Multiple British Raj historians have identified the Khattak with the Satragyddae or Sattagudai, an ancient Indo-Aryan tribe inhabiting Gandhara.

[9] According to Herodotus:[2][10] The Sattagudai and the Gandarioi and the Dadikai and the Aparutai, who were all reckoned together paid 170 talents.According to Sir Olaf Caroe:[10] ""Neither Khaṭaks nor Shitaks appear by name until the period of publication of genealogies under the Mughals, and the time of Akbar's dealings with the Khaṭaks for the protection of the highway to Peshawar.

[11] A warrior poet by the name of Khushal Khan Khattak (1613–1690) was once the chief of this tribe, and his contributions to Pashto literature are considered as classic texts.

He was a most voluminous writer, and composed no less than three hundred and sixty literary works, both in the Pashto and Persian languages.

[13] His poetry revolves around concepts of Pakhtunwali; Honour, Justice, Bravery and Nationalism and his works have been translated into numerous languages, English and Urdu being the primary ones.