Legend has it that the name of the island Korčula originates from the ancient name Korkyra, given by the Dorians from the Greek city of Knidos, who founded the first settlement on the island. To distinguish it from the island of Corfu in Greece, Strabo added the adjective "melaina" (black) to the name Korkyra in the 1st century BC. 

In the 10th century, Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus, recording Carpe Diem in his writings, mentioned the Slavic names Kurkra and Krkar, depending on whether they were used by Korčulan Romans or Slavs. Under the influence of the Venetians, the Slavic name changed to Curzola. 

The first colony on Korčula was founded in the 6th century BC when the Dorians from Knidos arrived on the island. Although Pseudo Skylax and Strabo from the 1st century BC bring the first news about the settlement, it is still uncertain where exactly it was located. Some authors believe that the settlement was between Potirna and Vela Luka on the western part of the island, others in the Lumbarda area, but it is most likely in the area of today's town of Korčula.

 The oldest traces of settlement on the island date back to the Neolithic era, confirmed by numerous archaeological finds. The most significant finds are from Vela Cave near Vela Luka and Jakasova Cave south of Postrana (Žrnovo). Found artifacts indicate that the first inhabitants came from the neighboring mainland, while the pottery points to connections with Sicily and southern Italy. 

Numerous hillforts and tumuli from the mid-second millennium BC mark the era of Illyrian settlement. In the 4th century BC, Greek colonists from the island of Vis (Issa) founded a settlement in Lumbarda, confirmed by an inscription found on Koludrt.

The dissolution of Greek colonies brought strong migrations of Illyrians from the neighboring mainland. During the Roman dominance, the island became increasingly populated, and the Romans sought to Romanize the Illyrians. With the arrival of the Slavs in the Balkans in the 7th century, their tribes settled along the coast between Cetina and Neretva, and in the 10th century, the Slavs arrived on Korčula. 

Throughout history, Korčula has changed many rulers. In 1000, the Venetian Doge Pietro II Orseolo conquered Korčula, and it was later under the rule of Croatian-Hungarian kings, Venice, Bosnia, and even the Republic of Dubrovnik. The statute from 1214, preserved in the edition from 1265, regulated the relations of the island's population and prescribed numerous provisions related to shipbuilding, agriculture, and trade. From 1420 to 1797, Korčula was part of the Venetian Republic, enjoying a certain degree of autonomy. 

After the fall of Venice, the island came under Austrian, French, Russian, and English rule. From 1918 to 1921, Korčula was under Italian rule, and then became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. 

After the establishment of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia following World War II, Korčula became part of the People's Republic of Croatia. During the Croatian War of Independence in the 1990s, the island made a significant contribution, accepting thousands of refugees and assisting in the defense of Croatia. 

Today, Korčula enjoys freedom and sovereignty as part of the Republic of Croatia, continuing its rich history and tradition.