk, a friend of Virginia’s colonial governor Robert Dinwiddie.

Hampton (Independent City) Description
The City of Hampton is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, an important leader of the Virginia Company of London.

Hanover Description
Hanover County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia just north of the state capital, Richmond. Hanover was named for King George I of England, who was Elector of Hannover in Germany when he came to the throne.

Harrisonburg (Independent City) Description
The City of Harrisonburg is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Thomas Harrison, a son of English settlers

Henrico Description
Henrico County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia, bordering the state capital, Richmond, on the west. It was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of King James I of England.

Henry Description
Henry County is located in the Southern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with North Carolina. Henry County was named in honor of Patrick Henry, who was then serving as the first Governor of Virginia.

Highland Description
Highland County is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with West Virginia. It is often referred to as "Virginia's Switzerland" and the County received its name from its prevailing high altitude.

Hopewell (Independent City) Description
The City of Hopewell is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was initially named City Point by Sir Thomas Dale but later changed to its current Hopewell, named after an English ship.

Isle of Wight Description
Isle of Wight County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after the island in the English channel of the same name.

James City Description
James City County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and took its name from King James I, the father of the then-king, Charles I.

King and Queen Description
King and Queen County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia about 50 miles from the Chesapeake Bay and was named after King William III and Queen Mary of England.

King George Description
King George County is located in the Northeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia on the Rappahannock River. It was named for King George I.

King William Description
King William County is located in the East-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia on the Middle Peninsula, one of three peninsulas on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The County was named for King William III, King of England, Scotland and Ireland from April 11, 1689 to March 19, 1702.

Lancaster Description
Lancaster County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia bounded on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and to the south and west by the Rappahannock River. Lancaster County was named for its counterpart county in England.

Lee Description
Lee County is located in the far Southwestern corner of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares borders with Kentucky and Tennessee. Lee County is named for Henry Lee, Governor of Virginia, 1791-1794.

Lexington (Independent City) Description
The City of Lexington is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of the first great battle of the Revolutionary War, the battle of Lexington, Massachusetts, which had occurred three years earlier.

Loudoun Description
Loudoun County is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia, shares a border with Maryland and is included in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. The County is named for John Campbell, Fourth Earl of Loudoun, a Scottish nobleman who served as Commander-in-Chief for all British armed forces in North America and titular Governor of Virginia from 1756 to 1768.

Louisa Description
Louisa County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of Princess Louisa, daughter of King George II and Queen Caroline of England.

Lunenburg Description
Lunenburg County is located in the South-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for the former Duchy of Brunswick-Lünenburg.

Lynchburg Description
The City of Lynchburg is located in the Piedmont area of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for John Lynch, who established a ferry service on the James River in 1757.

Madison Description
Madison County is located in the North-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for the Madison family that owned a tract of land along the Rapidan River. This family produced one of our nation’s early presidents, James Madison.

Manassas Park (Independent City) Description
The City of Manassas Park is located in the Northern area of the Commonwealth of Virginia and is included in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. According to legend, the name Manassas was derived from an Indian source or from Manasseh, a Jewish innkeeper at Manassas Gap.

Martinsville (Independent City) Description
The City of Martinsville is located in the Southern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was founded by American Revolutionary War General Joseph Martin.

Matthews Description
Matthews County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Brigadier General Thomas Mathews, then speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Mecklenburg Description
Mecklenburg County is located in the South-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with North Carolina. Mecklenburg County was named after Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King George III.

Middlesex Description
Middlesex County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was more than likely named for its English county equivalent.

Montgomery Description
Montgomery County is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general.

Nelson Description
Nelson County is located in the West-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for the third Governor of Virginia, Thomas Nelson, Jr.

New Kent Description
New Kent County is located in the Eastern part the Commonwealth of Virginia and named for Kent, England.

Newport News (Independent City) Description
The City of Newport News is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Christopher Newport, Captain of the Susan Constant, the lead ship of the 3-ship fleet that carried the Jamestown settlers to the New World in 1607.

Norfolk (Independent City) Description
The City of Norfolk is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Norfolk, England.

Northampton Description
Northampton County is on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. It was named for Northamptonshire, England.

Northumberland Description
Northumberland County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after County Northumberland, England.

Norton (Independent City) Description
The City of Norton is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Eckstein Norton, President of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.

Nottoway Description
Nottoway County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for the Nadowa Indian tribe.

Orange Description
Orange County is located in the North-Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after William IV, Prince of Orange.

Page Description
Page County is located in the Northwest portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for John Page, Governor of Virginia, 1802-1805.

Patrick Description
Patrick County is located in the Southern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with North Carolina. Patrick County was named in honor of Patrick Henry.

Petersburg Description
The City of Petersburg is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Originally named Peter's Point around 1675, the city was renamed to Petersburgh in 1733 with a spelling change later on.

Pittsylvania Description
Pittsylvania is the largest county (per square miles) in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is situated in the South-Central Piedmont plateau region. The County was named for William Pitt, First Earl of Chatham, a British Statesman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768.

Portsmouth (Independent City) Description
The City of Portsmouth is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Portsmouth was founded by Colonel William Crawford, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses and named for Portsmouth, England.

Poquoson (Independent City) Description
The City of Poquoson is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The term "poquoson" was used to describe a boundary line between 2 elevated tracts of land. Such a boundary contained a stream, river, or creek with its adjoining marsh which lay between 2 tracts of higher ground. Poquoson was used as a common noun and is found in many deeds along the eastern seaboard. Through the years the term became a proper noun for the land that lies between 2 such poquosons - the Old Poquoson River and the New Poquoson River. Hence, Poquoson, Virginia was established and has remained.

Powhatan Description
Powhatan County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 20 miles west of the state capital, Richmond. It was named in honor of the Indian Chief Powhatan, father of Pocahontas.

Prince Edward Description
Prince Edward County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after Prince Edward Augustus, fourth son and fifth child of King George III who reigned throughout the Revolutionary War.

Prince George Description
Prince George County is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia just south of the state capital, Richmond, and was named for Prince George of Denmark, the husband of England's Queen Anne.

Prince William Description
Prince William is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. It was named after the second son of England's King George II.

Pulaski Description
Pulaski County is located in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of Count Casimir Pulaski, an exiled Polish nobleman, who came to the colonies in 1777 to join Washington's army.

Radford (Independent City) Description
The City of Radford is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Dr. John B. Radford.

Rappahannock Description
Rappahannock County is located in the Piedmont Region of the Commonwealth of Virginia and named for the Rappahannock River.

Richmond Description
Richmond County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. There is no consensus on the origin of Richmond County’s name, but it has been accepted that the county was named for the First Duke of Richmond, cousin to King William and Queen Mary.

Richmond (Independent City) Description
The City of Richmond is located in the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after a suburb of London, England.

Roanoke (Independent City) Description
The City of Roanoke is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and it's name comes from the Indian word "Rawrenock," which means wampum. These were white shell beads worn by native Americans.

Roanoke Description
Roanoke County is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and its name comes from the Indian word "Rawrenock," which means wampum. These were white shell beads worn by native Americans.

Rockbridge Description
Rockbridge County is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Natural Bridge, one of the wonders of the Western World.

Rockingham Description
Rockingham County is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and it shares a border with West Virginia. The County was named for the Marquis of Rockingham, a British statesman sympathetic with the American Revolution.

Russell Description
Russell County is located in the Southwest portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and it was named for Colonel William Russell who fought with Daniel Boone in 1774 when he was only 16 to protect early settlements. Lebanon is the County seat.

Salem (Independent City) Description
The City of Salem is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and it is unclear whether the city was named by James Simpson, an investor, or the Bryans, who were early settlers from Salem, NJ.

Scott Description
Scott County is located along the Tennessee border in the corner of Southwest Virginia and was named after General Winfield Scott.

Shenandoah Description
Shenandoah County is located in the Northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and shares a border with West Virginia. Shenandoah County was initially named Dunmore County.

Smyth Description
Smyth County is in the Southwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Alexander Smyth, a general during the War of 1812.

Southampton Description
Southampton County is in the Southeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Southampton County may have been named for Southampton, a major city in England, or for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, one of the founders of the Virginia Company and a supporter of colonization in North America.

Spotsylvania Description
Spotsylvania County is located midway between the Nation’s capital of Washington, D.C. and the Commonwealth of Virginia's capital, Richmond. Spotsylvania was named for Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor of the Virginia colony from 1710 to 1720.

Stafford Description
Stafford County is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and is included in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. Stafford was named after Staffordshire England.

Staunton (Independent City) Description
The City of Staunton is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for Lady Rebecca Staunton, wife of colonial governor Sir William Gooch.

Suffolk (Independent City) Description
The City of Suffolk is located in the Southeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after Governor William Gooch's home of Suffolk County, England.

Surry Description
Surry County is located across the James River from the historic sites of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown and is centrally located between the Commonwealth of Virginia's capital of Richmond and the Hampton Roads area of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Surry was named for the English County of Surrey. .

Sussex Description
Sussex County is located in the Eastern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after Sussex County, England.

Tazewell Description
Tazewell County lies in the Southwest Appalachian area of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of Senator Henry Tazewell who made the motion to create the county.

Virginia Beach (Independent City) Description
The City of Virginia Beach is located on the Eastern seaboard of the Commonwealth of Virginia and more than likely took its name from the Virginia Company of London.

Warren Description
Warren County is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and included in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. It was named after Dr. Joseph Warren, one of the earliest Founding Fathers of America.

Washington Description
Washington County lies in the Southwest Appalachian area of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of General George Washington who was commander in chief of the American Revolutionary forces at the time.

Waynesboro (Independent City) Description
The City of Waynesboro is located in the Western portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for General Anthony Wayne.

Westmoreland Description
Westmoreland County is located on the Northern Neck Peninsula of the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. While not clear, it is possible the name was taken from Westmoreland, England similar to its sister county in Pennsylvania.

Williamsburg (Independent City) Description
The City of Williamsburg is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named in honor of England's reigning monarch, King William III.

Winchester (Independent City) Description
The City of Winchester is located in the Northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and is included in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The City of Winchester was named for Winchester, England.

Wise Description
Wise County is located in the Southwest Appalachian area of the Commonwealth of Virginia was named after Henry A. Wise, Virginia Governor at the time.

Wythe Description
Wythe County is located in the Southwest portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named for George Wythe, a noted lawyer of Eastern Virginia, who was among the first Virginians to sign the Declaration of Independence; he also designed the Virginia Seal.

York Description
York County is located in the Eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and was named after the York River on which it lies.