The name Sorbas is thought to be of Arab origin, possibly meaning "sand port" after the clay pots made in the area since Neolithic times, and still are, particulary around Las Alfarerías.
The original settlement was the Iberian town, which established commercial relations with the Phoenicians.
Part of the coat of arms of Sorbas feature five red rays, and the legend has it that this represents the bleeding hand of an Iberian chief, who held out his arm and said: "This will be your standard", during a bloody battle between the Iberians and Phoenicians. Much later, the Romans added to the standard a crown with five towers. Following the Reconquest, another three elements were added - the lion, eagle and grenade.
After the Muslim surrender in 1488, christian and morisco coexistence was fraught with difficulty and rebellion, until 1570, when the morisco population was expelled, forced to abandon their homes and properties.