Breathitt County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,878. Its county seat is Jackson, Kentucky. The county was formed on February 8, 1839 and was named for John Breathitt, who was Governor of Kentucky from 1832 to 1834. Breathitt County was a prohibition or dry county, until a public vote in July 2016 that allowed alcohol sales.