Hillsborough county (
Florida) was established in 1834, and named after
Lord Hillsborough, who was the
British Colonial Secretary when the area was mapped by
Dutch cartographer
Bernard Romans in 1772. The county predates Florida's statehood, having been chartered in 1834. Orignially it covered most of southwest Florida, including modern-day
Pinellas,
Polk,
Manatee,
Sarasota,
Charlotte,
DeSoto,
Hardee and
Highlands counties, as well as parts of
Lee county. Despite its huge area, the county's population at its inception was a whopping 836.
Today Hillsborough County is the fifth largest (by population) county in Florida with over 900,000 residents, and is home to the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City.