Hatfields & McCoys was History Channel's first aired scripted drama. The network had previously produced another scripted miniseries, The Kennedys, in 2011 but decided not to air it in the United States.

Although the real feud took place in the Appalachians of West Virginia and Kentucky, the miniseries was actually filmed in Romania, just outside Brașov, with the Carpathian Mountains standing in for the Appalachians.

The score was composed by John Debney and Tony Morales, with additional music contributed by actor Kevin Costner and his band Modern West, and vocals on 'The Long Road Down' performed by Lisbeth Scott.

Part one of the miniseries drew 13.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched single broadcast on ad-supported cable television ever, excluding sports, and the largest ratings ever for a History program.

The miniseries received 16 nominations at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards, the most nominations History Channel had received since it began operations.

The series' popularity led to a noticeable rise in tourism in Pike County, Kentucky, with local tourism officials reporting a surge in requests for brochures about the feud sites, receiving about two requests per minute at peak.

A DVD and Blu-ray release on July 31, 2012 included bonus material featuring a music video for 'I Know These Hills' by Kevin Costner and Modern West, from their album Famous for Killing Each Other: Music From and Inspired By Hatfields & McCoys.