[2] Fayette County was founded on December 21, 1837, as a part of Wisconsin Territory.

It was named after Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette,[3] a French general and politician, who came to America in 1777 to fight in the Revolutionary War, and who was named Major General of the Continental Army.

The county was formed as part of a large reorganization of Dubuque County, which at that time comprised most of the northern half of Iowa, Minnesota, and parts of the Dakotas.

Fayette County was granted the Minnesota and Dakotas territory on that date.

[14] As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 22,008 people, 8,778 households, and 5,951 families residing in the county.

28.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.