Offerton was historically a township in the ancient parish of Stockport, which formed part of the Macclesfield Hundred of Cheshire.

In 1866, the legal definition of 'parish' was changed to be the areas used for administering the poor laws, and so Offerton became a civil parish.

The five parish councils of Bramhall, Bosden, Norbury, Offerton, and Torkington collectively decided that they wished to resist being brought into Stockport, and therefore petitioned Cheshire County Council to create an urban district covering the combined area of their five parishes.

Hazel Grove and Bramhall was abolished in 1974 to become part of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester.

[8][9] Offerton today is classed as part of the Stockport built up area by the Office for National Statistics.