i dont know if it is true, but the internet says that King County in Washington State was originally named after William Rufus King, who was elected Vice President of the United States in 1852. King County in Washington State was originally named after William Rufus King, who was elected Vice President of the United States in 1852. However, in 1986, the King County Council voted to rename the county to honor Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent civil rights leader. This change was officially approved in 2005, reflecting a broader recognition of King's contributions to the civil rights movement and his legacy.