The earliest record of trichloroethylene synthesis dates back to 1836. It was obtained from the action of potassium hydroxide on 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane and 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane by Auguste Laurent and notated as  (then the atomic weight of carbon was thought to be the half of it really was). Laurent did not investigate the compound further.
Trichloroethylene's discovery is widely attributed to E. Fischer who made it in 1864 via the reduction of hexachloroethane with hydrogen. Fischer investigated TCE and noted its boiling point as between 87 and 90 degrees Celsius. Commercial production began in Germany, in 1920 and in the US in 1925.
Pioneered by Imperial Chemical Industries in Britain, under the trade name "Trilene" (from trichloroethylene) , its development was hailed as an anesthetic revolution. It was mostly known as "Trimar" in the United States. The –mar suffix  indicates study and development at the University of Maryland, e.g., "Fluoromar" for fluroxene and "Vinamar" for ethyl vinyl ether".
Originally thought to possess less hepatotoxicity than chloroform, and without the unpleasant pungency and flammability of ether, TCE use was nonetheless soon found to have several pitfalls. These included promotion of cardiac arrhythmias, low volatility and high solubility preventing quick anesthetic induction, reactions with soda lime used in carbon dioxide absorbing systems, prolonged neurologic dysfunction when used with soda lime, and evidence of hepatotoxicity as had been found with chloroform.
The introduction of halothane in 1956 greatly diminished the use of TCE as a general anesthetic. TCE was still used as an inhalation analgesic in childbirth given by self-administration. Fetal toxicity and concerns about the carcinogenic potential of TCE led to its abandonment in developed countries by the 1980s.
The use of trichloroethylene in the food and pharmaceutical industries has been banned in much of the world since the 1970s due to concerns about its toxicity. Legislation has forced the replacement of trichloroethylene in many processes in Europe as the chemical was classified as a carcinogen carrying an R45 risk phrase, May cause cancer. Many degreasing chemical alternatives are being promoted such as Ensolv and Leksol; however, each of these is based on n-propyl bromide which carries an R60 risk phrase of May impair fertility, and would not be a legally acceptable substitute.