 After acquisition by the United States as a territory and once Florida obtained state status, the area now included in the county had been governed by Hillsborough County, then Manatee County as the state was divided into smaller and smaller governmental organizations.Manatee County was carved up to allow the creation of three more counties as well.Although the name was associated with the area from the beginning of European contacts the origin of the name, Sarasota, is unknown.