The first and oldest known name of Pancevo was Panuka, dating back to the times of the Arpadovic family (9th century). In geographical work Idrizija from 1153. it was mentioned for the firs time as trading center, called Bansif, and then, in 1430, in the Charter of a Belgrade captain M.Talovac, as Panchal. Evliya Chelebi, the famous Turkish diplomat and traveler, mentioned it by the name of Panzova (1660.) and described the town, its fortress, mosque and public facilities.

From 1522. to 1716. Pancevo was under Turkish domination, as a part of the Temisoara sanjak (district). At that time it had all the features of an oriental, fortified settlement with mostly Christian population. With the arrival of the Austro-Hungarian troops in 1716. and the Treaty of Pozarevac, two years later, Pancevo was integrated into the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

The population consisted mainly of Serbs, Turks, Germans, Romanians and Jews. From 1720. to 1722. Serbs living in the Timisoara area migrated to Pancevo and founded the actual Upper Town. At the same time German colonists from the Upper Rhine came to Pancevo to form the Lower Town. Romanians settled there in 1767. and lived both in the Upper and Lower Towns. When these two settlements fused, in 1974, Pancevo assumed the appearance of a town with unique town government.

From the early 18th century on, many public and state buildings were constructed: Red and Wheat Warehouses (1724.), Salt-works (1718.), Kontumac (1726.), Brewery (1722.), General Hospital (1833.), Town-Hall (1833.-38.), Big and Small Barracks, Military Headquarters Building, Sun-Clock House, Frontiersmen House, Public Bank, Lighthouses at the Tamis river, Grammar School Building etc.

In 1918. Pancevo became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. At the time the relations with economically less developed Serbia grew closer.

During the Second World War Pancevo was under German occupation. Pancevo was liberated on October 6, 1944 both partisan units and the Red Army.

The post-war period was marked by enthusiastic reconstruction of the town which was the beginning of its planned and extensive development. With the revival of economic and industrial activities, in the 60-ties and the 70-ties, the town extended rapidly into many new suburb settlements ("Tesla", "Misa", "Kotez", "Streliste").