The origin of Fairfield's name is not known, but local legend attributes it to a remark by Lord Cornwallis about the "fair fields" of the area. The county was formed in 1785 as a part of the Camden District.
The origin of the name Edgefield is not clear, although it is usually described as "fanciful." The county was formed in 1785 as part of the Ninety Six District.
Charleston County and the city of Charleston, its county seat, are the most historic locations in the state. English settlers arrived in the colony of Carolina in 1670 and established a town at Albemarle Point on the west bank of the Ashley River.
Both Beaufort County and its county seat Beaufort were named for Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort (1684-1714), one of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina.