Tate County was established in December of 1873, and was named for the prominent Tate family of which T.S. Tate was the first Mississippi State Legislator from the county. The county seat was placed at Senatobia as soon as the county was formed. Tate County is situated in the northwestern part of the state and was formed chiefly from the southern part of the older county of DeSoto.

In 1873, the Governor appointed the first county officers with Josiah Daily being the first sheriff. Tate County is bordered north by DeSoto County, east by Marshall County, southeast by Lafayette County, south by Panola County, and west by Tunica County. Tate County covers approximately 410 square miles of area and has a population of just under 30,000.