If counties were already in place before the Revolution, why didn't the states then choose to relabel them to something less indicative of the nobility and crown? If counties were formed after the Revolution, why emulate British nobility at all?
Point of order: The British counties have never been ruled by counts (or viscounts): it stems from the Normans, who simply took over the Saxon shires (that's why it's all "Hampshire", "Cheshire", "Renfrewshire" etc.), but brought their Norman French with them (counts actually being a thing on the continent).
Historically, British counties started out as either kingdoms in their own right after from before Alfred the Great, or just happened to be the administrative division used for taxes (and sheriffs and things).
^(edit: spelling; edit 2 19:23 UTC: slip of tongue)
Follow-up question: in Louisiana, our counties are called "parishes." And for all my years of living here I've never learned why?
Although it's a state issue, does anyone know why Virginia is a "commonwealth"? It is also a state, but common referred to as "the Commonwealth" and what have you.