Lafayette County, Mississippi

This article is about the county of Lafayette in Mississippi. For other uses, see Lafayette County.

Lafayette County
County
County of Lafayette
The north façade of the Lafayette County Courthouse
The north façade of the Lafayette County Courthouse
Official logo of Lafayette County
Logo
Map of Mississippi highlighting Lafayette County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°22′N 89°29′W / 34.36°N 89.49°W / 34.36; -89.49
Country United States
State Mississippi
EstablishedFebruary 9, 1836
(188 years ago) (1836-02-09)
Named forMarquis de Lafayette
SeatOxford
Largest cityOxford
Area
 • Total
679 sq mi (1,760 km2)
 • Land632 sq mi (1,640 km2)
 • Water47 sq mi (120 km2)  7.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
55,813
 • Density82/sq mi (32/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitelafayettems.com

Lafayette County is a county in the U.S. state of Mississippi. At the 2020 census, the population was 55,813.[1] Its county seat is Oxford.[2] The local pronunciation of the name is "la-FAY-et." The county's name honors Marquis de Lafayette, a French military hero and American general who fought during the American Revolutionary War.[3]

The Oxford, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Lafayette County. The county is policed by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department.

Lafayette County is often regarded as the inspiration for Yoknapatawpha County, the fictional setting of many of William Faulkner's works.

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Lafayette County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Government Printing Office. pp. 178.