Named for the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto who explored this area in 1539, Hernando County has grown a lot is recent years..
Before the 1880's, Hernando County was a much larger county that included what is now Citrus, and Pasco county. In 1887 a law was passed that subdivided the county into the three counties that exist today.
Currently Hernando County covers approximately 506 sq. miles of including the cities of Brooksville and Weeki Wachee. The unincorporated areas include Spring Hill, Ridge Manor, Ridge Manor West, Bayport, Aripeka, Lake Lindsey and Hernando Beach.