The club's patron is the grandson of Victorian Prime Minister Sir William Gladstone, who had the foresight to leave the Gladstone Playing Fields to local people for future enjoyment, which explains why the Hawarden castle gates are visible on the club crest.

At adult level, the club were founder members of the Clwyd League, which was set up to improve the level of competition in the area while the junior section of Hawarden Rangers was created in 1984 by the amalgamation of the two local teams Hawarden Wayfarers and Hawarden Pathfinders.

Following the amalgamation, the club became known as Hawarden United before changing to Hawarden Rangers Football Club which now has over 200 junior playing members aged 6-16 plus senior teams.