Although archaeologists assume that Polynesians lived on Pitcairn as late as the 15th century, the island was uninhabited when it was discovered by Spanish explorer Pedro Fernandez de Quiros. It was rediscovered by the British in 1767, and named after the crew member that first spotted the island.

On January 15, 1790, the mutineers of Bounty and their Tahitian companions arrived on the island. The group consisted of Fletcher Christian and eight other mutineers from the Bounty, six Tahitian men and twelve Tahitian women. The settlers took everything off the Bounty and then burnt the ship to hide all trace of their existence. The wreck of Bounty is still visible underwater in Bounty Bay.

As the result of violence and illness, by 1800 John Adams was the only mutineer left alive. In 1814 the British Navy discovered the existence of the colony. They were favourably impressed by the islanders and felt it would be "an act of great cruelty and inhumanity" to arrest John Adams.

The island became a British colony in 1838. By the mid 1850s the Pitcairn community was outgrowing the island and they appealed to Queen Victoria for help. Queen Victoria offered them Norfolk Island and on 3 May, 1856, the entire community of 193 people set sail for Norfolk Island on board the Morayshire. They arrived on 8 June after a miserable 5 week trip. However, after 18 months, 17 returned to Pitcairn and 5 years later another 27 returned.

Since a population peak of 233 in 1937, the island is suffering from emigration, primarily to New Zealand, leaving a current population of 47 as of October 2004.

Currently, the continued existence of the colony is threatened by allegations of a long history and tradition of sexual abuse of girls as young as 10 and 11. On September 30 2004, seven men resident on Pitcairn, and a further six now living abroad, went on trial facing 96 charges of sex-related offences. Among the accused is Steve Christian, Pitcairn's Mayor , who faces several charges of rape, indecent assault, and child abuse.