The historical center of Tukums developed between trade routes leading from the mouth of the Daugava River to Prussia. The oldest part is today's Talsi Street that originated at the river named Zvirgzdupite where there used to be a castle mound with a wooden castle. Since 1253 Tukums was ruled by the Livonian Order.

A masonry castle was built on the bank of the Slocene river in the end of the 13th century. The castle was surrounded by settlements of German tradesmen and craftsmen. A marketplace was formed in front of the castle and some new streets appeared later running in various directions from the marketplace.

With the development of trade in the 16th century a new straighter trade route to Prussia was built along a new street that is called Liela (large) Street today which had an important role in the life of the settlement. As a result, public buildings, major businesses, workshops and small shops were built around the street making it the unofficial high street of the area.

After the disintegration of the Livonian Order a new state, the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was established. Like many other settlements Tukums had suffered greatly the numerous feudal wars. Under the rule of Duke Jacob (1642-1682) Tukums experienced a rapid economic boom.

At the time, a new trade route was built from Tukums to Jelgava, the capital of Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. It was opened along today's Jelgavas Street and another route towards today's Raudas Street.

Inhabited by only 800 people at that time, the first dam was built and a lake made near the road to Jelgava which was followed by a flour mill and copper-making furnace which was then exported to foreign countries.

The new adornment of Tukums were the lake and the church spire which were added to the skyline in 1687.

After 1795, Courland was incorporated into the Russian Empire. In November of the same year the Russian Tsaritsa Katherine signed a document to divide Courland into regions and to grant regional center rights to several urban settlements, Tukums being one of them. The town borders were marked in 1800 and the first urban map was made two years later.

The town continued growing as it became home to 6 pubs and 131 private houses with around 690 male and 832 female inhabitants.

In 1806, the first school was opened while the street pavement was introduced in 1860. In 1875, street lighting were started with more rapid developments of the town being observed after the opening of the Riga-Tukums railway line in 1877. It is one of the lines connecting Tukums with neighboring town Ventspils.

There were 24 known enterprises functioning in Tukums in 1897 including tanneries, wood-carding mills, glue plants, potteries, food production facilities and the two windmills which are thought to have brought out the uniqueness of the townscape. The town eventually grew along with the rapid growth and development of these industries.

The rich are known to have built their houses in the eastern part around Elizabetes, Pils and Baznicas Streets, but the workers settled more to the West, forming an area of small houses surrounded by gardens. These areas of Tukums were further developed during the year in 1935.

In the beginning of the 1930s, there were 8000 inhabitants and 73 functioning industrial enterprises in Tukums.

In 2019, the town becomes home to the second largest tire recycling plant in Latvia.