The area was settled heavily from 1870 to 1880 by colonizers from the United Kingdom and the United States. As such, it was known until 1959 as the united counties of Spaulding and Ditchfield (cantons unis de Spaulding-et-Ditchfield). The municipality was renamed in honour of Louis de Buade de Frontenac, a governor general of New France who played a significant role in the development of the colony. Today's population is predominantly French-speaking.