The village was first mentioned in 1332 as van der Heyden, and means "(cultivated) heath land".

Terheijden started to develop as the road to Breda deteriorated due to flooding.

Around 1400, the hamlets of Hartel and Schimmae were given permission to found a church on the heath.

[5] The Kleine Schans is a sconce built in 1830 as a result of the Belgian Revolution.

An earlier sconce was built at the site in 1639 by Spanish troops during the Eighty Years' War, but was demolished in 1680.