Butte County is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of 2005 estimates place the population at 214,185. The county seat is Oroville.
History
Its name is derived from the Marysville or Sutter Buttes, which lay within the boundaries when it was created. The word butte is derived from the Teutonic word meaning "a blunt extension or elevation." In the French language, it signifies "a small hill or mound of earth detached from any mountain range." Butte is the only California County whose name is a French word. Butte County is the "Land of Natural Wealth and Beauty".
