This district is named after the town of Wardha. Wardha was part of the Nagpur District until 1862 under the British, when it was made a separate charge. The District headquarters were first located at Kaotha, near Pulgaon, but in 1866 they were removed to their present site, and the town of Wardha, named after the river, was built on the ground occupied by the hamlet of Palakwadi.