Lafayette County was created on December 23, 1856, from Madison County and was named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, the French citizen who rendered invaluable assistance to the Colonies during the Revolutionary War. The Suwannee River forms the county's entire eastern boundary. The county courts first met at the house of Ariel Jones near Fayetteville. In 1893 the county seat was moved from New Troy to Mayo, and in 1921 Dixie County was created from the lower part of Lafayette County.