It is located in the western part of what is now Midtre Gauldal Municipality in Trøndelag county.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee.

[9] The municipality (originally the parish) is named Soknedal (Old Norse: Sóknardalr) after the valley in which it is located.

On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Soknedal, removing the definite form ending -en.

At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Støren prestegjeld and the Gauldal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nidaros.

The municipal council (Herredsstyre) of Soknedal was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms.