The history of Czchów dates back to the time when this part of Poland probably belonged to Great Moravia.

Some sources claim that the very name of the town is of Czech origin, as in the documents from the 13th century, it was spelled Czechou, Cechou, and Cehiov.

According to Jan Długosz, among first residents of the settlements were Germans, captured by King Bolesław Chrobry during his wars with the Holy Roman Empire.

During the reign of King Casimir III the Great, Czchów was surrounded by a defensive wall, and on November 24, 1355, it received Magdeburg rights.

On a surrounding hill the Czchów Castle was built, to protect a merchant route along the Dunajec river towards Kingdom of Hungary, and a custom house.