Nawabganj was originally called Bijauria. The present name refers to a market built here under Asaf-ud-Daula, who was Nawab of Oudh in the late 1700s. The market quickly came to prosper, benefitting from its advantageous position on the road from Bareilly to Pilibhit, and in 1815 it was made the headquarters of a newly created tehsil and pargana (it had previously been part of Karor pargana in Bareilly tehsil).
Nawabganj was originally known as Bijauria. The current name refers to a marketplace established here under Asaf-ud-Daula, who was the ruler of Oudh in the late 1700s. This market rapidly flourished due to its strategic location on the road from Bareilly to Pilibhit, and by 1815 it had been designated as the headquarters of a newly formed administrative district and territory.