It is named for the Marquis de Lafayette, a French nobleman who became an American Revolutionary War hero.

Fayette County is the location of the real Chicken Ranch, which was the basis of the musical play and feature film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

About 12.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race; 34.9% were of German, 16.4% Czech, 7.6% American, and 5.3% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

About 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The county owns Fayette Regional Air Center, in an unincorporated area west of LaGrange.

At the presidential level, from 1912 through 1964, Fayette County, as was typical of the Solid South, voted predominantly for the Democratic candidate, even in 1928 with Al Smith the Democratic nominee, unlike most Texas counties.