The name of the town comes from an Old Polish word sół, sołek - which means a granary, the place where tributes to the Kujawy prince were paid. Przemysł - the Kujawy prince granted the settlement town status in 1325. The town was known as an important centre of the timber industry for almost the whole time of its existence. From 1772 the town was under the Prussian rule for 148 years. Solec Kujawski regained its independence on 19th January in 1920. Solec Kujawski was given its name on 2nd December in 1924.