Hundreds in Delaware are unincorporated subdivisions of counties, equivalent to townships in some other states. They were once used as a basis for representation in the Delaware General Assembly.
While their names still appear on all real estate transactions, they currently have no function except for non-renewable rental agreements of 120 days or less for dwellings located in Broadkill Hundred, Lewes-Rehoboth Hundred, Indian River Hundred and Baltimore Hundred, which are not subject to the Delaware Landlord-Tenant Code.25 Del. C. § 5102 The divisions come from the times when Delaware and Maryland were colonial holdings of England. While Delaware retains the use of "hundreds," the origin of most place names in both states trace back to the times of British rule.
New Castle County
Hundred Name Created Parent Hundred Primary Town Origin of Name Appoquinimink Hundred 1682 original Townsend Appoquinimink Creek Blackbird Hundred 1875 Appoquinimink Hundred Blackbird Creek Brandywine Hundred 1682 original Bellefonte Brandywine Creek Christiana Hundred 1682 original Elsmere Christiana River Mill Creek Hundred 1710 Christiana Hundred Mill Creek New Castle Hundred 1682 original New Castle Town of New Castle Pencader Hundred 1710 New Castle Hundred Pencader (Welsh Tract) Church Red Lion Hundred 1710 New Castle Hundred Delaware City Red Lion Creek St. George's Hundred 1682 original Middletown St. George's Creek White Clay Hundred 1710 Christiana Hundred Newark White Clay Creek Wilmington Hundred 1833 Christiana Hundred Wilmington City of Wilmington
Kent County
Hundred Name Created Parent Hundred Primary Town Origin of Name Duck Creek Hundred 1682 original Smyrna Duck Creek East Dover Hundred 1859 Dover Hundred Dover City of Dover Kenton Hundred 1869 Duck Creek Hundred Kenton Town of Kenton Little Creek Hundred 1682 original Leipsic Little Creek Milford Hundred 1830 Mispillion Hundred Milford City of Milford Mispillion Hundred 1682 original Harrington Mispillion River North Murderkill Hundred 1855 Murderkill Hundred Camden Murderkill River South Murderkill Hundred 1855 Murderkill Hundred Felton Murderkill River West Dover Hundred 1859 Dover Hundred Hartly City of Dover
St. Jones Hundred was created in 1682, and was renamed Dover Hundred in 1823; Dover Hundred was subsequently divided into East Dover Hundred and West Dover Hundred in 1859. Murderkill Hundred was created in 1682 and was divided into North Murderkill Hundred and South Murderkill Hundred in 1855.
Sussex County
Hundred Name Created Parent Hundred Primary Town Origin of Name Baltimore Hundred 1775 Worcester County, Maryland Millville Part of never-erected Maryland county Broad Creek Hundred 1775 Somerset County, Maryland Bethel Broad Creek Broadkill Hundred 1696 original Milton Broadkill River Cedar Creek Hundred 1702 Broadkill Hundred Milford Cedar Creek Dagsboro Hundred 1773 Worcester County, Maryland Millsboro Dagsboro Georgetown Hundred 1863 Broadkill Hundred Georgetown Georgetown Gumboro Hundred 1873 Dagsboro Hundred Gumboro Indian River Hundred 1706 Lewes & Rehoboth Hundred Indian River (inlet and bay) Lewes & Rehoboth Hundred 1692 original Lewes Lewes (Whorekill) and the Rehoboth Bay Little Creek Hundred 1774 Somerset County, Maryland Laurel Little Creek Nanticoke Hundred 1775 Somerset County, Maryland Nanticoke River Northwest Fork Hundred 1775 Dorchester County, Maryland Bridgeville Northwest Fork, Nanticoke River Seaford Hundred 1869 Northwest Fork Hundred Seaford Seaford
See also List of counties in Delaware
References
Sources The University of Delaware Library (2001). The Hundreds of Delaware . Retrieved August 17, 2005. The Delaware Genealogical research Guide (1997). Delaware Counties and Hundreds. Retrieved August 17, 2005. The Historical Society of Delaware. Delaware Counties. Retrieved August 17, 2005. The Historical Society of Delaware. Delaware's Hundreds. Retrieved August 17, 2005. Delaware State Archives/Historical Markers 25 Del. C. § 5102.