The village was first mentioned in 1274 as "Ulvenholti". The "hout" part means a deciduous forest. "Ulven" is suspected to be an extinct word for species of tree.[3] Ulvenhout was an agrarian settlement which started to develop in the 19th century along the Breda - Hoogstraten road.[4]
The Roman Catholic St Lawrence Church was built in 1903 and 1904 in Gothic Revival style. The tall tower has a constricted spire with corner turrets. It forms a collection with the nearby clergy house, a school, a 17th century gate post and a house near the church which belonged to the Buitenplaats' summer residence of Justinus van Nassau, the governor of Breda.[4]
Ulvenhout was home to 266 people in 1840. In 1942, it became a part of the municipality of Nieuw-Ginneken. In 1997, it was merged into Breda except for the part of the village south of the A58 which was transferred to the municipality of Alphen-Chaam.[5]