[3] Tagkawayan is derived from the Tagalog phrase taga-kawayan, which translates to "from bamboo," a term that referred to the early settlers of the area, primarily Aetas.

These settlers would hold festive gatherings by the seashore, signaling neighboring tribes to join by raising a cloth-tied bamboo pole from a high rock.

Over time, migrants from Ambos Camarines and Bondoc Peninsula settled in the area as they were attracted by its rich forest resources.

Tagkawayan later became a hub for various ethnic groups (including Ilocanos and Kapampangans), drawn by opportunities in logging, mining, plywood manufacturing, fishing, and agriculture.

[5] After the rise in population with the potential of an economic growth, a formal petition to convert barrio Tagcawayan, then in Guinayangan, into an independent municipality was launched.