Vikramsimha Mahavir, Manumasiddhi Maharaj ruled this Nellore town, with Simhapuri as its capital. One of the writers of Mahabharatha in telugu,'Kavi Brahma','Ubhaya Kavimithrudu' writer kavi thikkanna, worked as prime minister and Khadga Thikkanna as Defence minister. During this period this state flourished with highest paddy yield. That is why it is called "nelli" an equivalent word for paddy in tamil. In course of time the name Nellivur is changed to NELLORE, as was written in sthala puranam and history. Nellore was the only Education Centre in Andhra Pradesh during the British rule.

Geologists assert that the early and middle palaeolithians flourished in the coastal area stretching from Orissa to South Arcot, particularly in the Cuddapah, guntur and Nellore districts. This area is rich in particular kind of flint called quartzite, out of which prehistoric man made his weapons and implements. With the rise of the Mauryan Empire, nellore also seems to have come under its influence and was part of the Ashokan empire in the third century B.C. The district was next included in the Pallava dominion between the fourth and sixth centuries A.D.With the dawn of the seventh century, the political centre of Gravity of the Pallavas shifted to the south and weakened their power, the north. During the British period, the district tasted the blessings of settled peace, the only event of any political importance being the sequestration in 1838, of the Jagir of Udaygiri, owing to its title holder's participation in a conspiracy, engineered by the Nawab of Kurnool, against the ruling power. After the district came under the british administration the jurisdiction of the district did not undergo any major changes, but for the transfer of Ongole taluk in 1904 to guntur district when it was newly constituted. The former Zamindaries in the district viz., (1) Venkatagiri, (2) Pamur (part of the former kalahasti Estate) (3) Chundi and alienated villages and (4) Mutyal- ampadu covering nearly an extent of 3538 sw. miles (9163 sq. km.) were taken over by the government during 1949 and 1950 under the Madras Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1948 and the Madras Estates Land (Reduction of Rent) Act of 1948. During the decade 1941-51 there was a transfer of few border villages between this district and Chinglepur district. During the decade 1951-61 three villages viz., Krishnapuram, Peddauyyalawada and Chinnauyyalawada of Ongole taluk, of guntur district and Kotikalapudi village of Darsi taluk, was transferred to Ongole taluk, of the then Guntur district.

The district formed part of the composite Madras State till 1st October, 1953. On 1st November, 1956 when the States reorganized on linguistic basis this district under came Andhra Pradesh State.

Source GIST.