During the 18th century Yzerfontein did not have a permanent owner or any geographical borders (it was one of the loan farms of the then Cape Town Company). Jacobus Marthinus Blanckenberg became the first legal owner of the farm Yzerfontein on 25 August 1842. During the period 1885 to 1937 the farm had numerous owners until 1937 when the largest portion of the original Yzerfontein farm became the property of Nicolaas Gerhardus Pienaar. It was also in this year that the farm was consolidated and registered as the "Consolidated Yzerfontein farm" (number 560). A portion of the farm remained the property of Mr N G Pienaar, while the rest was sold to Yzerfontein Seaside Estates & Mr. P J de Villiers as well as Mr. I A J de Villiers. As from 1945 up to 1981, Mr. I A J de Villier sold further portions of the farm to Yzerfontein Seaside Estates, Gypsun Industries and Kompsa Industries.
The founder and first director of Yzerfontein Seaside Estates was Mr. Abraham Katz, a resident of Malmesbury (who started farming in the Malmesbury district during the 1900's). Later, his son Phillip (Lutti) Katz, took over the company from him, while at present Mr Samuel Jeffrey (Jeff) Katz, the son of Lutti is the Managing Director of Yzerfontein Seaside Estates.
Notwithstanding that up until 1937 Yzerfontein was still a farm, many farmers in the area would go there on holiday. However, during 1937 Yzerfontein received town status and was called a "township." During 1960 it was declared a Local Area. It was only in 1989 that a Local Council was elected and residents of the town became involved with the management of the town.
Another interesting fact is that during the 70's a certain Mr. Lambert J Smit, a member of the West Coast Transitional Council and later the West Coast District Municipality played a vital role in the development of an infrastructure in Yzerfontein.
With the building of the R27 west coast road it became much easier to reach Yzerfontein, and this action has catalysed the village's development. Before the R27 was built, the only way to get to Yzerfontein was via Malmesbury and Darling on a gravel road.