As per the local belief, there were sarai(shelter), at place like Morena, Noorabad, Chhoda, Porsa etc. on the highway during the Mughal period. The town was named after the small village of Muraina, located about 8 km. away from the present town. The nearby railway station of Shikarpur and the sarai was also later renamed after the old village. Initially it was called Pench-Morena as it had a number of cotton processing machines.

The district is located on the north-western border of the state in Chambal valley. The present Morena is combined with the Sikarwari and Tanwargarh districts of 19th century. Due to major settlement of SikarwarRajputs in Ambah area, this was known as Sikarwari. Similary due to the settlement of Tanwars(Tomars) in Joura area, the central part of the district was called Tanwargarh. The district Sikarwari, the part of former Gwalior state was later on merged into Tanwarghar in 1904 with headquarters of Joura-Alapur which is presently a tahsil headquaters. As per order No 6/10/1923 the pargana headquarters shifted from Nurabad to Morena and vide order No. 492 dated 6/10/1923 the district headquarters was also changed to Morena. In the year 1948 consequent to the formation of Madhya Bharat the Sheopur district of former Gwalior state was included in Madhya Bharat. Later it became a separate district after the reorganisation of Madhya Pradesh.As per Notification No. 1002/F/20-08-92/Sha. 8 M.P. dated 22nd May 1998, Sheopur, Karahal and Vijaypur tahsils were excluded from Morena district and a new district Sheopur was formed. Morena, Porsa, Ambah, Joura, Kailaras and Sabalgarh tahsil remained in Morena district.

During an excavation in the year 1927-28 in Kutwar village, a huge treasure chest of 18,659 bronze coins was found from which it can be firmly said that during the 3rd and 4th centuries this area was under the rule of Naga Kings. After the Nagas, Guptas, Hoons, Vardhans, Gurjaras, Pratihars, Chandellas and Kachchhapaghatas successfully ruled over this territory. Kirtiraja was the famous king of this dynasty, under whose period the temples of Sihonia were built. After the dynasty of Kachchhapaghatas clans of TomarRajputs etc. ruled over this region till 1526. After the hegemony of Mughals, during the period of the administrative reorganization of the district fell partly within the sarkars of Sheopur and Baroda Mahal, Ajmer suba of Ranthambhor Sarkar, AlapurMahal, Agra Subah of Gwalior Sarkar and Awantgarh and Vijepur Mahal Subah were under the rule of Mandal Sarkar, Remaining areas were included under Gwalior Sarkar.