Yates County, New York

Yates County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 25,348,[1] making it the third-least populous county in New York. The county seat is Penn Yan.[2] The name is in honor of Joseph C. Yates, who as Governor of New York signed the act establishing the county.

When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present Yates County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and again on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont.