Zhitkovichi was first mentioned in the Lithuanian Metrics in 1500. At that time Zhitkovichi was a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, then of the Polish state. When Belarusian lands were included in the Russian state, Zhitkovichi became the volost’ center in Mozyr uyezd /Minsk province/. The population was mainly involved in agriculture and apiculture.
The construction of the Polesie railway in 1886 gave a boost to the development of wood-working and agricultural processing industries in Zhitkovichi.
On July 17, 1924 Zhitkovichi volost was renamed into the Zhitkovichi region. Up to 1937 Zhitkovichi was a small village; on September 27, 1938 it gained the status of a settlement.
Border-wise the region acquired its modern shape after the administrative reforms in 1962.
In October 1971 Zhitkovichi was granted the status of a town.