The Humewood neighbourhood is named after 'Humewood', the country estate of William Hume Blake, who was a prominent lawyer and politician in early Toronto. Blake built Humewood in the 1850's and named it after his ancestral home in Ireland. The former twenty-five acre Humewood estate was carved into various plans of subdivision in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Humewood Park was part of the old estate grounds and Humewood Drive was originally a private laneway to the estate.

The Humewood house was sold by the Blake family in the 1870's. Shortly thereafter it burned down, but was replaced by a similar house built on the foundation of the original home.

In 1912, the Humewood house was purchased by the Anglican Diocese as a refuge for young women in distress. It has undergone many renovations and additions since this time, however it remains a local landmark and stands proudly at number forty Humewood Drive.