The name derives from the Arabic word saniya (flour mill, water wheel), which evolved into the Romance term azenia during the Middle Ages.

The caves of dels Rossegadors and de la Tenalla contain Levantine rock art, which are evidence of the seasonal nomadic life of small groups of humans during the Epipaleolithic period.

During the Catalan Civil War in 1462, La Sénia actively participated against John II of Aragon and was assaulted several times by royal troops until it finally surrendered in June 1466.

After the expulsion of the French from the region of Montsià, absolutism was restored with the return of Ferdinand VII to the Spanish throne.

On April 18, 1871, the Spanish noble title of Marquesado de la Cenia was established by king Amadeo I in favor of Fernando Cotoner y Chacón, who held the ranks of lieutenant general, captain general of Puerto Rico and minister of war.

During the summer, the airfield was highly active as the Germans carried out numerous operations in the Levante Offensive and the Battle of the Ebro.

On December 16 of that same year, a group of Republican Tupolev SB bombers conducted a surprise attack on the Condor Legion facilities, destroying seven German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters and causing severe damage to the ground installations.

This change involved the translation of the previous and original name Cenia into Catalan, and the municipality has been officially known as La Sénia ever since.

Now known as Agrupació Musical Senienca, it has gained recognition in the neighboring regions and has received awards in international competitions.

The economy of La Sénia has traditionally revolved around agriculture, with dryland crops such as olive trees, vineyards, and cereals being prominent.

The municipality has the Catalonia Furniture Technology Dissemination Center (AMBIT Living Spaces Cluster) and a wood waste treatment plant.