Widderdorf was settled in the 8^th Century and first mentioned in a document in the year 1109.  The centre of Widdersdorf consisted of three large courts, all three of which belonged to the Church. St. Maria im Kapitol owned the Burghof manor and the Dominican convent St. Gertrud owned Mertenshof and Tönneshof. These manors were leased out to peasant farmers.

In the 17^th Century, Widdersdorf fell under the civil and criminal law jurisdiction of Brauweiler. Toward the end of the 18^th Century, the economic situation of the farmers improved as Napoleon ordered the elevation of the Rhineland convents and monasteries. This meant that Church and royal holdings in Widdersdorf also changed hands. In 1816, Widderdorf belonged to the mayoral office of Freimersdorf, together with Brauweiler, Dansweiler, Freimersdorf, Sinthern and Vogelsang.

On 01/10/1934, the Brauweiler District, including Brauweiler, Dansweiler, Freimerdorf, Sinthern, Gut Vogelsang and Widderdorf, was integrated into Lövenich. Back then, the seat was in Weiden. The communal re-organisation of 1975 made Widdersdorf a district of Cologne.

In the Seventies and Eighties there were great amounts of new construction in Widdersdorf. Even then, Widdersdorf was an attractive place to live for people in Cologne who preferred to live in nature yet still be close to the city. Population figures reflect this attraction. In 1995, Widderdorf had 4998 residents; today that figure is approximately 6500 (2002).