The origin of the name Favona is unknown, although it may relate to the cattle of the Robertson family who farmed in Māngere.

[3] Favona was the name of a race horse who came to prominence in the 1890s, who raised on John Lennard's farm in Māngere.

[4][5][6] In 1899 Hugh Mosman, member of the Queensland Legislative Council, purchased 300 acres of farmland in the area, calling his estate the Favona Farm.

[9] The Boggust Park Crater in Favona is the oldest known feature of the Auckland volcanic field, erupting an estimated 130,000 years ago.

[12] In January 1836 missionary William Thomas Fairburn brokered a land sale between Tāmaki Māori chiefs, Pōtatau Te Wherowhero and Turia of Ngāti Te Rau, covering the majority of modern-day South Auckland between Ōtāhuhu and Papakura.

The sale was envisioned as a way to end hostilities in the area, but it is unclear what the chiefs understood or consented to.

[13] Until the 1860s, the Māori population of the Manukau Harbour and Waikato areas produced goods to sell or barter at the port of Onehunga.

Most people refused due to strong links to Tainui, leaving for the south before the Government's Invasion of the Waikato.

[3] In the 1899, Hugh Mosman, member of the Queensland Legislative Council, purchased a 300-acre farm, which he used to breed race horses.

[3] From the 1920s until the 1970s, Favona was an area popular with Chinese market gardeners, including the Luen, Chong and Ou Hong families.

Numerous shipping and freight forwarding companies have premises in the industrial areas,[22] including the national distribution headquarters of supermarket chain Progressive Enterprises.