On August 23, 1781 the Empress issued a decree approving the emblems of the city of Saratov and several Saratov governorship county-level cities (Atkarsk, Balashov, Kamyshin, Khvalynsk, Kuznetsk, Petrovsk, Serdobsk, Tsaritsyn, and Volsk).

Because of the decree of July 5, 1878, the coat of arms of Saratov province was approved with the depiction of an azure shield, in which three silver starlet are placed in a forked cross.

In 1918, part of the governorate was incorporated into the newly formed autonomous region of the Volga Germans.

In 1919, part of Kamyshinsky (returned in 1920) and Tsaritsynsky uyezds were transferred to the newly formed Tsaritsyn governorate.

In 1922 Pokrovsk Uyezd was transferred to the Volga German Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.