The traditional origin for the name is said to be by the King Vikramāditya from Lord Ram's wife Sita.

[4] The district is divided into 7 Tehsils: Sitapur, Biswan, Mishrikh, Maholi, Laharpur, Mahmoodabad and Sidhauli.

Sitapur has a sex ratio of 912 females per 1000 males and a literacy rate of 80.57%.

Sitapur is well connected to Lucknow, Lakhimpur, Mailani, Bhurwal, Gonda, Gorakhpur and Moradabad by broad gauge line.

It also has a branch line between Sitapur city and Balamau Junction in Hardoi district.