In the mediaeval times Totteridge Manor belonged to the Bishops of Ely, and it was a small village at Hatfield. It became popular in the 17th century onwards for country houses close to London but in a rural setting. Much of the housing in the area is Edwardian built after the Great Northern Railway came through the area. Housing estates were built here after the Second World War.

Totteridge Common, Totteridge Village, and Totteridge Lane - which are all parts of the same Road, are the prime residential areas with exclusive houses in the streets off, such as Grange Avenue and Northcliffe Drive. These are houses that go for millions of pounds. The streets off Greenway are mainly 1930s houses, which are not quite so exclusive. Totteridge becomes Whetstone roughly at the High Road. There are modern blocks of flats in this area. To the east, Chandos Avenue, Athenaeum Road, and others contains large Edwardian houses. Oakleigh Park with many streets containing that name contain turn-of-the-century terraced houses and some semi-detached and even detached houses. Friern Barnet runs to the south. There are ex-council houses in streets like Woodhouse Road and Summers Lane. There are also a number of large new residential developments with houses and flat blocks in the area leading down the North Circular Road. There are Victorian and Edwardian properties around Friern Barnet Lane.