In the past, the district was called Mueang district. It was established contemporarily with the construction of the Ang Thong province hall building, opposite to Wat Chai Songkhram, Tambon Ban Hae, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River.
In 1813 King Rama II ordered Chao Phraya Aphai Phuthon (เจ้าพระยาอภัยภูธร) to build a dam in the Chao Phraya River to leverage water level in Khlong Bang Kaeo for transportation all the year. But the project did not succeed. So the province hall was moved to opposite the mouth of Khlong Bang Kaeo on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. The Mueang district office was moved at the same time. In 1917 the district was renamed from Mueang to Bang Kaeo after the name of the central tambon.[1] The district office was moved out of Ang Thong province hall in 1926 to a new location about 300 m southward from the province hall. In 1938 the government renamed the district name back to Mueang Ang Thong district.