James City County was one of the original eight shires established in Virginia in 1634. It was named for James I. As initially formed, James City County included the town of Jamestown and was bounded by York, Warwick, Isle of Wight, and Charles City counties. In 1652 James City's lands south of the James River were taken to form Surry County. In 1720 the portion of James City west of the Chickahominy River was transferred to Charles City. in 1766 a boundary settlement between James City and New Kent saw the upper end of James City going to New Kent and the lower end of New Kent reverting to James City.
In 1769 the land north of the Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg, where the James City Court House and the City of Williamsburg was to be built was given by York to James City County. Finally, in 1852 there was a boundary adjustment of the line in Williamsburg by which land was transferred again from York County to James City County.
All of the early records of James City County were destroyed in the April, 1865 Richmond fire during the evacuation of the city.
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