Originally known as the WFA National League Northern Division,
Bronte were the inaugural second level champions.
Liverpool, having won the
2009–10 season, became the last second level champions. After the introduction of the
Women's Super League in 2011, the league became the third level of woman's football.
Aston Villa won the
2010–11 season, becoming the first third level champions. For the
2014–15 season, the Women's Premier League incorporated the fourth tier
Combination Leagues as the Premier League's 'Division One', with Division One North and Division One Midlands feeding into the Northern Division. Promotion to the second tier was also reintroduced, with the winners of the Northern and Southern Divisions playing each other in a single play-off match at a neutral venue, the winner becoming the overall Women's Premier League/National League champion, and promoted to the
WSL 2. Prior to the
2018–19 season, the league was renamed as the FA Women's National League North, part of a complete rebrand of the women's pyramid.
Blackburn Rovers won the inaugural edition of the rebranded league. On 1 May 2022, Division One North club
Newcastle United set a new league attendance record of 22,134. The club beat their own record on 16 April 2023, with an attendance of 24,092. Beginning with the
2023–24 season, it was decided that both the Northern and Southern Division champions would be automatically promoted to the Championship. ==Clubs==