The history and usage of the name Schoten may have come from the name given to the wooden dividing walls (schot in Dutch) that were driven in the ground to separate private property.

The Christianization of the area dates from the end of the 7th century, under the influence of Abbot Ursmarus, of Lobbes Abbey, which owned property here.

Already by the beginning of the 16th century, well-off burghers and merchants from neighboring Antwerp built castles in Schoten as secondary residences.

Today about 30% of Schoten's territory still consists of forested areas, a great achievement given its location only 10 km (6 mi) away from the center of Antwerp.

[2] Since 2018, the Council of Mayor and Aldermen, the municipal executive board, consists of:[3] 170 metres tall lattice tower at 51°17'33"N 4°32'24"E, which is an important site for FM- and TV-broadcasting for the Antwerp area.