Kings County was formed in 1893 from the western part of Tulare County. In 1909 a triangular area of 118 square miles was taken from Fresno County and added to Kings County [[1]]

The county derives its name from the Kings River, which, according to Padre Muñoz' diary of the Moraga Expedition of 1806, was discovered in 1805 by an exploring expedition and named Rio de los Santos Reyes (River of the Holy Kings).