In the 19th century, during and following the Caucasian War, numbers of Kumyks were subject to or willingly resettled (made hijra) to the Ottoman Empire[38] as a result of Russian deportation campaigns in the region.

[46] According to P. Uslar, in the 19th century the names "Kumyk" and "Kumuk" pertained to the Turkic speaking population of the Northern Caucasian lowlands.

[47] Y. Fyodorov wrote, based on sources from the 8–19 cc., that "Gumik — Kumyk — Kumuk" is originally a Dagestani toponym from the Middle Ages.

[54] Kumyk verbal tradition carried through ages some proverbs and sayings coming from the times of the Khazar Kaghanate.

That time point, marked by dissolution of the Khazar Kaghanate, is likely to be the period of the core formation for Kumyks, although some researchers (Bartold) linked their appearance to the latter period, when remains of Cumans defeated by Mongols fled to the lands of Dagestan.A modern interpretation was proposed that "from the Turkified Lezgins, Kumyks also emerged".

It would be preferable to also identify whether Kamaks, who used to be settled in the North Dagestan in the beginning of our era, are related to Kumyks.Another prominent Russian Orientalist, V. Minorsky, proposed his adjustment to the views mentioned, stating that:[60] Today's Kumyk Turks, who populate North Eastern part of Dagestan, along the shore, possibly come from the basic Khazar stratum, strengthened and assimilated by the later re-settlers from the Kipchak steppes.The final stages of the Kumyk ethnogenesis stretched from the 12th-17th centuries.

Until the 19th century, the Kumyks were a largely feudal, decentralized entity of strategical geographic and political importance for Russia, Persia and the Ottomans,[68][69] headed by a leader called the Shamkhal (originally Shawkhal, in Russian sources Shevkal).

[75] In the 16th century, Kumyk rulers tried to balance their relationships with their three neighbouring states, and as a result the Shamkhalate established itself as a considerable regional power.

[76] The 1560s marked the start of the numerous campaigns of the Imperial Russian Army against Kumyks, provoked by the requests of the Georgians and Kabardians.

Tumen ruler Soltaney fled to the protection of Sultan-Mahmud of Endirey,[77] recognized today as a pan-Caucasian hero.

Shah Abbas II intended to strengthen the Persian hold on the Kumyk lands, which didn't match with Surkhay's plans.

The Endirey principality was the first to oppose the Russian forces, and despite their defeat, caused great losses which shocked the Emperor.

Peter I stated afterwards:[82] If these people had a comprehension of the Military Science [Art], no other nation could take arms against them.The Tarki Shamkhalate initially took a pro-Russian stance, but after a new Russian fortress had been built they confronted Russia again.

Russian historian Sergey Solovyov wrote:[83] In October 1725 general-majors Kropotov and Sheremetev embarked to devastate the possessions of the Shamkhal and burned down twenty settlements, including Tarki, the capital of the Shamkhal, which comprised 1,000 households; the total number of destroyed households amounts to 6,110.

Shamkhal, having only 3,000 troops, couldn't resist the overwhelming number of Russians, who had in their ranks 8,000 Cossacks and Kalmyks only, not counting the regular troops, and two infantry regiments and two cavalries; Adil-Girey [Shamkhal] left Tarki and together with the Turkish ambassador had sent letters to other mountaineer possessors, asking for help, but got a refusal.Russian 19th century general Gregory Phillipson, known for his important actions in subjugating the Adyghe and Abaza ethnic groups at the left flank of the Caucasian front in Circassia, wrote: I had vague knowledge about Caucasia and the Caucasian war, although professor Yazikov on the lectures in the military geography used to tell about one and the other; and according to his words it turned out that the most valiant and inimical to us tribe was that of the Kumyks.Kumyks were one of the major forces in the late 18th century Sheikh Mansur's insurgence.

[84] Despite the formal acceptance of the Russian sovereignty over the Shamkhals at the beginning of the Caucasian war (resulting from the Treaty of Gulistan), there were numerous revolts in Kumykia.

[92] Despite the devastation brought by the Imperial Army for their attempts to rise against Russia,[93] the Kumyk plains were also exposed to plundering forays from the neighboring tribes.

The same archives also described that: ...Kazi-mulla... used all the means to push away from us the population of the Small Chechnya and Kachkalik ridge, which however remained loyal to us only by their appearance, and namely because they didn't want to get between two fires as Kumyks did.Kumyks during the War gave the Caucasus many common heroes.

"[103] Kumyk possessions also included such areas as Kachkalyk and Aukh, gradually settled by Chechens, and the region of Salatavia.

[104][105][106] In the late 1870s, the entire southern part of the Khasavyurt district, from Gerzel-aul to Endirey, was populated by Chechens, sometimes by force, by the decree of Russia.

[109] When the Caucasian War ended on 30 December 1869, the Kumyk district of the Terek oblast (Northern Kumykia) was dissolved and renamed as Khasavyurt okrug.

According to the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, issued at the turn of the 19 - 20th centuries, there were 32,087 thousand Kumyks in Dagestan (which at that time did not comprised the Northern Kumykia[110]).

[112] During the establishment of the Soviet Union, Kumyk political elite were an active part in the creation of the Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus.

[113] Haydar Bammate was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and one of the ideologists of the state, Prince Rashitkhan Kaplan was the Minister of Internal Affairs, one of the major military leaders was prince Nuh-bek Tarkovskiy, and Zubair Temirhanov was the speaker of the Alliance Council ("Mejlis" - Senate) of the Republic.

In 1926 the Soviet Population Census stated that there were 94 549 Kumyks in the Russian Empire, indicating demographic crisis,[114] compared to the 1891 data.

As a result of this event, the local population lost for years their ancient capital of Tarki, which led to the permanent destruction of most of the Kumyk cultural heritage.

During their UNPO membership, the Kumyk people advocated for an administrative reform in the Republic of Dagestan and seek self-determination in the form of national autonomy.

In 1925, Russian scholar Nikolay Trubetskoy expressed opinions, which may explain the given policy of Russia with regard to Kumyks:[123]Kumyk is the "international" language of almost the entire North Caucasus (from the Caspian Sea to Kabarda inclusive), Azerbaijani dominates in most of the Transcaucasia (except the Black Sea coast) and, in addition, in Turkish Armenia, Kurdistan and Northern Persia.

German poet Paul Fleming, travelling together with the Holstein embassy through Kumyk lands in 1633 and 1636, had dedicated to Kumykia and its towns a few verses.