The town is named after Pierre Valdo, a French merchant, founder of the religious movement known as "The Waldensians".

Today it is considered a dead language, although some elders at the mentioned location still practice it.

[1] Its status was elevated to "Pueblo" (village) on 6 November 1951 by the Act of Ley N° 11.742.

[2] On 24 September 1982, it was renamed to "Colonia Valdense" and its status was elevated to "Ciudad" (city) by the Act of Decreto-Ley N° 15.323.

Later it was a daycare center for sons and daughters of political detainees, until Rübens was prohibited to return during the dictatorship in Uruguay.