The community takes its name from Auburndale, Massachusetts, which was the native or former home of the area's very first postmaster, L.W. Crowe. It was a common practice during the settlement era of Western Canada for early arrivals or officials to name new localities after places they had left behind, honoring their personal heritage.

The official history of Auburndale as a recognized geographic point began shortly after the turn of the century. A post office was established on August 1, 1907. L.W. Crowe served as the community's first postmaster from 1907 until 1911. The post office functioned as a vital hub for the surrounding farming community for decades, operating until it closed in July 1944 as rural mail delivery routes changed and centralization favored larger nearby towns.