The origin of the Komondor is debated. Some believe the Komondors were a dog of the Magyars (originally migrating from Siberia) and while others believe it to be a dog of the Sumerians (originally migrating from Mesopotamia) and yet others believe it to originate from the Cumans. Interestingly, the origin of Hungarians themselves are partly disputed and the theories of breed origin probably stem from this debate. The origin of the name Komondor has multiple theories as well, some say it comes from the word Cumans (or Komans, from light yellow or pallid), some believe the origin of the name to be from the Hungarian word komor (somber), while others say it comes from the Turkish word kumundr (KU=dog, MUND=command, UR=master). The Hungarians avoid the debate and simply say Komondors have guarded the herds "since the beginning of time".

The unique dreadlock appearance gives a hint of common origin with the Puli and the Bergamasco. There might also be a link between the Komondor and the big, white Russian livestock dogs, the South Russian Ovtcharka.

The Komondor is built for livestock guarding. It is big, strong, and armored with a thick coat. The coat provides protection against wild animals and the weather and vegetation. The coat is the trademark of the breed.

The Komondor is a rare breed even inside its country of origin, Hungary. Many Komondor were killed during World War II, and local stories say that this is due to the fact that when the Nazis (and then the Russians) invaded, before they could take over a farm or house with a resident Komondor they had to kill the dog.