It is one of the constituent bodies of the national Rugby Football Union having been formed in 1879.

The earliest recorded game played by a team purporting to represent Surrey under rugby union auspices was played before the Surrey County Club has been formed.

This was played on 21 February 1878 against Middlesex and won by Surrey with a try scored by AS Trevor.

[1] On 22 December 1879, a meeting was held at the York Hotel, on Waterloo Road, South London (then in Surrey), at which the County Club was formed.

[1] Another match with Middlesex was played at Old Deer Park on 6 December 1880 with the result of each fifteen scoring one goal, in what was described as a ″splendidly-contested game″.