The city was named after British entrepreneurs who launched railroad stations in the region to ease the transportation of coffee grains from northern Paraná and southern São Paulo states to the port of Santos.

The word Londrina pays homage to the British capital (Londres in Portuguese), since a London cotton company, Paraná Plantations Limited, made the original investment to settle in this area.

Agricultural activity was diversified beyond coffee, and today corn, wheat, cotton, horticulture, beans, peanuts, rice, sugar cane, soy bean, and fruit plantations thrive due to the rich Northern Paraná/South Western São Paulo State "terra roxa/vermelha" crimson soil.

Moreover, real estate is another growing sector that has generated jobs and boosted even more the size of this city in Paraná.

Once a year, the city hosts the largest agricultural fair in Latin America, the Expo Londrina.

The city is also home to two stakes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as the headquarter of the Brazil Londrina Mission, which encompasses northern Paraná and parts of São Paulo.