Duplin County, North Carolina

Coordinates: 34°56′N 77°56′W / 34.93°N 77.93°W / 34.93; -77.93
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Duplin County
Duplin County Courthouse in Kenansville
Duplin County Courthouse in Kenansville
Flag of Duplin County
Official seal of Duplin County
Official logo of Duplin County
Map of North Carolina highlighting Duplin County
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°56′N 77°56′W / 34.93°N 77.93°W / 34.93; -77.93
Country United States
State North Carolina
Founded1750
Named forThomas Hay, Viscount Dupplin
SeatKenansville
Largest communityWallace
Area
 • Total820.22 sq mi (2,124.4 km2)
 • Land814.72 sq mi (2,110.1 km2)
 • Water5.50 sq mi (14.2 km2)  0.67%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total48,715
 • Estimate 
(2023)
49,520
 • Density59.80/sq mi (23.09/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.duplincountync.com

Duplin County (/ˈdp.lɪn/ DOOP-lin)[1][2] is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,715.[3] Its county seat is Kenansville.[4]

History[edit]

The county was formed in 1750 from New Hanover County. It was named for Thomas Hay, Viscount Dupplin (later 9th Earl of Kinnoull),[5] as he was known when he served on the Board of Trade and Plantations in England in the 1740s.[6]

In 1784, the western part of Duplin County became Sampson County.

John Miller, a merchant in Duplin, was appointed as postmaster. In the 19th century, he migrated to Leon County in the panhandle of Florida, with other North Carolinians during the period of Indian Removal in the 1830s–1840s. There, he developed a successful cotton plantation. He called it Miccosukee Plantation, after one of the Seminole bands. (They are now a federally recognized tribe.)

Geography[edit]

Map
Interactive map of Duplin County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 820.22 square miles (2,124.4 km2), of which 814.72 square miles (2,110.1 km2) is land and 5.50 square miles (14.2 km2) (0.67%) is water.[7]

State and local protected area[edit]

Major water bodies[edit]

Adjacent counties[edit]

Major highways[edit]

Major infrastructure[edit]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
17905,663
18006,79620.0%
18107,86315.7%
18209,74423.9%
183011,29115.9%
184011,182−1.0%
185013,51420.9%
186015,78416.8%
187015,542−1.5%
188018,77320.8%
189018,690−0.4%
190022,40519.9%
191025,44213.6%
192030,22318.8%
193035,10316.1%
194039,73913.2%
195041,0743.4%
196040,270−2.0%
197038,015−5.6%
198040,9527.7%
199039,995−2.3%
200049,06322.7%
201058,50519.2%
202048,715−16.7%
2023 (est.)49,520[3]1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11]
1990–2000[12] 2010[13] 2020[3]

2020 census[edit]

Duplin County racial composition[14]
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 24,945 51.21%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 11,437 23.48%
Native American 154 0.32%
Asian 155 0.32%
Pacific Islander 4 0.01%
Other/Mixed 1,207 2.48%
Hispanic or Latino 10,813 22.2%

As of the 2020 census, there were 48,715 people, 21,466 households, and 14,504 families residing in the county.

2000 census[edit]

At the 2000 census,[15] there were 49,063 people, 18,267 households, and 13,060 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile (23 people/km2). There were 20,520 housing units at an average density of 25 units per square mile (9.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 58.67% White, 28.94% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 10.87% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. 15.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 18,267 households, out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples living together, 14.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were non-families. 24.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,890, and the median income for a family was $34,760. Males had a median income of $26,212 versus $20,063 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,499. About 15.30% of families and 19.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.50% of those under age 18 and 22.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics[edit]

Duplin County is a member of the regional Eastern Carolina Council of Governments.

Duplin County is represented by Senator William Brent Jackson,[16] a Republican member of the North Carolina Senate in the 10th district.

Duplin County is represented by Jimmy Dixon, a Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives in the 4th district.

United States presidential election results for Duplin County, North Carolina[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 13,793 60.72% 8,767 38.60% 155 0.68%
2016 12,217 58.58% 8,283 39.72% 356 1.71%
2012 11,416 55.44% 9,033 43.87% 143 0.69%
2008 10,834 54.43% 8,958 45.01% 112 0.56%
2004 9,611 57.96% 6,923 41.75% 49 0.30%
2000 7,840 54.48% 6,475 45.00% 75 0.52%
1996 5,432 43.83% 6,179 49.86% 781 6.30%
1992 5,286 38.45% 6,816 49.58% 1,645 11.97%
1988 5,774 49.24% 5,945 50.70% 7 0.06%
1984 7,708 52.96% 6,830 46.93% 17 0.12%
1980 5,403 41.34% 7,524 57.57% 142 1.09%
1976 3,912 33.45% 7,696 65.81% 86 0.74%
1972 7,153 70.61% 2,857 28.20% 120 1.18%
1968 2,724 22.22% 3,451 28.16% 6,082 49.62%
1964 3,821 34.77% 7,169 65.23% 0 0.00%
1960 2,953 28.89% 7,269 71.11% 0 0.00%
1956 2,110 23.34% 6,931 76.66% 0 0.00%
1952 2,115 24.86% 6,392 75.14% 0 0.00%
1948 1,024 14.18% 5,866 81.25% 330 4.57%
1944 1,437 20.82% 5,464 79.18% 0 0.00%
1940 1,260 18.94% 5,394 81.06% 0 0.00%
1936 1,546 20.58% 5,966 79.42% 0 0.00%
1932 1,173 19.94% 4,674 79.46% 35 0.60%
1928 2,911 52.37% 2,647 47.63% 0 0.00%
1924 1,542 34.24% 2,924 64.93% 37 0.82%
1920 2,697 44.25% 3,398 55.75% 0 0.00%
1916 1,527 45.57% 1,824 54.43% 0 0.00%
1912 33 1.15% 1,757 61.46% 1,069 37.39%

Economy[edit]

Duplin County is important in raising animals for food. It has more hogs than any other county in the United States—2.2 million in 1998, which is greater than the hog population of most states. The county is also the home to a major chicken and turkey industry.[18]

Duplin County is also home to Duplin Winery, the oldest winery in North Carolina and the largest winery in the Southeast.

Education[edit]

Duplin County is home to James Sprunt Community College.

Communities[edit]

Map of Duplin County with municipal and township labels

Towns[edit]

Townships[edit]

  • Albertson
  • Cypress Creek
  • Faison
  • Glisson
  • Island Creek
  • Kenansville
  • Limestone
  • Magnolia
  • Rockfish
  • Rose Hill
  • Smith
  • Warsaw
  • Wolfscrape

Census-designated places[edit]

Unincorporated communities[edit]

Notable people[edit]

  • Caleb Davis Bradham (1867–1934), American pharmacist, best known as the inventor of the soft drink Pepsi. Bradham was born in Chinquapin, NC.[19]
  • Benjamin Franklin Grady (1831–1914), US Congressman. Author. Teacher. Farmer. Born near Sarecta, Duplin County October 10, 1831. Teaching mathematics and natural sciences at Austin College in Texas when the Civil War began. Superintendent of public instruction for Duplin County from 1881 to 1890. In 1891, he was elected for two terms as a United States Representative for the Third District of North Carolina.[20]
  • James Kenan (1740–1810), Colonial and state official; Revolutionary officer; founder of Kenansville, NC; and Sheriff of Duplin County. Kenan was born in Turkey, NC, at his father's plantation, The Lilacs.[21]
  • Peter Weddick Moore (1859–1934), North Carolina educator and the first president of Elizabeth City State University. Moore was born near Faison, NC, to Weddick and Alecy Thompson Moore, who were both enslaved African Americans.[22]
  • Charles S. Murphy (1909–1983), American attorney who served as the White House Counsel to U.S. President Harry S. Truman from 1950 to 1953, and during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations as Under Secretary of Agriculture, from 1960 to 1965; and chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board from 1965 to 1968.[23] Springs was born on a farm in Wallace, NC.
  • Ruth Faison Shaw (1889–1969), American artist and educator who is credited with introducing finger painting into the United States education system. Shaw was born in Kenansville, NC.
  • Parker D. Robbins (1834–1917), American soldier, legislator, inventor, and postmaster. Robbins was of African and Native American descent and considered a "free black." In 1877, he moved to Duplin County and established a cotton gin, sawmill, and built a steamboat. Robbins was born in Bertie County, NC.[24]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Talk Like A Tarheel Archived 2013-06-22 at the Wayback Machine, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
  2. ^ "NC Pronunciation Guide". WRAL. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "QuickFacts: Duplin County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ^ Proffitt, Martie (April 17, 1983). "Local history offers tasty tidbits". Star-News. pp. 8C. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  6. ^ "A Brief History of Duplin County, NC". Duplin County, North Carolina. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  7. ^ "2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  8. ^ "NCWRC Game Lands". www.ncpaws.org. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  11. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  13. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  14. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  16. ^ "Senator Brent Jackson - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly". www.ncleg.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  18. ^ MacInnis, Stewart (September 24, 1998). "Kornegay's research eases livestock impact". Spectrum. Virginia Tech. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  19. ^ "Bradham, Caleb Davis | NCpedia". www.ncpedia.org. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  20. ^ "Benjamin Franklin Grady, 10 Oct. 1831-6 Mar. 1914". docsouth.unc.edu. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  21. ^ "Kenan, James". www.ncpedia.org. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  22. ^ "Moore, Peter Weddick | NCpedia". www.ncpedia.org. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  23. ^ Smothers, Ronald (August 30, 1983). "CHARLES S. MURPHY IS DEAD AT 74 - SERVED AS ADVISER TO 3 PRESIDENTS". The New York Times. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  24. ^ "Robbins, Parker David | NCpedia".

External links[edit]