Before the creation of the Dumbarton Burghs constituency, the burgh of Dumbarton had formed as part of the constituency of Kilmarnock Burghs, and Clydebank had been within the Dunbartonshire county constituency. When Dumbarton Burghs was abolished, the whole county of Dunbartonshire was re-organised into two new county constituencies, Dunbartonshire East and Dunbartonshire West.
For almost all of its history, Dumbarton Burghs was represented by David Kirkwood of the Labour Party, an important Red Clydesider. The only exception was 1918 to 1922, when it was represented by John Taylor, a supporter of David Lloyd George's coalition government.