The area had earlier been part of Wentworth and Oxford County. Brant County was formed in 1851 and originally consisted of some townships.

The first settlement made before 1810 was Brantford Township, consisted of Brantford, Paris, Mount Pleasant, Cainsville. First of the midland townships to have settlers was Burford Township.

In 1850 Oakland Township, Originally called the Townsend Gore, then the Burford Gore organized a separate municipality. Tuscarora Township was created in 1784.
In 1999, the county was reorganized and all its individual municipalities, except Brantford, were incorporated into a single-tier municipality with city status.