Historians have concluded that the origin of the name is most likely from Welwyn (meaning ’place of the spring’) though local legend had it that Welling was so called because in the era of horse-drawn vehicles it could be said you were "well in" to Kent.

Until the 1800s, most of Welling down to Blackfen was covered in woodland which offered excellent concealment for outlaws and robbers who would prey on vulnerable slow-moving horse-drawn traffic.

Welling railway station was opened with the line on 1 May 1895.