The first chairs of this type - that is, the folding X-type - were discovered in the tombs of the ancient Egyptians , often carved with animal forms and covered with whole animal skins. There are also references to folding chairs in 17th Century inventories; 'Six folding chaires of crimson vellvet trymmed with gold lace' were sold by order of the Council of State after the execution of Charles I.

The now widely-used term 'deckchair' derived from the practice (normally by non-sailing types) of sitting on deck of a ship, in the belief that the inhalation of salt-rich sea air was beneficial to health. These new 'deck' chairs were originally used as seating on passenger liners and it is unclear whether they originated in the Americas or in the British Isles. It's probable that the wealthy American class of traveller brought deckchairs into vogue when steaming over the pond and they were quickly introduced onto P&O [The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company was a shipping company that began cruises to Egypt, India, the Orient, and Australasia in the late 1840s. ] cruise-ships during the late 1880s. The deckchair was soon commonplace on most passenger liners like the White