The first settlers arrived in the Deerfield Beach area around 1890. They settled along the Hillsboro River and had their first post office by 1898. That was when the name was changed from the former "Hillsborough" to Deerfield in commemoration of the many deer that roamed the area around the river.

The Florida East Coast Railway arrived in the late 1890's, bisecting the settlement on its way to Miami and points south. In those early days the area was mostly agricultural, raising food for the nearby cities. The town's name was changed to Deerfield Beach in 1939, to reflect the fact the town had its own beach area. It was after World War II that the population started to take off, expecially during the 1950's and 1960's. The population of Deerfield Beach is up more than 20% since 2000.