The province was named after Aurora Quezon, born in Baler and wife of Manuel L. Quezon, the first president of the Philippine Commonwealth.
Aurora was first explored by Juan de Salcedo in 1571 when he reached Casiguran and Baler from Laguna. In 1609, a Franciscan mission was founded in Baler. In 1735, Baler was destroyed by a tidal wave from the Pacific Ocean. The surviving inhabitants decided to move to higher ground. In 1814, the village of Binondo was founded away from the coast.
Baler was a part of Nueva Ecija until 1902, when it was ceded to Tayabas (now Quezon province). During the Commonwealth period, when President Quezon unexpectedly visited Binondo, he named it Aurora in honor of his wife. [read]
Aurora was not originally part of Quezon province (Tayabas) until it was annexed in 1902. Aurora is not Tagalog. There were only two towns of Baler and Casiguran then before it was subdivided into present eight. Casiguran has its own distinct dialect. There are many Baler words that are Casiguranin as well and cannot be called Tagalog.