Fauquier County 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 ...

in the Commonwealth of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,972. The

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 Warrenton. Fauquier County is in

Northern Virginia Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several County (United States), counties and independent city (United States), independent cities in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. ...

and is a part of the Washington metropolitan area.

History

In 1608, the first European to explore in the vicinity, Captain John Smith, reported that the Whonkentia (a subgroup of the Siouan-speaking Manahoac tribe) inhabited the area. The Manahoac were forced out around 1670 by the

Iroquois The Iroquois ( ), also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards; alternatively referred to by the Endonym and exonym, endonym Haudenosaunee ( ; ) are an Iroquoian languages, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Ind ...

( Seneca), who did not resettle the area. The Conoy camped briefly near The Plains, from 1697 to 1699. The Six Nations ceded the entire region including modern Fauquier to Virginia Colony at the Treaty of Albany, in 1722. Fauquier County was established on May 1, 1759, from Prince William County. It is named for

Francis Fauquier Francis Fauquier (1703 – 3 March 1768) was a British colonial administrator who served as the List of colonial governors of Virginia, lieutenant governor of Virginia from 1758 to 1768. Born in England to a Huguenots, Huguenot family, he emigrat ...

, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia at the time, who won the land in a poker game, according to legend.

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

battles in Fauquier County included (in order) the First Battle of Rappahannock Station, the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap, the Battle of Kelly's Ford, the Battle of Aldie, the Battle of Middleburg, the Battle of Upperville, the First and Second Battle of Auburn, the Battle of Buckland Mills, and the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water. Fauquier county is not densely populated, but exurban development from Washington, DC has sprung up in some parts. Even in rural areas, housing complexes can be seen along highways. The highest point by elevation is Blue Mountain at on the county's northwestern border with Warren County.

Adjacent counties

* Clarke County (north) *

Loudoun County Loudoun County () is in the northern part of the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. In 2020, the census returned a population of 420,959, making it Virginia's third-most populous county. The county seat is Leesburg, Virgi ...

(north) * Prince William County (east) * Stafford County (southeast) * Culpeper County (southwest) * Rappahannock County (west) * Warren County (northwest)

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * *

Demographics

2020 census

2000 Census

In 2000, there were 19,842 households, out of which 36.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.80% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.70% were non-families. 18.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.14. In 2013, 24.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.40% was from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 95.4 males. The median income for a household in the county was $93,762. The per capita income for the county was $39,600. About 3.70% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.70% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over. The county is exurban. There has been increased growth in Warrenton and New Baltimore in recent years. The subdivisions of Brookside and Vint Hill have facilitated the growth in the eastern part of the county. There is some industry in Fauquier County, however the largest employer in the county is the county government and the hospital. As of the 2000 census, 47% of county residents that work have jobs that are outside the county. The average travel time to work is 39.2 minutes.

Government

Board of Supervisors

* Cedar Run District: Richard Gerhardt (R) – Chairman * Center District: Kevin T. Carter (R) - Vice Chairman * Lee District: Daron Culbertson (R) * Marshall District: Regan Washer (R) * Scott District: Edwin W. "Ike" Broaddus (I)

Constitutional officers

* Clerk of the Circuit Court: Gail H. Barb (R) * Commissioner of the Revenue: Eric Maybach (R) * Commonwealth's Attorney: Scott C. Hook (R) * Sheriff: Jeremy A. Falls (R) * Treasurer: Tanya Remson Wilcox (R)

Legislators

The Virginia Senate: * Bryce Reeves (R) The

Virginia House of Delegates The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the two houses of the Virginia General Assembly, the other being the Senate of Virginia. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbe ...

: * Michael J. Webert (R) * Geary Higgins (R) The U.S. House of Representatives: * Suhas Subramanyam (D)

Law enforcement

The Fauquier County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency in Fauquier County, Virginia. Its headquarters are in Warrenton. It supports the Warrenton Training Center, a CIA site in Warrenton. Warrenton and Remington have their own police departments.

Politics

Since 1952, Fauquier County has voted for the Republican Party in all but one presidential election.

Education

K-12 schools

Most of the county is in the Fauquier County Public Schools school division. The portion on Marine Corps Base Quantico is within the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) school district. Fauquier County Public Schools facilities include: ;Elementary schools * C. M. Bradley Elementary School * James G. Brumfield Elementary School * W. G. Coleman Elementary School * Grace Miller Elementary School * H. M. Pearson Elementary School * C. Hunter Ritchie Elementary School * P. B. Smith Elementary School * Claude Thompson Elementary School * Mary Walter Elementary School * Greenville Elementary School * M. M. Pierce Elementary School ; Middle schools * Auburn Middle School * Cedar Lee Middle School * W. C. Taylor Middle School * Marshall Middle School ; High schools * Fauquier High School * Liberty High School * Southeastern Alternative School * Kettle Run High School * Mountain Vista Governor's School The zoned schools for areas on-post at MCB Quantico are Crossroads Elementary School and Quantico Middle/High School. ;Private schools: * Fresta Valley Christian School * Highland School *St. John The Evangelist Catholic School * Wakefield School

Higher education

* Laurel Ridge Community College * Thorpe House Adult Learning Center

Economy

Top Employers

According to the county's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the county's largest employers are:

Communities

Towns

* Remington * The Plains * Warrenton (county seat)

Census-designated places

* Bealeton * Calverton * Catlett * Marshall * Midland * New Baltimore *

Opal Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silicon dioxide, silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3% to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6% and 10%. Due to the amorphous (chemical) physical structure, it is classified as a ...

Other unincorporated communities

* Airlie * Atoka * Belle Meade * Belvoir * Bleak * Bristersburg * Broad Run * Casanova * Delaplane * Elk Run * Germantown * Goldvein * Halfway * Hume *

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

* Linden * Markham * Morrisville * Old Tavern * Orlean *

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

* Rectortown * Somerville * Sumerduck * Upperville

Notable people

* James Markham Ambler, American naval surgeon * Turner Ashby, born in Fauquier County, Confederate Army colonel in the American Civil War. * Martin Berkofsky, classical pianist and philanthropist. * Matt Carson, Entrepreneur and author * Irv Cross,

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

er and sportscaster. * Susan Cummings, an heiress infamous for killing Argentine polo player Roberto Villegas. * Robert Duvall, American-born actor who maintains a farm in The Plains. * Bertram and Diana Firestone, owners of Newstead Farm. * George B. Fitch, American businessman, Mayor of Warrenton, founder of Jamaican Bobsled Team. *

Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...

Cary Travers Grayson, owner of historic Blue Ridge Farm. * Eppa Hunton, U.S. Representative and Senator from Virginia, born and lived in Warrenton. * Sandy Lerner,

Cisco Cisco Systems, Inc. (using the trademark Cisco) is an American multinational digital communications technology conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California. Cisco develops, manufactures, and sells networking hardware, s ...

founder who maintains a farm in Upperville. * Charles Marshall, born in Warrenton, assistant adjutant general, aide de camp and military secretary to Gen. Robert E. Lee. Grandnephew of Chief Justice John Marshall. * James K. Marshall,

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

during Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg while leading the

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...

of J. Johnston Pettigrew, grandson of Chief Justice John Marshall. *

John Marshall John Marshall (September 24, 1755July 6, 1835) was an American statesman, jurist, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fourth chief justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835. He remai ...

, born in Fauquier County,

Chief Justice of the United States The chief justice of the United States is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States and is the highest-ranking officer of the U.S. federal judiciary. Appointments Clause, Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution g ...

. * Paul Mellon, philanthropist, an Exemplar of Racing and owner of Rokeby Farm. * John S. Mosby, lived in Warrenton, was a Confederate partisan ranger and

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

man during the American Civil War. Buried in Warrenton cemetery. * Presley O'Bannon, of the First Barbary War, born in Fauquier County * Karen O'Connor and David O'Connor, Olympic eventing riders * Dorothy B. Porter, Bibliographer and curator, built the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University * Albert Rust, 19th-century American politician who served as a senior officer of the

during the

(1861–1865). * Michaele Salahi and Tareq Salahi, the White House Gate Crashers. * Willard Scott, an American media personality best known for his work on NBC's '' The Today Show'' who lived in Paris, Virginia. * Scott Shipp, born in Warrenton, Superintendent of Virginia Military Institute from 1890 to 1907. * Isabel Dodge Sloane, owner of Brookmeade Stud. * William "Extra Billy" Smith, died in Warrenton, was a lawyer, congressman, two-time Governor of Virginia and one of the oldest Confederate generals in the American Civil War. * Shedrick Thompson, disputed lynching victim * Liz Whitney Tippett, owner of the Llangollen estate. * William B. Waddell (Pony Express founder), Pony Express founder

References

External links

Fauquier County Government Site
{{Coord, 38.74, -77.81, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-VA_source:UScensus1990 1759 establishments in the Colony of Virginia Northern Virginia counties Virginia counties Washington metropolitan area