The town of Lorman was first settled in the early 1800s and was known by a variety of names, including Lee, Lick, and Hays. In 1884, it was formally platted when the Louisiana, New Orleans, and Texas Railroad purchased land from Mrs. Charlotte Hays, and the town became known as Hays City. Because there was already a postal stop by that name, it was renamed Lorman in 1899 for the Hayses' daughter, Mary Lorman Hays. Lorman is the home of Alcorn State University.