The pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo ,(Latin), originated in Middle America and has been mainly in Mexico, a culture plant for thousands of years.

After America was "discovered", the pumpkin was imported to Europe and Asia, where it is still a popular food vegetable. However, the extraction of pumpkinseed oil, out of a mutant pumpkin (Styrian Pumpkin, styriaca (Latin)), with its non-stringy seed skins; started a long time after.

During the 18th century, some knew about the usability of the pumpkin seed. A reference book from 1739 writes about the pumpkin seed: "... it is used often for making cooling emulsions and milks, also other drinks and soups. It is pressed a white, sweet oil out of it which makes a smooth skin ..." This was the first documented expression of "pumpkin oil". Three years later in 1742, a "Last Will" document mentions the heritage of 14 pounds of pumpkin oil in the Styrian village Rassach.

In 1773, Austrian Empress Maria Theresia ordered that pumpkinseed oil not be served as a normal food, but belong to chemist stores to produce "ointments and plasters". According to some records, at the beginning of the 18th century, studies were not only for the culinaric and healthy usability, but also for military usability of pumpkinseed oil; namely as a lubricant. The Austrian officer who brought up this idea intended to use the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the pumpkinseed oil, which is still the basic material for lubricants today.

At this time, pumpkinseed oil has been pressed with "press trees". Before World War I, pumpkinseed oil was not an article of commerce, but was used only for self-supply of the farmers. With growing industrialization, the first hydraulic oil presses arose.