The town is located along the southwestern coast of Norway, about 75 kilometres (47 mi) south of the city of Stavanger.

In addition, the Aker Solutions corporation owns and runs a large installation here which specializes in the building of parts for oil platforms.

There are several places around Egersund where one can find ruins of settlements dating back to the age of migrations in Norway (400–600 BC).

Old folklore from Egersund also says that before the Church of St. Mary, an altar where people sacrificed to the old Norse gods was placed here, but this has not been verified from any sources except old stories.

On 18 July 1798, the village of Egersund was established as a ladested with its own customs office.

This effectively gave Egersund the municipal self-government that was now uniformly given to all areas of Norway.

In 1847, Johan Feyer founded A/S Egersunds Fayancefabriks Co., which became the town's major employer until closing in 1979.

On 9 April 1940, the German military invaded Norway and they occupy Egersund during World War II.

Egersund had strategic importance because of its harbour, as well as because the telegraph line between Norway and England was situated there.

It can already be found in the form Eikundarsund in the Norse saga of Olav the Holy, written by Icelandic author Snorri Sturlasson in the 13th century.

[9] The municipal council (Bystyre) of Egersund was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms.