This group of people has a relatively young history dating back to when the first Dutch colonists arrived in the Cape in the 17th century. The Europeans come into contact with the Khoisan people (including the Bushmen) and children born due to these relationships occurring between these two groups, led to a group of people called "coloured" or "bastards". During the later part of the 1860's, some 90 Baster families moved from an area south of the Orange River into the southern part of Namibia. When the Cape government decreed that all settlers in marginal areas would be obliged to prove title to the land which they occupied or get out, they continued their trek northwards to an area with a hot-water spring called Rehoboth.

Rehoboth was at that stage occupied by one of the Nama tribes, but because of the Basters supported the Germans during the early 1900 uprisings, the Germans rewarded them by allowing them to retain the land. In 1915 the Basters choose the right side again when joining the South African invaders against the Germans. Again their right over this land was accepted. And while this sounds like it was to the advantage of the Baster, in reality they suffered considerable under the old South African rule, and also in the current political situation with the relative newly elected democratic elected government of Mr Sam Nujoma. 

Today the community consists of more than 30 000 people with Afrikaans as their main language and working in various sectors in the economy including the building industry. They are extremely proud of heritage due to their unique history and registered out of free will, to be named Rehoboth Basters.