What's in a name? Perquimans County, North Carolina

The mayor of Hertford, N.C., has been known to quiz newcomers about his home county of Perquimans.

His most often asked question is about the meaning of the name. Always a good tour guide, Sid Eley has his answer ready and a theory about its genesis.

"It's an Indian word that means 'land of beautiful women,' " he said.

"I've heard one story - but I don't have any proof of this - that the men would go to the Outer Banks on fishing expeditions and this is where they left their women. And none of them had ugly wives."

In 1664, Albemarle County was formed in what is now northeastern North Carolina, the earliest permanently settled part of the colony, according to the Encyclopedia of North Carolina, edited by William S. Powell. By 1668, Albemarle County was divided into four precincts that were eventually divided further to make up today's Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties.

Perquimans County was formed in 1679 and was originally called Berkeley Precinct of Albemarle County.

The land was deeded to George Durant in 1661 by Kilcocanen, King of the Yeopim Indians, a branch of the Algonquins, Eley said.

The county was later renamed Perquimans for the Indians of the area.

Located between Chowan and Pasquotank counties, Perquimans boasts more than 100 miles of shoreline along the Little River, Albemarle Sound and Perquimans River.

Lauren King, (757) 446-2309, lauren.king@pilotonline.com