On February 23, 1832, Smyth County was created by the Virginia General Assembly from parts of Wythe and Washington counties. The county was named after General Alexander Smyth, who had represented the area in Congress.

General Alexander Smyth

General Smyth was born in Ireland and came to America at the age of ten with his father, a parish rector. They settled in Virginia where he later passed the state's bar exam becoming a lawyer, he also was elected as a representative in the lower house. As a colonel he was ordered to Washington in 1811 to "prepare a system of discipline for the army". Within three weeks of the declaration of war he was promoted to inspector general and ordered to the Niagara Frontier.