Grey County consists of the following municipalities (in order of population): The first European settlement was in the vicinity of Collingwood or Meaford.

From there they travelled by land to the Nottawasaga River into Georgian Bay and along the thickly wooded shore.

In 1840, the area became part of the new District of Wellington, and its territory formed the County of Waterloo for electoral purposes.

[4][5] In 1849, Wellington District was abolished, and Waterloo County remained for municipal and judicial purposes.

[17] In 1881, the township of Melancthon and the village of Shelburne were withdrawn from Grey and transferred to the new Dufferin County.