Hernando County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Its county seat is Brooksville. Hernando County was established in 1843, two years prior to Florida's admission into the Union,and named for Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. Hernando County is home to the largest WalMart Distribution Center in the U.S. Hernando County has a total area of approximately 589 square miles of which 81% is land and 19% water. As of the 2000 census, there were 130,802 people, 55,425 households, and 40,016 families residing in Hernando County, FL.