The name of the county comes from the Appamatuck Indians, who lived in the area.

[3] Appomattox came to national attention on April 9, 1865, when Confederate General Robert E. Lee met with Union General Ulysses S. Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House to accept Lee's surrender.

[4] As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 13,705 people, 5,322 households, and 4,012 families residing in the county.

21.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Out of the total population, 14.10% of those under the age of 18 and 21.50% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Appomattox County was historically strongly Democratic, as part of the Solid South.