When there is no Knowledge of the past
                                                           There can be no vision of the future

Nearby are rock inscriptions of Indian emperor Asoka (3d cent. B.C.). 
Coins of the Greco-Bectrians kings discovered from the Hazara tract suggest that the area was inhabited in first century B.C.
See Under Tribes Of Abbottabad
Abbottabad has seen many invasions from outside by the conquering forces of diverse races, tribes and kingdoms.
in the Past the Hindus were living here. They were more in cities compared to  villages. In the Period of the British, Sikhs also came here. Both the Hindus and Sikhs had a strong hold on the trade and influence in the politics. Some of them were in the government.

The current Abbottabad District was originally a Tehsil of Hazara, the Imperial Gazetteer of India described it as follows: Tahsīl of Hazāra District, North-West Frontier Province, lying between 33º49' and 34º 22' N. and 72º55' and 73º 31' E., with an area of 715 square miles. It is bounded on the east by the Jhelum, which divides it from Pūnch and the Punjab District of Rawalpindi; and it comprises part of the mountain valleys drained by the Dor and Harroh rivers, together with the hill country eastward. The hill-sides to the north and north-east are covered with timber forest. The population in 1901 was 194,632, compared with 175,735 in 1891. It contains the towns of Abbottabad (population, 7,764), the Tehsil and District head-quarters, and NAWASHAHR (4,114); and 359 villages.

The land revenue and cesses amounted in 1903-4 to Rs. 97,000. The district is named after Major James Abbott the first deputy commissioner of Hazara (1849 - 1853).
During British rule Abbottabad became the capital of Hazara District, which was named after and contained the Hazara valley, a small valley in the outermost Himalayas ,between the Indus in the west and Kashmir in the east.

In June 1948, the British Red Cross opened a hospital in Abbottabad to deal with 80-100 patients daily who were being "brought in from the Kashmir fighting areas".

In 1901 the population of the town and cantonment was 7764.
In 1991 the population was 66,000. In 1998, the population of Abbottabad District was 881,000. Many people identify themselves with hereditary nations. Among these are Swatis, Abbasis, Awan, Utmanzai, Jadoons, Karlal, Syed, Tanoli etc. 

To Know Details of Tribes and Castes in ABBOTTABAD Click Here