Brooksville is a city in and the county seat of Hernando County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 7,719, up from 7,264 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.Brooksville was named in 1856 to honor Preston Brooks, a Democratic congressman from South Carolina. As a Democrat, Brooks was an advocate of chattel slavery, although he voted against the expansion of slavery in Kansas. In 1856, senator and staunch abolitionist Charles Sumner called Brooks' relative, Senator Andrew Butler an imbecile. Brooks then attacked Sumner with a cane on the floor of Senate, severely injuring him. Brooks did not stop until physically restrained by others. Brooksville is home to historic buildings and residences including the home of former Florida Governor William Sherman Jennings and football player Jerome Brown.