Ilocano History

The present Ilocanos are descendants of mixed race predominantly of the Austronesian (Malay) race. Chinese, Indian and Spanish bloods are significantly mixed.

The early Austronesian ancestors of the Ilocanos arrived in the Philippines through barangays (boats) and settled the coastal side of northwestern Luzon. When the Spanish conquered the Philippines, an exploration led by Juan de Salcedo led him to the coastal towns of now Vigan, Currimao and Laoag. He find the people living in coves and described them as more barbarous than the Tagalogs in Manila.

When he conquered this place he established a province called ILOCOS which originally comprises the now provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and parts of Abra and La Union (shown on map).

During the Spanish colonial era especially in 1800s, migrations were initiated to other parts of Luzon due to some reasons aside from increasing population. Others who look for more fertile land went eastward to the wider plains of Cagayan Valley and down to Central Luzon. One of the more significant reason of the migration was that Ilocanos were chosen by the Spaniards to help them colonize the other parts of Luzon and evangelize the people.

Later migration was during the American period. When the Americans penetrated the Cordillera, Ilocanos were asked for help and were encouraged to settle just like the establishment of the city of Baguio. It was also during this era that migration in Hawaii and later in California was opened because of the needed Filipino labor in these American territories.

After the World War II, governement sponsored migration invited the Ilocanos to migrate in Mindanao especially in Cotabato, Davao, Sultan Kudarat and Zamboanga. Other migration led the Ilocanos in Mindoro, Babuyan Island and Palawan.

Today, the Ilocano diaspora has reached the whole face of the globe.