Archaeological records show that Järfälla has been inhabited since the Neolithic Age (4200–1800 BC). At that time the municipality was made up of islands and peninsulas, and peopled subsisted from hunting and fishing. Agriculture arrived towards the end of this period and along with it stock breeding. Several Bronze Age (1800–500 BC) sites have been found in Järfälla.

Gåseborg, one of Lake Mälaren’s ancient strongholds, was built during the Iron Age (500 BC–1050 AD). It was strategically placed on the hill, Gåsberget, overlooking the crossway to the islands in Lake Mälaren and the water routes to Sigtuna and Uppsala. Excavations have shown that there was a bronze foundry workshop here in 500 AD.

During the Middle Ages (1050–1525 AD), Barkarby was an important commercial centre. It was here that the district road towards Lövsta-Svartsjölandet and the county road between Stockholm-Enköping met.

Barkarby Inn, presently known as Värdshuset Lasse-Maja, received its privileges in 1671 and is named after Sweden’s own Robin Hood Lars Molin, aka Lasse-Maja. It was at the adjacent Courthouse at Barkarby Square where Lasse-Maja was convicted in 1812 of stealing the church silver from Järfälla church built in the 12th century. 

Around the turn of the 20th century, approximately 1,100 people lived in Järfälla. The railway, Mälarbanan, which opened in 1876 became Järfälla’s life-blood. In Barkarby and Stäket new villa communities were established and Bolinders built a new factory in Kallhäll. During the 1920s Jakobsberg manor landholdings were subdivided into lots for houses. The first blocks of flats were built in 1948 and shortly thereafter Jakobsberg became the municipality’s chief town. Viksjö was established in the late 1960s and was at the time one of northern Europe’s largest small house areas. It was not until the 1960s and 1970s, however, that major expansion occurred including the construction of Jakobsberg Centre. Currently, more than 62,000 people live in Järfälla.