Todd County was formed in 1820 between Christian and Logan counties in the Pennyrile region of Kentucky with a landmass of 376.35 square miles. The county was named for Colonel John Todd, a frontiersman and uncle of Mary Todd Lincoln. He died at the Battle of Blue Lick. Todd County is the birthplace of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Poet Laureate Robert Penn Warren.
Cities within Todd County include Trenton, Guthrie, and Elkton (county seat). Smaller communities within the county include Fairview, Clifty, Allensville, Kirkmansville, Sharon Grove, Allegre, and Daysville. According to the 2007 U.S. Census, the population is estimated to be 12,044 with a total of 5,255 households countywide.