The place-name of Henvic is compound of two roots. One is Celt, (Hen = old), and the other Latin, (vicus = village), which leads one to suppose that the foundation of the borough goes back before the Gallo-Roman period.
It is sited in a central position, in what amounts to a peninsula sitting in the bay of Morlaix, and limited by the two river-creeks of the Penzé and Morlaix.
For many centuries, people lived here in semi-insularity, and still today, if somebody from Henvic is asked if he belongs to Léon or Tregor, his answer is "Neither".
Communications from East to West were subject to crossings or "treiz": The Morlaix river crossing was provided by a simple ferry at Locquenolé, and the crossing of the River Penzé, at Penzé was effected by a ferry, hauled from one side to the other, by a rope, and that gave its name to this place.

Right through the Middle Ages, Henvic lived in fear of invasions or incursions from the sea. However the first were peaceful, with the arrival in the 6th century of monks coming from Ireland and Wales to preach the Christian religion which would take the place over druidic pagans.
The Henvicois showed themselves as being very fervent in their piety and regard for the saints, in particular St Maudez, (St Mandé), to whom they dedicated numerous chapels, crosses, and oratories.

During the 9th and 10th centuries, Norman invasions began by numerous acts of piracy which forced the contruction of fortified manors : Le Lingoz and Kistillic on the banks of the Penzé, and Lézireur on the heights above the Morlaix river.
But insecurity continued for several centuries in the form of rivalry between Breton corsaires and the English. Thus it was that in 1522 the town of Henvic and the Château de Lézireur were razed to the ground by an English expeditionary force. Added to the feeling of insecurity were the harsh living conditions : many families, oppressed by the Landed Gentry lived parsimoniously on what were essentially cereal crops. The only industry was limited to a few forges scattered about the countryside and small mills set out near four streams and beside the sea (moulin du Vaneg).
Thus the revolution of 1789 was rather well received. The principal representative of the nobility, Pierre de Coatanlem, being put under house arrest at his manor at Trogriffon.

The Industrial revolution of the 19th century had but little effect on Henvic, and it was in the 20th century that the greatest changes took place : first of all two world wars. The first caused an important demographic blood-letting carved into the granite of its war memorial. The second was marked by an occupation endured, but not accepted, and a plinth erected at the Pont de la Corde tells of a courageous Henvicois who organised secret crossings of the Channel, bringing across many resistance fighters, secret agents and allied pilots.
Between the two world wars, agriculture was profoundly transformed by growing vegetables. Due to the warm climate, ant to the railway and maritime exportations, early vegetable growing, mainly cauliflowers and artichokes changed the rural countryside and the farming methods.