Walton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Its county seat is De Funiak Springs, Florida. Walton County was created in 1824 and was named for George Walton, Secretary of the Florida territory from 1821 to 1826. Walton County has a total area of approximately 1,238square miles of which 85% is land and 15% water. As of the 2000 census, there were 40,601 people, 16,548 households, and 11,120 families residing in Walton County, FL.