History
Most of Southampton County was originally part of Warrosquayoake Shire. Warrosquyoake existed as a county until 1637 when the name was changed to Isle of Wight. Only one parish existed in the county, also called Warrosquyoake. In March 1642/3 the county was divided into two parishes, The Upper (sometimes called Warwicksqueak) and The Lower Parish (sometimes called Newport). The Upper Parish extended from Lawne's Creek to the creek dividing the plantation of Sam Davis and Joseph Cob (Pagan Creek). The Lower Parish extended from Pagan Point to the plantation of Richard Hayes (Chuckatuck Creek). This division continued until 1734 when the population had crossed the Blackwater and into what is today Southampton County, at least to the Nottoway River.
By act of General Assembly in 1734, so much of the parish as was on the north side of the Blackwater was made one parish to be called Newport Parish. So much as was on the south side of the Blackwater was to be made one parish and called Nottoway Parish. In 1749, the portion of Isle of Wight County west of the Blackwater River became Southampton County. The parish of Nottoway was coextensive with the new county. Later, part of Nansemond County, now the Independent City of Suffolk, was added to Southampton County. The Independent City of Franklin was formed from Southampton in 1961.
Sources: W. M. Clark, Colonial churches in the original colony of Virginia : a series of sketches
Richmond, Va.: Southern Churchman Co., 1908, p. 84, HeritageQuestOnline;
Wikipedia:Southampton County, Virginia.
Modern Day Adjacent Counties
Greensville CountySussex County
Surry County
Isle of Wight County
Independent City of Franklin
Independent City of Suffolk
Hertford County, NC
Northampton County, NC