Aims/Introduction To investigate the differential effects of maternal versus paternal history of diabetes on the risks for diabetes and prediabetes, as well as on insulin secretion and resistance in Chinese individuals. Materials and Methods From the 2007 to 2008 China National Diabetes and Metabolism Disorders Study, 39,244 participants were included and divided into four categories: negative parental history, paternal history only (PH), maternal history only (MH), and both paternal and maternal history. Results The age- and sex-standardized prevalence rates of diabetes in the negative parental history, PH, MH, and both paternal and maternal history groups were 8.59, 12.56, 15.86 and 29.81%, respectively. The prevalence rates of impaired glucose metabolism were 24.13, 25.41, 31.13 and 50.80%, with the prevalence in the MH group being significantly higher than that in the PH group. Compared with that in the FH0 group, the risks of diabetes in the PH, MH, and both paternal and maternal history groups were 2.01-, 2.67- and 6.37-fold greater, and the risks of impaired glucose metabolism were 1.28-, 1.65- and 3.45-fold greater. In addition, MH had a significantly greater impact on impaired glucose metabolism than PH (P-MHvsPH = 0.0292). Regression analyses suggested MH was associated with homeostatic model assessment for beta-cell function (beta[SE] = -0.0910[0.0334],P = 0.0065), insulinogenic index (-0.1866[0.0550],P = 0.0007), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (0.0662[0.0227],P = 0.0036) and Matsuda Index [-0.0716(0.0203),P = 0.0004]. PH was specifically associated with homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (0.1343[0.0267],P 0.0001) and Matsuda Index (-0.1566[0.0243],P < 0.0001), but the effects were stronger than those of MH (P-MHvsPH = 0.0431, 0.0054). Conclusions MH and PH differentially influence the risks for diabetes, insulin secretion, and insulin resistance in the Chinese population, suggesting they participate in the pathogenesis of diabetes through different mechanisms.