The names of villages and settlements were usually given by local residents based on geographical features, surnames commonly found in the settlement, historical events, or the names of parishes and priests. It can be assumed that the name of the village Arefino comes from the Latin word "area," meaning square or territory, and the second part of the word, "jinn," is related to the Finno-Ugric population living in this area. This is confirmed by the Mordvin name of the river Idomka, which flows in Arefino. It is possible that in the past, a nobleman named Arefiy lived in this settlement, and the residents named the village Arefino in his honor.

In the early 17th century, the village of Arefino and its parish belonged to the boyar Ivan Nikitovich Romanov. In the last quarter of this century, Arefino became a palace arable village of Fyodor Alexeyevich Romanov. In 1689, the estate was granted to the Naryshkin brothers, and in 1698 it was confirmed for Lev Kirillovich Naryshkin. In 1816, it was sold to Count Litta.