Waukesha County, Wisconsin
Waukesha County (pronounced WAW-ke-shaw) is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 389,891, making it the third-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its county seat is Waukesha.
Waukesha County is included in the Milwaukee–Waukesha–West Allis, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The part of Wisconsin that Waukesha County now occupies was a part of Michigan when Milwaukee County was organized in September 1834. On July 4, 1836, the Wisconsin Territory was formed, which included land currently in the state of Minnesota. In January 1846, part of Milwaukee County was split off into Waukesha County. Curtis Reed was the first county chairman. When voting took place to decide the county seat, Waukesha beat out Pewaukee by two votes. The name is derived from the Potawatomi word for 'fox' because the streams in the lower part of the county drain into the Fox River.