It is situated on the north-western border of the city of Hamburg and approximately 5 km southeast of Pinneberg.

The village of Halstenbek was under the administration of the County of Holstein-Pinneberg which was annexed to Holstein-Glückstadt in 1640, ruled in personal union with the Kingdom of Denmark.

After Prussia's victory over Denmark in 1864 and the founding of the North German Confederation in 1867 Halstenbek and the district of Pinneberg were under Prussian administration.

Soon after beginning of the war four heavy anti-aircraft batteries were stationed at a field near today's Lübzer Straße.

An anti tank ditch was built south of the railway line parallel to today's "Lübzer Straße".

In connection with the general reconstruction after the war, the demand for forest plants was increasing steadily and thus one of the major economic factors of the village of Halstenbek was prospering.

Since the beginning of the 20th century and again since the end of World War II the population of the municipality grew rapidly.

Halstenbek is the site of the so-called Knick-Ei, a gymnastics arena, the roof of which collapsed twice during construction and which was never completed.