The county is named in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, who were Chickasaw chiefs in the early 19th century in this territory.

The Chickasaw and Cherokee peoples are the earliest known inhabitants of Colbert County, an area that was part of their territories for hundreds of years.

Before they emerged, there were earlier cultures of indigenous peoples who established settlements and seasonal villages for thousands of years in the area.

Colbert County was originally established during the Reconstruction era after the American Civil War on February 6, 1867.

[4] Colbert County is the location of Ivy Green, the birthplace of noted author and activist Helen Keller.

[4] Colbert County includes the cities of Sheffield and Muscle Shoals, where many popular American and British musicians, such as Aretha Franklin and the Rolling Stones, respectively, recorded music.

Also located in Colbert County is the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard established in 1937.

Regularly-scheduled meetings of the Colbert County Commission are held in the evenings of the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month.