| What is Hampton Roads |
When we first moved to Hampton Roads, Virginia, we didn't know what "Hampton Roads" even meant. Finally we learned it was a general term for the region of southeastern Virginia. There are seven main cities that encompass Hampton Roads, though several counties, independent cities and the surrounding bodies of water (Elizabeth River, James River, Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean) are also included in this area.
The name Hampton Roads honors one of the founders of the Virginia Company and a great supporter of the colonization of Virginia, Henry Wriothesley, the third Earl of Southampton. Signifying the safety of a port, "roads" in nautical terminology means "a place less sheltered than a harbor where ships may ride at anchor." |
| The Seven Cities of Hampton Roads |
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Chesapeake (Pop. 220,560)
- Hampton (Pop. 145,579)
- Newport News (Pop. 178,281)
- Norfolk (Pop. 234,403)
- Portsmouth (Pop. 101,377)
- Suffolk (Pop. 81,071)
- Virginia Beach (Pop. 461,947)
The total population of Hampton Roads is about 1.7 million. It is the 34th largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) within the U.S.. |
| Counties of Hampton Roads |
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