[4] During the late Vedic period (c. 1100–500 BCE), Kingdom of the Videhas became one of the major political and cultural centers of Asia, along with Kuru and Pañcāla.

[6] During the Mughal rule, Purnia was an outlying military province, and its revenue was mostly spent on protecting its borders against tribes from the north and east.

[7] After the capture of Calcutta in 1757, Purnia's local governor raised a rebellion against Siraj ud-Daulah.

[8] On 10 February 1770 the district of Purnia in modern history was formed by the East India Company.

From the old records, it appears that there were European settlers in Purnia almost immediately after the establishment of British rule in the district.

The Roman Catholic Church was dismantled and re-erected in the new station of Purnia where the Europeans had already set up their residences.

Kisan Sabha movement, which had been responsible for an acute agitation in Purnia district in the third decade in 20th century and figured prominently for about 20 years, had its roots in the very agricultural economy and the precious structure of permanent land-lordism in this state.

A boy from Purnia, Atul Chandra Mazumdar, a student of the BN College, Patna was arrested under the Defence Act of India.

Some of the delegates of Purnia attended the Nagpur session of Congress in 1920 and the moment Mahatma Gandhi gave the call for the Non-Cooperation, there were a number of volunteers in this district.

In 1942 Quit India Movement tactics were fully implemented by the people of Purnia.

[13] Hindi, Urdu, Surjapuri, Bengali, Santali and Kulhaiya boli are also spoken in this area.