[6][7] Long before the establishment as an independent town, Marilao traces its origin as little as a barrio.

Marilao, just like Pangil, a town in Laguna, Philippines, was under the stewardship of the Franciscan order.

On April 21, 1796, the Barrio of Marilao was established as a pueblo as approved by the Alcalde Mayor of Bulacan and the Franciscan friars of Meycauayan, with the approval of Archbishop of Manila, the visita of San Miguel Arcangel became a town church where Padre Vicente de Talavera served as its parish priest.

Barangay Loma de Gato is now holds the most populous village both in the province of Bulacan and in Central Luzon region upon the division of barangay Muzon in the neighboring city of San Jose del Monte after the successful plebiscite approving the proposal in March 2023.

In its report, “The World’s Worst Polluted Places” for 2007, the Blacksmith Institute said: “Industrial waste is haphazardly dumped into the Meycauayan, Marilao and Obando River system, a source of drinking and agricultural water supplies for the 250,000 people living in and around”[15] the Meycauayan-Marilao area.

It was elevated to the status of National Shrine by Archbishop Orlando Quevedo of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

[30] It is hundred years old spiritual edifice in Poblacion I considered as “place marker” and serve as “point of orientation” to the local residents and visitors.

There are also a presence of other religions in Marilao such as the Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah's Witnesses, Evangelical Christians, Members Church of God International, etc.