Trinity County has a rich history of Native Americans: Tsnungwe including the South Fork Hupa and ti'oh-mitah-xwe,
 Chimariko, and Wintu.

 The county takes its name from the Trinity River, which was in turn named in 1845 by Major Pierson B. Reading, who was
 under the mistaken impression that the river emptied into Trinidad Bay. Trinity is the English translation of Trinidad.

 Trinity County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Parts of the county
 were ceded to Klamath County in 1852 and to Humboldt County in 1853.