The original German name is derived from Schön Berg, meaning "beautiful hill", which later supplemented by a distinguishing adjective Mährisch (i.e. Moravian).

[2] After World War II and the expulsion of Germans, there was a suggestion of giving the town a name with Czech origins.

This document refers to Jeneč of Šumperk, a town administrator who lived in a small fort on the outskirts.

In 1391, Jobst of Moravia granted Magdeburg rights for Šumperk including "The Mile Right", guaranteeing a production and trade monopoly for the inhabitants of the town up to a distance of 1 German mile (7.5 km (4.7 mi)) from town gates.

Proček Bouzovský of Vildenberk ruled the town until 1445, when Šumperk was besieged by Catholics from Olomouc.

[citation needed] In 1490, Šumperk was the location of a meeting of Bohemian and Moravian provincial diet members, at which they came to an agreement about Vladislaus II's candidature for Czech throne.

Petr of Zierotin chose Šumperk Castle as his family seat and has built the town walls.

[2] In 1622, Šumperk lost its privileges for participating in the Bohemian Revolt and was acquired by the House of Lichtenstein, who owned the town until the fall of the feudal system in 1848.

At the end Thirty Years' War, between 1642 and 1646, the town was conquered and looted several times by Swedish army.

[2] Vienna industrialist Johann Ernst Klapperoth established a factory producing corduroy in 1785, the first of its kind in the Habsburg monarchy.

[4] Sudeten Germans on the Imperial Austro-Hungarian Council declared sovereignty for German-inhabited Moravia, including Šumperk, under the name Sudetenland of the Republic of German-Austria.

[6] After the Munich agreement in 1938, Šumperk was occupied by the Wehrmacht, and was attached to Nazi Germany as part of Reichsgau Sudetenland.

The occupation and the World War II halted the economic prosperity and brought great casualties.

Šumperk was a significant centre of the textile industry throughout the Austria-Hungary, interwar and Communist eras.

The beginnings of production in Šumperk date back to 1956, when the ferrites were produced under Pramet brand.

[13] Šumperk is the terminus and start of the railway lines from/to Olomouc, further continuing to Brno or Vyškov.

[14] Cultural institutions located in Šumperk include a cinema, the North Moravian Theatre, or a regional museum.

It is located in a large town park Sady 1. května, which was created from the ornamental garden of the residence.

[4] Valuable functionalistic buildings include Hotel Grand built in 1931–1932 and Ottokar Katzer's house from 1930.