It was created out of the earlier Wangford rural sanitary district.

[1] It was named after the historic hundred of Wangford, whose boundaries it closely matched.

It contained the group of small villages collectively known as The Saints.

[2] In 1934, under a County Review Order, Wangford Rural District was abolished and its parishes transferred to the new Wainford Rural District.

In 1974 the area became part of Waveney district.