High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Nelson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 37,477. In 2006 the population was estimated at 42,102. Its county seat is Bardstown. The county is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY IN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The fourth county created in what is now Kentucky, it was formed from Jefferson County, Virginia, in 1784. The county is named for Thomas Nelson, Jr. a Virginia Governor who signed the Declaration of Independence. In 1808, another new Virginia county was named for Governor Nelson. (see Nelson County, Virginia).