The town is named after the Dominican president, Gregorio Luperón, who is depicted on the city's seal.

Although there is no record of early inhabitants, it is said that Christopher Columbus had to enter the bay to protect his ships from a storm.

Dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo intended to elevate Luperón to the status of a province, but he was assassinated in May 1961, a few months before the scheduled change.

In recent years, a sizeable population of Luperónians have moved abroad (most notably to Spain), often retaining their careers in the resort and catering industries.

The bay contains extensive mangroves, unique to Hispaniola, which provide habitat for many species.