Huntingdon County Genealogy Project

The County of Huntingdon was officially established on September 20, 1787 as a large region of Central Pennsylvania.  Previously part of Bedford County and the earlier Cumberland Region, Huntingdon County once included lands later used to form Centre, Cambria, and Blair Counties.  The name came from Selina Hastings, the Countess of Huntingdon, who was one of Reverend William Smith’s benefactors in the exploration efforts.  In 1767, Reverend William Smith was responsible for laying out the town of Huntingdon, now the County Seat.  William Smith later became the first provost of the University of Pennsylvania.  Huntingdon is one of the county’s historical districts.