[12][13] Altun Kupri is the Anglicized version of the Iraqi Turkmen word for "altın köprü" in standard Turkish language, which is literally 'Golden Bridge' in English.

Mirza Abu Taleb Khan visited the town in 1799, describing it as a big village with a mixed Kurdish and Turkmen population busy with farming.

Under the reign of Muhammad Pasha of Soran (1813-1836) he was able to extend his influence to this town and force the Ottoman governor of Baghdad to recognize his control.

[17] The town experienced Arabization during the Saddam era and an increased militarization to counter uprisings in the north from spreading towards Kirkuk.

[18] More than a hundred Turkmen civilians were killed in the 1991 Altun Köpru massacre during the Gulf War by the Iraqi Army.