Previously part of Landsdale, much of the suburb was rural in character until the 1990s, with market gardening a common activity.

The Geographic Names Committee (GNC) approved Madeley, but rejected Kingsway as being too similar to Kingsley.

The City, by this stage administered by commissioners, met on 17 February 1998, and decided to use Madeley for the western area, and to honour another settler family in naming the eastern section Darch.

The City applied for the name Madeley on 28 April 1998, and it was granted at the GNC's meeting on 19 June 1998.

As at the 2016 census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics counted 6,084 residents in 2,274 dwellings, the great majority of which were detached houses on single lots.