The early settlers of Santa Barbara, like many Malay communities in
Southeast Asia, were riverine people. They established their settlements along the banks of the Tolong and other rivers and creeks in the area. Consequently, before
Spanish colonization, the town was known as "Tolong," named after its principal river, now called the Sinocalan River. Santa Barbara is located in the northern part of the fertile Agno Valley and was once part of the ancient territory of
Luyag na Kabuloan, ruled by Ari Kasikis during the Spanish conquest. Due to its strategic location, Santa Barbara was one of the early settlements in Pangasinan organized into pueblos by Spanish conquistadores in 1580. This organization was aimed at expediting the pacification of the province and facilitating tribute collection to support the Spanish colonial administration. By 1741, the town had a significant Christian population. To prevent new converts from reverting to their old beliefs, a church was established with Santa Barbara as its patron saint. The early missionaries named the town Santa Barbara de Tolong. Over time, the residents adopted the name of their patron saint,
Saint Barbara, dropping the original name "Tolong." During the Filipino Revolution against Spanish rule, Santa Barbara served as the headquarters of
Daniel Maramba, a local native and commanding officer of the
Katipunan forces in central Pangasinan. ==Geography==