It was created out of the earlier Samford rural sanitary district.

[1] It was named after the historic hundred of Samford, whose boundaries it closely matched, containing the same parishes.

Under the East Suffolk County Review Order of 1934, the only changes made were a revision of the boundary with the county borough of Ipswich.

Under the Local Government Act 1972, Samford Rural District was abolished in 1974, and its area became part of the district of Babergh.

Samford Rural District contained the following parishes: