The city as such is relatively new, it grew out of the reorganization in 1902 whereby the former independent villages Stift, Westick and village Froendenberg melted into the bigger village community of Fröndenberg. It obtained city status in 1952. The oldest record of the name `Frundeberg` is the papal document by Coelestin III from 1197.
The present day administrative infrastructure goes back to 1968 when the villages Altendorf, Ardey, Bausenhagen, Dellwig, Frohnhausen, Frömern, Langschede, Neimen, Ostbüren, Stentrop, Strickherdicke, the town of Warmen and the town of Fröndenberg were merged into one administrative unit. In 1969 the village Bentrop also became part of the Fröndenberg district.