Hants County, Nova Scotia

County of Hants was created June 17, 1781, consisting of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport. Ultimately getting its name from the County of South Hampton in England, popularly called Hampshire, and abbreviated to Hants, Hants County was established out of part of what had been Kings County. The words of the minutes of the Council of Nova Scotia for June 17, 1781 make it clear that the distance from Horton (the County town of Kings County) and the inconvenience of crossing the Avon River to transact county business were factors which led to a separate county being formed. Four and a half years later its boundaries were more precisely defined and set forth by the Governor and Council in 1785. The boundary lines of Hants were duly surveyed and confirmed by the Lieutenant Governor 1828.

Subsequently in 1861, Hants County was divided into two Districts called East Hants and West Hants.