The municipality encompassed a large group of about 2,000 islands and skerries covering about 115-square-kilometre (44 sq mi) of land area, to the northwest of the city of Bergen in what is now parts of Øygarden, Alver, and Askøy municipalities in Vestland county.

Another possibility is that it means "to split" or "to divorce", likely referring to the fact that the island on which the farm is located is separated from Askøya by the narrow Herdlesundet strait.

On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Herdla.

During the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany, the tower and the roofs were removed because of the belief that the British Royal Air Force used the church to navigate attacks on the west coast of Norway.

[6] The municipal council (Heradsstyre) of Herdla was made up of 13 representatives that were elected to four year terms.