The Shire of Kent was first established in 1923 as the Kent Road Board. In 1955 the name was changed to the Nyabing-Pingrup Road Board and retained this name in 1961 when it became a shire. The name was further altered in 1973 to the Shire of Kent.

The name 'Kent' apparently comes from the commissariat officer of Dr T. Wilson's expedition of 1829.

The first white men to visit the area were sandalwood cutters with the first lease of 2000 acres being taken around Cairlocup Lagoon by John Hassell in 1873.

The town of Pingrup was officially gazetted on May 9, 1924. The town of Nyabing was officially gazetted on December 24, 1912 after a name change from Nampup.