Although the current Geumcheon-gu area is believed to have been ruled by Baekje during the Three Kingdoms Period, there lacks specific historical data to back this claim, and the region was incorporated into Goguryeo's territory in the late 4th century, earning its name, Ingbeolno Prefecture. Ingbeolno means 'extending land’ or 'wide field.’ The name was used until it was later renamed Gokyang-hyeon in the 16th year of King Gyeongdeok's reign (757), when Silla unified the Three Kingdoms. During the Goryeo Dynasty, its name was changed to Geum-ju in the 23rd year of King Taejo's reign (940), beginning its tie with the word ‘geum,’ meaning collar. Subsequently, the region continued to be called Geum-ju until its name was changed to Geumcheon-hyeon in the 13th year of King Taejon's reign (1413) during the Joseon Dynasty.

The name, Geumcheon-hyeon, was used for more than 380 years until the region was renamed as Siheung-hyeon in the 19th year of King Jeongjo's reign (1795).

The jurisdiction of Geumcheon-hyeon during the Joseon Dynasty covered a very large area stretching to Gwacheon-hyeon to the east, Bupyeong-bu to the west, Ansan-gun to the south and Nodeulnaru to the north. According to Yeojidoseo, Geumcheon-hyeon in the late Joseon Dynasty had a population of 7,763 living in 1,873 households, with an administrative division of six myeon, and 39 dong and ri. In the 19th year of King Jeongjo's reign (1795), it was renamed once again as Siheung-hyeon, and its administrative status was elevated in 1895 to Siheung-gun, with its jurisdiction covering Geumcheon-gu, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Dongjak-gu, Gwanak-gu, Anyang-si and Gwangmyeong-si, with its county office located in the current Siheung-dong area. By 1910, the county office was moved to Munrae-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, and the Yeongdeungpo-area was incorporated under the jurisdiction of Gyeongseong-bu in 1936 with the country office remaining in Yeongdeungpo until 1945. After Yeongdeungpo-gu was established under the U.S. military occupation in 1945, the Siheung, Doksan and Garibong areas were incorporated into Yeongdeung-gu due to an extension of the administrative division of Seoul in 1963. Since then, as the population of Siheung-dong and Doksan-dong continued to grow, the administrative districts have been divided a few times, and Guro-gu was created with the establishment of the regional development plan centering on the Guro Industrial Complex, leaving the Geumcheon region to be part of Guro-gu. On December 22, 1994, the “Act on the Establishment of Nine Autonomous Districts, including Geumcheon-gu, Seoul Special City, and the Modification of Jurisdiction of the Special City, Metropolitan Cities, and Provinces” was legislated, and subsequently on March 1, 1995, the entire Doksan-dong and Siheung-dong areas and part of Garibong-dong were renamed as Gasan-dong, giving birth to Geumcheon-gu.