The breed was first imported into the United States from a herd in Mexico in 1936, but few were later imported because of disease problems of the breed in France. The Charolais is crossbred with beef breeds and dairy cows (cow); the Charbray, a mixture of Charolais and Brahman, is a notable example.

region and former county of France in southern Burgundy, consisting of the country around Charolles (in the modern département of Saône-et-Loire). Formed from the southern part of the countship of Autun, Charolais was held successively by the houses of Burgundy, Bourbon, and Armagnac until 1390, when it was reacquired for Burgundy by Philip the Bold. From the dukes of Burgundy, Charolais passed to the Spanish Habsburgs, who held it from 1500 until 1684, when it was ceded to the French Condé family. It was definitely united with France in 1761. Charolais long enjoyed administrative autonomy, having its own estates (assembly), which met every third year until 1751, when they were incorporated into the estates of Burgundy.