Kraków Voivodeship
First written mentions of Jeleśnia come from the 16th century. At that time, the area of the village was sparsely populated, and local noblemen would frequently fight each other, using gangs of highwaymen. The area of the future Żywiec County belonged to the Komorowski family, then it was divided among other families, such as the Wielopolskis. Until 1772 (see Partitions of Poland), Jeleśnia belonged to Kraków Voivodeship. From 1772 to 1918, it was part of Austrian province of Galicia. In the Second Polish Republic, Jeleśnia again belonged to Kraków Voivodeship. During the war, it was incorporated into the Third Reich, and from 1945 to 1975, it returned to Kraków Voivodeship. In 1975 the village was transferred to Bielsko-Biała Voivodeship, where it remained until January 1, 1999.