The first twelve entries list the sources and dates of the earliest mentions in official local records of the existence of Philadelphia County's initial township divisions.
| Political Division | Record of First Mention | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Blockley | QS Road Docket, II: 22 | June 1705 |
| Bristol | QS Road Docket, I: 28 | October, 1696 |
| Byberry | QS Road Docket, II: 12 | June1703 |
| Germantown | Holme's Map | 1687 |
| Kingsessing | QS Road Docket, II: 43 | March 1712 |
| Lower Dublin (reference to"Second Dublin" Township) | QS Road Docket, I: 25 | August 1693 |
| Moreland | Holme's Map | 1687 |
| Moyamensing | Holme's Map | 1687 |
| Northern Liberties (Unincorporated) | Holme's Map | 1687 |
| Oxford | QS Road Docket, I: 25 | August 1693 |
| Passyunk | Holme's Map | 1687 |
| Roxborough | QS Road Docket, II: 31 | June 1706 |
Tacony: While indicated as a possible township on some early maps, Tacony is not mentioned in court records, or those of the Assembly after 1700.
| Year | Political Division | Changes | Authority | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1691 | City of Philadelphia | (apparently never effectuated) | Erected by Penn Charter | 1691 |
| 1691 | Germantown | Erected Borough | Royal approval of Penn Charter of 12 August 1689 | 30 May 1691 |
| 1701 | City of Philadelphia | Established by Penn Charter | 25 October 1701 | |
| 1707 | Germantown | Lost Borough status | General Court ordered closed by Queen's Attorney Lowther | 11 January 1707 |
| 1762 | Southwark | Erected District out of Moyamensing Township | Statutes at Large, Chapter CCCCLXXXI | 26 March 1762 |
| 1791 | Northern Liberties | Part of the township recognized for certain governmental functions but not incorporated | Statutes at Large, Chapter MDXLI | 30 March 1791 |
| 1794 | Southwark | Reincorporated District | Statutes at Large, Chapter MDCCXLII | 18 April 1794 |
| 1800 | Frankford | Erected Borough, out of Oxford Township | Statutes at Large, Chapter MMCXXIII | 7 March 1800 |
| 1803 | Northern Liberties | Partially incorporated as District, out of Northern Liberties Township | Laws of Pennsylvania, Chapter CLII | 28 March 1803 |
| 1808 | Penn Township | Established out of Northern Liberties Township | Quarter Sessions Court Decree | 13 October 1808 |
| 1812 | Moyamensing | Incorporated as township | Laws of Pennsylvania, Chapter CIV | 24 March 1812 |
| 1813 | Spring Garden | Erected district out of Penn Township | Laws of Pennsylvania, Chapter CVIII | 22 March 1813 |
| 1818 | Northern Liberties District | Divided into 7 wards | Laws of Pennsylvania, Chapter LXII | 20 February 1818 |
| 1819 | Northern Liberties District | Final incorporation | Laws of Pennsylvania, Chapter XC | 16 March 1819 |
| 1820 | Kensington | Erected as District out of Northern Liberties Township | Laws of Pennsylvania, Chapter LII | 6 March 1820 |
| 1827 | Spring Garden District | Enlarged out of Penn Township | P.L. 65 | 2 March 1827 |
| 1831 | Frankford Borough | Enlarged out of Oxford Township | P.L. 470 | 4 April 1831 |
| 1831 | Spring Garden District | Divided into 3 wards | P.L. 480 | 4 April 1831 |
| 1833 | Spring Garden District | 1st Ward divided into 1st & 4th Wards | P.L. 457 | 9 April 1833 |
| 1834 | Kensington District | Divided into 5 wards | P.L. 475 | 15 April 1834 |
| 1836 | Southwark District | Divided into 5 wards | P.L. 308 | 31 March 1836 |
| 1840 | Moyamensing Township | Divided into 4 wards | P.L. 41 | 13 February 1840 |
| 1840 | Manayunk | Erected as a borough in Roxborough Township | Quarter Sessions Court decree | 11 June 1840 |
| 1844 | West Philadelphia | Erected borough out of Blockley Township | P.L. 44 | 17 February 1844 |
While the officially accepted act of incorporation of the Borough of West Philadelphia is P.L. 44, 17 February 1844, there is evidence that the borough existed as early as 1837. P.L. 57, passed on 13 March 1837, refers to the Borough of West Philadelphia, the City Archives holds records of its Treasurer dating from that year, and the Act of 1844 refers to an earlier incorporation that was "adjudged defective". There is, of course, no record of an Act of Assembly establishing the borough prior to 1844. By virtue of P.L. 163, 1 April 1834 the Court of Quarter Sessions was empowered to establish boroughs. Unfortunately, that court's relevant records for the years prior to 1844 are not extant.
| Year | Political Division | Changes | Authority | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1844 | Penn District | Erected out of Penn Township | P.L. 52 | 26 February 1844 |
| 1844 | Germantown Borough | Erected out of Germantown Township | Quarter Sessions Court decree | 27 August 1844 |
| 1846 | Spring Garden District | Divided into 7 wards | P.L. 41 | 13 February 1846 |
| 1846 | Kensington District | Realigned into 7 wards | P.L. 47 | 18 February 1846 |
| 1846 | Germantown Borough | Boundaries reduced in favor of Germantown Township | P.L. 86 | 7 March 1846 |
| 1846 | Moyamensing Township | 5th Ward erected out of 4th Ward | P.L. 86 | 7 March 1846 |
| 1847 | Penn Township | Enlarged out of Penn District | P.L. 114 | 17 February 1847 |
| 1847 | Richmond (District) | Erected out of Northern Liberties Township | P.L. 181 | 27 February 1847 |
| 1847 | Manayunk Borough | Separated from Roxborough Township | P.L. 214 | 31 March 1847 |
| 1848 | Richmond (District) | Enlarged out of Northern Liberties Township | P.L. 250 | 25 March 1848 |
| 1848 | Bridesburg Borough | Erected out of Northern Liberties Township | P.L. 720 | 1 April 1848 |
| 1848 | Moyamensing & Passyunk Townships | Boundaries changed; Moyamensing erected District; Moyamensing 4th & 5th ward boundaries changed | P.L. 339 | 5 April 1848 |
| 1848 | Kensington District | Enlarged out of Northern Liberties Township; additional area becomes 8th ward | P.L. 357 | 16 April 1848 |
| 1849 | Richmond (District) | Enlarged out of Northern Liberties Township | P.L. 73 | 19 February 1849 |
| 1849 | Southwark District | 5th Ward divided into wards 5 & 6 | P.L. 75 | 19 February 1849 |
| 1849 | Whitehall Borough | Erected out of Oxford Township | P.L. 541 | 9 April 1849 |
| 1850 | West Philadelphia Borough | Enlarged out of Blockley Township and divided into 3 wards | P.L. 215 | 14 March 1850 |
| 1850 | Kensington District | 7th Ward increased out of 8th ward | P.L. 303 | 14 March 1850 |
| 1850 | Richmond District | Formally designated as district | P.L. 303 | 14 March 1850 |
| 1850 | Kensington District | Enlarged out of Northern Liberties Township; additional area to 8th Ward | P.L. 448 | 6 April 1850 |
| 1850 | Aramingo Borough | Erected out of Northern Liberties Township | P.L. 448 | 11 April 1850 |
| 1850 | Bridesburg Borough | Enlarged out of Northern Liberties Township | P.L. 649 | 30 April 1850 |
| 1850 | Southward & Moyamensing Districts | Boundary adjusted; Southwark decreased in area | P.L. 762 | 15 May 1850 |
| 1851 | West Philadelphia | Created a District | P.L. 302 | 3 April 1851 |
| 1852 | Penn District | Divided into 3 wards | P.L. 75 | 20 February 1852 |
| 1852 | Kensington & Richmond Districts | Boundary changed in favor of Kensington; area added to 5th ward | P.L. 268 | 6 April 1852 |
| 1852 | West Philadelphia District | Incorporated as a District | P.L. 508 | 1 May 1852 |
| 1852 | Delaware Township | Established out of Lower Dublin Townships | Quarter Sessions Court decree | 26 June 1852 |
| 1853 | Frankford & Whitehall Boroughs | Boundary changed in favor of Frankford | P.L. 302 | 5 April 1853 |
| 1853 | Belmont District | Erected out of Blockley Township | P.L. 422 | 14 April 1853 |
| 1854 | All Districts, Boroughs & Townships | Consolidated with the City of Philadelphia | P.L. 21 | 2 February 1854 |
Genealogy of Philadelphia County Subdivisions
Chronology of Philadelphia City Subdivisions 1705-1854
Philadelphia Wards, 1854-1966
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