The area of the district of Allenstein historically belonged to the prince-bishopric of Warmia, which fell to the Kingdom of Prussia in 1772 as part of the first Polish partition.

After the incorporation into the Prussian state, the two districts of Braunsberg and Heilsberg were established in Warmia in 1773, both of which were assigned to the War and Domain Chamber of Königsberg.

It initially included the Catholic parishes of Arnsdorf, Benern, Elditten, Glottau, Guttstadt, Heiligenthal, Heilsberg, Kalckstein, Kiwitten, Krekollen, Peterswalde bei Guttstadt, Queetz, Reichenberg, Reimerswalde, Roggenhausen, Schlit, Siegfriedswalde, Stolzhagen, Wernegitten, Wolfsdorf, Wormditt and Wuslack.

The district office, which had been located in Guttstadt for some time, was moved back to Heilsberg on October 1, 1896.

This Catholic dominated district would vote for a Center party candidate in every Reichstag election from 1871 to 1912.