The town is named after Hans Brits who settled here after he accompanied David Livingstone on a venture into the interior.

Britstown lies in the heart of the Central Karoo and is located exactly halfway between Cape Town (via Three Sisters) and Johannesburg (via Kimberley) on the N12 national route, and thus is about 700 km from both cities.

De Aar is the closest big town and lies 50 km East from Britstown on the N10.

In 1961, floods destroyed the Smartt Irrigation Board Dam and it was rebuilt by the government in 1964.

The railway line from De Aar to Upington and Namibia passes through the town.