Town History

The town of Aritao was previously called “Ajanas”.  This name was later changed to Aritao, after an Isinay word “Ari-Tau” (meaning “Our King” originated from a famous Igorot King Mengal). One day, on January 1767, the Intrepid Fr. Manuel Corripio, a Spanish Missionary succeeded in persuading an Igorot King called Ari Mengal and his tribe to live in the lowland which is the seat of the Municipality of Aritao.  These people were later converted to Christianity by Fr. Tomas Gutierez. In the year 1777, there was a merging of Aritao with the adjacent places into one pueblo under the name of Aritao and was approved by the Manila Authorities. On June 30, 1917, through the initiative of councilor Jose Aleman, the application for township of Aritao to higher authorities has been finally approved by the Secretary of Interior.

Inauguration of Aritao as a township cherished the beautiful memories of Aritao’s grandeur and prosperity, and became one of those 2nd class regular municipalities through an order coming from the Secretary of the Interior. An influx of numerous   immigrants from Pangasinan, Ilocos Region, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Mountain Provinces settled here.