The community received its present name circa 1860, and is named after Anna Seguine, a descendant of French Huguenots who were among the South Shore's earliest settlers; this settlement is also responsible for the neighborhood immediately to the southwest of Annadale being named Huguenot, and the Seguine family also lends its name to Seguine Avenue, the principal north-south thoroughfare on the east side of Prince's Bay, the neighborhood next southwest of Huguenot.

In 1929, immigrants from Spain purchased land along the Annadale shoreline, and founded a settlement that became known as the Spanish Camp, or Spanish Colony. First tents, and later bungalows, were built at the site. The site was purchased and buildings demolished at the end of the 20th century so that several large, upscale homes could be constructed.

Annadale once had abundant woodland, but much of it was cleared in the last three decades of the 20th Century to make room for new homes. However, a city park in the heart of the neighborhood was converted into a wildlife preserve; known as Blue Heron Park, it covers 222 acres (898,000 m²), much of it consisting of ponds, swamps and small streams which empty into nearby Raritan Bay.

The northwestern part of Annadale is now often regarded as a separate neighborhood known as Arden Heights. Southeast Annadale also harbors its own identity separate from the rest of the neighborhood. This quiet enclave is the section most often associated with Blue Heron Park.

New York Public Library operates the Huguenot Park Branch, which serves Annadale and other neighborhoods, at 830 Huguenot Avenue at Drumgoole Road East. The branch opened in January 1985.

Annadale  Arden Heights  Arrochar  Bay Terrace  Bloomfield  Brighton Heights  Bulls Head  Castleton  Castleton Corners  Charleston  Clifton  Concord  Dongan Hills  East Shore  Egbertville  Elm Park  Eltingville  Emerson Hill  Farm Colony  Fort Wadsworth  Fresh Kills  Graniteville  Grant City  Grasmere  Great Kills  Greenridge  Grymes Hill  Hamilton Park  Heartland Village  Hoffman Island  Howland Hook  Huguenot  Isle of Meadows  Lighthouse Hill  Livingston  Manor Heights  Mariners Harbor  Meiers Corners  Mid-Island  Midland Beach  New Brighton  New Dorp  New Dorp Beach  New Springville  North Shore  Oakwood  Ocean Breeze  Old Town  Pleasant Plains  Port Ivory  Port Richmond  Prall's Island  Prince's Bay  Randall Manor  Richmondtown  Richmond Valley  Rosebank  Rossville  St. George  Sandy Ground  Shooters Island  Shore Acres  Silver Lake  Snug Harbor  South Beach  South Shore  Spanish Camp  Stapleton  Stapleton Heights  Sunnyside  Swinburne Island  Todt Hill  Tompkinsville  Tottenville  Tottenville Beach  Travis  Ward Hill  Westerleigh  West New Brighton  West Shore  Willowbrook  Woodrow

Annadale - Arden Heights - Arrochar - Bay Terrace - Bloomfield - Bulls Head - Castleton Corners - Charleston - Chelsea - Clifton - Concord - Dongan Hills - Egbertville - Elm Park - Eltingville - Emerson Hill - Fort Wadsworth - Graniteville - Grant City - Grasmere - Great Kills - Greenridge - Grymes Hill - Heartland Village - Huguenot - Lighthouse Hill - Livingston - Manor Heights - Mariners Harbor - Meiers Corners - Midland Beach - New Brighton - New Dorp - New Springville - Oakwood - Ocean Breeze - Old Town - Pleasant Plains - Port Richmond - Prince's Bay - Randall Manor - Richmondtown - Richmond Valley - Rosebank - Rossville - Rudolph Lake - Sandy Ground - Shore Acres - Silver Lake - South Beach - Stapleton - Stapleton Heights - St. George - Sunnyside - Todt Hill - Tompkinsville - Tottenville - Tottenville Beach - Travis - Ward Hill - Westerleigh - West New Brighton - Willowbrook - Woodland Beach - Woodrow -