Duplin County ( )
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...

. Retrieved January 31, 2013. is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the U.S. state of

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

. As of the 2020 census, its population was 48,715. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Kenansville.

History

The county was formed in 1750 from New Hanover County. It was named for Thomas Hay, Viscount Dupplin (later 9th Earl of Kinnoull), as he was known when he served on the Board of Trade and Plantations in England in the 1740s. 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 Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, 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 The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...

bands. (They are now a federally recognized tribe.)

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which (0.67%) are covered by water.

State and local protected area

* Angola Bay Game Land (part) * Cabin Lake County Park

Major water bodies

* Doctors Creek * Goshen Swamp * Groove Creek * Island Creek * Limestone Creek * Little Limestone Creek * Maxwell Creek * Millers Creek * Northeast Cape Fear River * Stewards Creek

Adjacent counties

* Wayne County – north * Lenoir County – northeast * Jones County – east * Onslow County – east * Pender County – south * Sampson County – west

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Major infrastructure

* Duplin County Airport * Eagles Nest Airport * Henderson Field Airport (ACZ)

Climate

Duplin County is located in the

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

''Cfa'') zone, with mostly moderate temperatures year round. Winters are mild across Duplin, with the warmest winter temperatures found in the southeastern areas of the county due to the influence of the nearby

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

. The average high temperature in January is around 55 °F (13 °C). Summers are hot and humid, with the hottest summer temperatures found in the northern areas of Duplin County. The average high temperature in July is around 90 °F (32 °C). The

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...

for Duplin County is Zone 8A (10 °F to 15 °F or -12 °C to -9 °C).

Demographics

2020 census

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

2000 census

At the 2000 census, 49,063 people, 18,267 households, and 13,060 families were residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . The 20,520 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 58.67% White, 28.94% 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. About 15.14% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. Of the 18,267 households, 33.2% had children under 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were not families. About 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.10. In the county, the age distribution was 26.1% under 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.6 males. The median income for a household in the county was $29,890, and for a family was $34,760. Males had a median income of $26,212 versus $20,063 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $14,499. About 15.30% of families and 19.40% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 22.50% of those under age 18 and 22.70% of those 65 or over.

Government and politics

Duplin County is a member of the regional Eastern Carolina Council of Governments. It is represented by Senator William Brent Jackson, a Republican member of the

North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The Senate ...

, in the 10th district and Jimmy Dixon, a Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, in the 4th district.

Economy

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

Education

Duplin County is home to James Sprunt Community College.

Communities

Towns

* Beulaville * Calypso * Faison (part) * Greenevers * Harrells (part) * Kenansville (county seat) * Magnolia * Mount Olive (part) * Rose Hill * Teachey * Wallace (largest community; parts within Pender County) *

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

Townships

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

Census-designated places

* Bowdens * Chinquapin * Potters Hill

Unincorporated communities

* Fountaintown * Hallsville * Kornegay * Murphey * Sarecta

Notable people

* Caleb Bradham (1867–1934), an American pharmacist, is best known as the inventor of the soft drink

Pepsi Pepsi is a Carbonated water, carbonated soft drink with a cola flavor, manufactured by PepsiCo which serves as its flagship product. In 2023, Pepsi was the second most valuable soft drink brand worldwide behind Coca-Cola; the two share a long ...

. Bradham was born in Chinquapin. * Benjamin F. Grady (1831–1914), a U.S. congressman, author, teacher, and farmer, was born near Sarecta on October 10, 1831. He taught mathematics and natural sciences at Austin College in Texas when the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

begann and was the superintendent of public instruction for Duplin County from 1881 to 1890. In 1891, he was elected for two terms as U.S. representative for North Carolina's 3rd congressional district. * James Kenan (1740–1810) was a colonial and state official, Revolutionary officer, founder of Kenansville, and sheriff of Duplin County. Kenan was born in Turkey, North Carolina, at his father's plantation, the Lilacs. * Peter Weddick Moore (1859–1934), a North Carolina educator and the first president of Elizabeth City State University, was born near Faison, to Weddick and Alecy Thompson Moore, who were both enslaved African Americans. * Charles S. Murphy (1909–1983), an American attorney, served as the White House Counsel to U.S. President

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...

from 1950 to 1953, and during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations as Under secretary of Agriculture, from 1960 to 1965; he was chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board from 1965 to 1968. Murphy was born on a farm in Wallace. * Parker David Robbins (1834–1917) was an American soldier, legislator, inventor, and postmaster. He was of African and Native American descent and considered a "free black". In 1877, he moved to Duplin County and established a cotton gin and sawmill, and built a steamboat. Robbins was born in

Bertie County Bertie County ( )Talk Like a Tarheel
, from the North Carolina Col ...

. * Ruth Faison Shaw (1889–1969), American artist and educator, is credited with introducing finger painting into the United States' education system. She was born in Kenansville.

References

External links

*
Duplin County Public Library
* {{Authority control 1750 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1750