How to Compare County vs Parish?

County and Parish were established for different purposes. Counties are managed by town governments and county governments. Both of them come under state governance. The term parish refers to not only the territorial organization but also to the members of its community or congregation, as well as church property within it. In this article, we will compare county vs parish, understand how they are alike or different and what are their characteristics, and also search for answers to queries like why do states have counties. So, let’s begin and learn the facts related to county vs parish.

1. How to Compare County vs Parish?

Let’s see the characteristics to compare county vs parish.

A. Count

• Just like a country has states, the latter i.e., states have counties has counties. For example, the US has 50 states and 3144 counties. In Texas alone, there are 254 counties. There are individual governments deployed by the main government that manages the counties. Countries like France, Japan, Ireland, Poland, Norway, Romania, South Korea, New Zealand, Sweden, the United States, and the U.K. have administrative divisions known as counties. A well-defined geographical area without any active administrative roles is called a conventional or traditional county. A county was managed by a count or countess in the past. 
• A count, like nobility titles such as Earl or Duke in the United Kingdom, was once bestowed upon a king’s companion. The count was assigned to the administrative division’s middle hierarchy. Like in Rome, Franks accompanied the emperor and were also appointed as judges or local commanders. Similarly, counts also became a part of the feudal structure. In some kingdoms, these Counts were the Duke’s subordinates, and in some counties like Flanders, Barcelona, or Toulouse, the Counts’ position was equivalent to the Duchy’s.
• Moreover, administrative privileges and powers were taken away from most of the counts as a result of the restoration of royal dominance over the feudatories, which occurred at various points in several different kingdoms and resulted in the creation of centralized states of the modern kind. However, they still enjoyed certain privileges as members of the aristocracy. Furthermore, the distinction between county and parish is based on history and origin. 

B. Parish

• The major point to note in county vs parish is that a parish is a diocese’s subdivision and a territorial unit of the church. A parish priest, who works out of a parish church, is responsible for the pastoral care and clerical oversight of a parish. He or she may be aided by one or more curates. In the past, a parish and a manor frequently shared the same territory. Its connection to the parish church continues to be crucial.
• Technically speaking, the parish priest ex-officio in England owned this church property because it was given to him upon his appointment to that parish.
• The word parish, which describes a group of individuals, has its roots in Judaism. Israel’s exiled population in Egypt was referred to as the parish. Subsequently, the term parish came to represent Israel’s sojourn on earth as a parish of God’s pilgrim people who were present in this world but did not belong there. The Israelites were anticipating the heavenly Jerusalem.
• The parish during the persecution era was a distinct community led by a bishop. By the year 100 A.D., the bishop would deploy priests to perform Mass in people’s homes, particularly in remote areas. In addition, each priest would bring some of the holy Eucharist that had been consecrated by the bishop to be shared with the faithful at various locations as a symbol of their oneness as the entire Church. 

2. Why are Counties called Counties?

The Latin word comitatus, which signifies a count’s jurisdiction, is where the word county got its start. Cote was the Anglo-French term for it. The Old English word scir or shire was replaced by the word county. The lordship of the Count or Earl was referred to as a count from the 14th century onwards. For instance, the English county of Palatine was given particular administrative authority. Let’s return to the original query, why are counties named counties, now that you are aware of the word’s etymology? There is just one conceivable response in this situation: counties are the plural form of the singular noun county. In English, it is pronounced as such. Must see What are Differences between Athens and Sparta?

3. Why do States have Counties?

The benefit of having a county is that the sub-divisions help a council or central government administer the states, towns, and villages more efficiently. Counties help to localize a government, reduce the burden of administering a large number of people, and monitor a community better.

Counties make investments in the construction of the classrooms where students study, the clinics that treat and care for the public, and the prisons that hold and rehabilitate criminals. The essential services that are sometimes taken for granted are provided by counties, from clearing storm debris and restoring community safety to cleaning the water we drink by maintaining reservoirs, purification plants, and pumping stations. So, this is another important characteristic of county vs parish. 

4. What State has the Most Counties?

The states that have the most counties in USA are the following:

• Texas – 124,
• Georgia – 159
• Virginia – 134
• Kentucky – 120
• Missouri – 115
• Kankas – 105
• Illinois – 102
• North Carolina – 100
• Iowa – 99
• Tennessee – 95

Local government is not mentioned in the United States Constitution, unlike the states, which are subject to the federal rule. According to the Constitution, the federal government and the states each have a certain amount of authority.

Thus, counties exist solely as agents of the states and exercise the powers granted to them by the states, which means that local government vests all authority in the states. When making comparisons between counties and parishes, it is critical to understand what role a county plays in a state and how it affects people’s lives.

In addition, the United States has the most parishes, as well as the most counties. The United States has 18000 parishes. The purpose of a parish is to represent the local communities, help local people by delivering services, and improve the quality of an average person’s life. (See How does Federalism Limit Government Power?)

5. What States have no Counties?

Counties are typically the lowest level of government in the United States. Both Louisiana and Alaska use boroughs in place of counties. County governments are entirely absent from the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut; counties are geographical, not political. So, hopefully, you have now understood the county’s purpose.

6. What Two States have Parishes instead of Counties?

Louisiana and Alaska are the only two states that don’t have counties. Alaska has boroughs, and Louisiana has parishes. Check out How did Colonists Identify with their Neighbors?

7. What is the Purpose of a Parish?

Parishioners chosen by their fellow parishioners and those co-opted by the parish priest make up a council, along with the parish priest. The purpose of a parish’s responsibility is to advance the church’s mission to embody and spread the teachings, values, and love of Christ in the world. The Council collaborates with parishioners to encourage their efforts to live as followers of Christ, sharing responsibility for the continued life and growth of the faith community. 

8. What’s the Difference between a City and a Parish?

This is also important to know after going through the facts of county vs parish. A parish is a section of a city or town with a separate Catholic church and priest. This is a major difference between a city and a parish. (See What are the Characteristics of a Developed Country?)

9. Are Louisiana Parishes the same as Counties?

There are 64 parishes in Louisiana. The local governmental units known as parishes are equivalent to counties in other states. This is a vital difference as you can see in county vs parish.

10. What is the Biggest Parish in Louisiana?

Plaquemines Parish, which spans 2,429 square miles (6,291 kilometers), is the biggest parish in terms of area among those in Louisiana.

11. Why is Louisiana so Catholic?

In southern Louisiana, the term Cultural Catholicism may be a more accurate one, both because it avoids the potentially derogatory implications of folk and because it reflects the region’s ubiquitous non-official Catholic influence.

Contrary to other regions of the South, Southern Louisiana is a region of cultural Catholicism where Catholics are the majority. This includes Catholicism as a religion and as it influences the cultural beliefs, practices, worldviews, and identity of the vast majority of the population. The sacred and secular are frequently confused in Cajun and Creole cultures. (Also read What was the Reason for European Exploration?)