Today's breed standards developed in the 1800s, although dogs having very similar features to the Weimaraner have been attested as far back as 1200s in the court of Louis IX of France. One theory is that the ancestor is the St. Habertus Branchen. Though these dogs are black, these dogs can produce a grey dog when bred. Like the Vizsla at the time, the breed was created exclusively for the nobility and alike. The aim was to create a noble-looking, reliable gundog. As ownership was restricted, the breed was highly prized and lived with the family. This was unusual, as during this period, hunting dogs were kept in kennels in packs. This has resulted in a dog that needs to be near humans and that quickly deteriorates when kennelled.

This was the gundog of the German aristocracy at the end of the 19^th century and was developed as a breed in the German State of Weimar at the behest of the Grand Duke Karl of Saxe-Weimar-Eistenbach.

The theory behind the dog’s grey colouring is that black dogs, constantly bred will produce grey pups.  The Weimaraner is a dog of the subtlest colour grey, giving rise to the nickname of ‘grey ghost.’  The most likely ancestry of the black dogs used for breeding this dog is the black, St. Hubert’s hound that was bred by Benedictine monks from about the 9^th century. Germany was naturally possessive of its skilled, all-purpose gundog. But starting in the late nineteenth century the breed became increasingly more common throughout Europe and the United States. Although slower than many other gundogs, such as pointers, the Weimaraner is thorough and this made it a welcome addition to the sportsman's household.