Before the Spaniards came, a small settlement of fishermen lived along the coast of Manila Bay. Later, these settlers moved inland and became farmers after discovering fertile land drained by a network of rivers and streams. These settlers grew and flourished into the large and prosperous settlement now known as the province of Bulacan.

It is believed that flowers bloomed in the region when the Spaniards came. Because of sprawling green orchards, vegetables and profusely flowering plants, as well as beautiful women, this lovely land came to be called Bulacan as a shortened term for "bulak-lakan" and/or a derivative of the word "bulak" (kapok) which abounded in the province even before the Spaniards came.