Kaura is located along the Rafin Sarki on an alluvial soil that was conducive for rainy and dry season cultivations. Traditions in respect of the foundation of Kaura ward maintain that human settlement had evolved around the ward before the establishment of Birnin Zaria in the 15th century. One of the groups that were identified as one of the early settlers of Kaura ward was the lineage of a silver smith.
The silver smiths occupy a group of compounds that constituted the Gidan Makera. According to the tradition of this group, they were descendants of two silver smiths who came to Birnin Zaria during the reign of emir of Zazzau Abdul-karim (1834-1846A.D). They were Mohammed Sani and Dauda. According to another tradition the group of silver smith have inhabited the ward since the period when human settlement first evolved on the plains of Zaria. Apart from the lineage of the silver smith there was also the lineage of Madakin Zazzau Makayo who occupied a big compound known as Gidan Doko. Madaki Makayo seemed to come to power around the late 18th century possibly after the deposition of Madaki Kyankyaro. Madaki Makayo seemed to have remained in his position even after the Jihad. This was in view of his support for the Jihad.
There are two traditions as regard to the origin of the name of the ward Kaura. One tradition has it that the ward got its name following the kaura (movement) of Yamusa from the area of Madaka to the site of Kaura. Another tradition has that it was named Kaura following the settlement of Yamusa whose praise song as Madaki was Kaura Goje. If this is anything to go by it means that the name of the settlement was a 19th century phenomenon. However, we do not know the name the ward was bearing before this development in view of the traditions that claims that man inhabited the ward since the 15th century.