Hartford was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, when the Manor was held by Gilbert de Venables as part of the Barony of Kinderton.

[2] In 1644 during the English Civil War a battle was fought at Hartford Green when Royalists from Chester encountered the Parliamentary forces from Northwich.

It was constituted a civil parish in 1866, and in 1875 was added to the newly formed Northwich rural sanitary district.

From 1894 to 1974 the whole of Hartford was part of Northwich rural district, and it was served by Vale Royal borough council.

In April 2009 the latter ceased to exist, and Hartford is now a civil parish within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester.

Hartford is an educational hub with roughly the same number of students attending the numerous schools in the village as inhabitants.