Svenska Lottakåren was created in 1924 with the Finnish women's auxiliary organization, Lotta Svärd (founded in 1920), as a direct role model.

[4] The organisation's original mission was non-militant and primarily aimed at collecting money for the landstorm militia.

In peacetime, the activities would be concentrated in four areas: During the war, Svenska Lottakåren instead had to undertake various forms of assistance for defence in the homeland, especially during mobilization.

Due to limited manpower it was decided to let organisation members perform service duties of non-combat nature in Sweden's army, navy and air force branches.

It was during this period that members of the organisation started being called lottor, as their original name "Landstormskvinnor" did not fit their new roles.

In 2008 the organisation updated their graphical profile and changed their communicative name into Svenska Lottakåren ("The Swedish Lotta Corps").