Nellore District situated in the South Eastern portion of the state with a coastal length of 163 KM bounded by Bay of Bengal on the East. The district was known as Vikrama Simhapuri until 13th Century and later it came to be referred to as Nellore

Historically the district was under the rule of Mouryas, Sathavahanas, Pallavas, Cholas, TelugU cholas, Kakateeyas, Pandyans etc. The great Telugu poet Tikkana Somayaji translated 15 parvas of Sanskrit Mahabharata into Telugu in Nellore.

It is supposed that Nellore was situated in Dandakaranya forests into which the Aryas first penetrated as adventurous sages with the rise of the Mouryan Empire Nellore also seems to have under its influence and was part of the Ashoka Empire in the 3rd century B.C. It was next included in the Pallava Dominion between the fourth and sixth century A.D.

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

The name of Nellore district has been changed as Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore District on 4th June, 2008.