The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Abava parish, Balgale parish, Ģibuļi parish, Īve parish, Ķūļciems parish, Laidze parish, Lauciene parish, Lībagi parish, Lube parish, Strazde parish, Valdgale parish, Vandzene parish, Virbi parish, Talsi town, Stende town, Sabile town and Valdemārpils town with its countryside territory; the administrative centre being Talsi.
Arved Carl Ludwig von Schultz (born 14 November 1883 at Good Rinkuln in Talsen, now Latvia; died 13 December 1967 in Hilden at Düsseldorf) was a German geographer.