Even before the "blood compact" between the Spain's conqueror Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and the Philippines' Datu Sikatuna was made, the place was already known as Hagonoy.

The land consists of archipelagic marsh and river tributaries going to the sea, where the first ancestors of this town probably took this way to reach Hagonoy.

Hagonoy first appeared in Philippine history when they formed part of the fleet of Tarik Sulayman of Macabebe, Pampanga that met Martin de Goiti at the Battle of Bangkusay in the initial defense of the Lusong against the Spaniards in 1571.

Sargento Juan Moron once trusted his land to the Augustinian friars, and that's how it was handed to Fray Diego Vivar.

The town was named after the "hagunoy" (Chromolaena odorata), a medicinal plant that used to be abundant in its river banks and along the seashores.

In the 16th century, some friars took a boat from Manila to the province of Bulacan and reached what was then called "Quinabaloan" (from Kapampangan word kinabaluan meaning "had been known" or "pinag-alaman" in Tagalog—which was then still part of the town of Calumpit and is now the barangays of Santa Monica and San Jose).

As he was gathering the leaves of the hagunoy plant for his dearly beloved, the group of friars in a passing boat stopped to ask him, "Quien vive?"

[8] With a total land area of 103.10 square kilometers, Hagonoy is situated at the south-west corner of the province of Bulacan.

The town offers a variety of harvests which includes prawns, shrimps, milkfish, tilapia, crabs, mussels and oysters.

With its abundant water resources and the coastal nature of the town, the majority of the population is dependent on the fishing industry.

Even the municipal government has its own fishpond locally known as "Propyus", situated in Pugad and Tibaguin, two coastal barangays of Hagonoy along the coast of Manila Bay.

Two local fish ports called "pundohan" – one in barrio San Nicolas and the other at the Poblacion, are the busiest commercial areas in the town.

Fish traders from Lucena and Dagupan among other merchants of other provinces are regular bulk buyers the local ports or at the private "consignacions" (brokerage) of the large milkfish growers.

The coastal barrios are virtually 24/7 as fishermen go out to the sea at night for hours or even days while their loving families and relatives await them.

Barangay Santo Niño adjacent to the Poblacion is host to the numerous brokers of prawns for the domestic and export markets.

There are 2 “talipapa” (flea markets) in Hagonoy that also played minor central business districts – Santo Rosario and San Agustin.

Business activities include wet and dry markets, grocery stores, carinderia, and computer shops.

Trade and commerce in Hagonoy is concentrated at the town center where the public market, municipal hall, church, schools, hospital, clinics, and commercial spaces are situated.

Major business activities include drugstores, banks, financial institutions, private consignacions, restaurants/food shops, groceries, and construction supplies.

Many residents have subscribed to wireless phone services such as Globe, Smart, Talk 'N Text, TM (Touch Mobile), Sun Cellular and DITO.

As per the Municipal Engineers Office record, there are 10 cell sites installed in strategic locations in Hagonoy to improve the signal coverage and reception.

On the other hand, telegraph and express mail services are being provided by the local post office and private companies such as LBC and RCPI-Western Union.

The town's patron saint is St. Anne (the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary) or fondly called "Apo Ana" in the vernacular by the natives.

The Holy Week observance includes self flagellants on the road, zarzuelas, the "pabasa" (the passion sang as a psalm), the Good Friday and Easter dawn processions, in all parish churches.

It is a month-long celebration in honor of the town's patroness, Saint Anne, and the founding anniversary of Hagonoy as a pueblo way back 1581.

The processional image is then brought back to the shrine to formally open the festivity for the 9-days novena, followed by the fluvial parade or pagoda in the river systems of Hagonoy.

On September 15, 2019, Iba National High School Dance Troupe, one of the pioneering school folk dancing group in Hagonoy, together with Liping Hagonoeño and with the help of Hiyas ng Hagonoy, featured the Palaisdaan Festival in the province-wide Singkaban Festival.

Peace and order is being maintained by the Philippine National Police – Hagonoy Station manned by 29 PNP personnel.

In 2011, there are 4,671 registered members of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) in Hagonoy[42] servicing all barangays except Pugad and Tibaguin.

[43][44][45] The power requirement of the entire municipality is supplied by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) including the coastal barangays of Pugad and Tibaguin.