Lowndes County was created by an act of the Alabama General Assembly on 20 Jan. 1830. It was formed from parts of Montgomery, Dallas, and Butler counties. Lowndes County is located in the south-central portion of the state, in the Black Belt. It encompasses 714 square miles.

The county is named for South Carolina statesman William Lowndes. The area has a rich aboriginal history and was a center of plantation life in Alabama. The county seat is Hayneville. Other significant towns include White Hall, Letohatchee, Lowndesboro and Fort Deposit.