Francisco Mercado (b. May 11, 1818 – d.

January 5, 1898), Teodora Alonzo Realonda

(b. November 8, 1826 – d. August 16, 1911), Saturnina Rizal (1850 – 1913),

Orignally surnamed Mercado, the Rizal family, as it became later known, was one of the
prominent and influential families of Calamba. The Mercados acquired their fortune
through the industry of both Francisco and Teodora. They were the first to build a bahay
na bato to own a carruaje (horse-drawn carriage); to maintain a personal library; and to
send their children to colleges in Manila.

Aside from being one of the wealthiest families in the town, they were also highly
esteemed and were known for being hospitable and cultured, participating in many social,
cultural and religious gatherings and events in their community.

Contents
[hide]

• 1 Family Members
• 2 Paternal Ancestors
• 3 References
• 4 External Links
• 5 Related Resources

• 6 Citation

[edit] Family Members

A family of 13, they are paternally of Chinese ancestry and maternally descendants of a
maharlika class. Jose Rizal was a mestizo from both East and West with blood from
native, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish races.

• Francisco Mercado (b. May 11, 1818 – d. January 5, 1898), the father of Jose
Rizal and considered the patriarch of the family, was a native of Biñan, Laguna.
He was an educated and industrious farmer who studied Latin and philosophy at
Colegio de San Jose in Manila. Of Chinese ancestry, his great grandfather
Domingo Lam-co was a native of Chinchew (now Quanzhou), China who married
the Filipina Ines de la Rosa. One of the couples' children was Francisco Mercado,
who later married Cerila Bernacha. Bernacha gave birth to Juan Mercado who
became Cerila Alejandro's husband and Francisco's father. Both Francisco's
father, Juan, and grandfather, Francisco, became Capitanes or town mayors of
Biñan. Upon the death of his mother, Francisco moved to Calamba where he
became a tenant and farmer of a large Dominican estate. On 28 June 1848, he
married Teodora Alonzo Realonda. In 1850 he petitioned the court to change the
family name to Rizal, with all their children being surnamed as such.
• Teodora Alonzo Realonda (b. November 8, 1826 – d. August 16, 1911), a
Manileña, was a highly educated Filipina who graduated from the Colegio de
Santa Rosa. Of Spanish and Japanese ancestry, Teodora was a talented woman
whose interests lay in literature, culture, and business, and was well-versed in
Spanish. She helped her husband in farming and in their business. She devoted
herself to the children's education and growth as morally-upright individuals.
Teodora's lineage can be traced to Lakandula, the greatest ruler of Tondo. Her
great grandfather, who was of Japanese blood, was Eugenio Ursua (Ochoa). Her
maternal grandfather was Manuel de Quintos who was a popular lawyer in his
time, while her paternal grandfather was Cipriano Alonso who belonged to
Biñan's long list of Capitanes. Teodora was second child of Lorenzo Alberto
Alonzo, an engineer and a recipient of the most sought decoration, the Knight of
the Grand Order of Isabela the Catholic and Order of Carlos III; and Brigida de
Quintos, a fair and well-educated lady. With her vision failing in old age, her son
took up medicine, specializing in opthalmologoy, in order to cure her.

• Saturnina Rizal (1850 – 1913), also known as “Neneng,” was the eldest of the
Rizal children. She married Manuel T. Hidalgo, affectionately called "Maneng"
by Rizal, who was a native of Tanauan, Batangas.

• Paciano Rizal (b. March 7, 1851 – d. 1930) was the elder and only brother of
Jose Rizal. Being a decade older than Rizal, Paciano became a second father to
his sibling. He succeeded in sending the young Jose (Pepe) to Europe to study,
giving the latter 700 pesos upon departure. During the younger years Paciano
would continue supporting his brother financially. After the death of Jose,
Paciano joined the Revolution and was later appointed general of the
revolutionary forces in Laguna. His common-law wife was Severina Decena. He
died in Los Baños, Laguna on April 13, 1930. Their only child Emiliana Rizal
married her first cousin Antonio Rizal Lopez Jr., the son of Narcisa Rizal with
Antonio Lopez Sr.

• Narcisa Rizal (1852 – 1939) was the third child of Francisco and Teodora. She
was a teacher and a musician by profession, and married Antonino Lopez who
was a school teacher in Morong, Rizal.

• Olympia Rizal (1855 – 1887) was the fourth child of the brood who married
Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Manila.

• Lucia Rizal (1857 – 1919) was the fifth child of the Rizal family who was
married to Mariano Herbosa of Calamba. She died in 1887.

• Maria Rizal (1859 – 1945) was the sixth of the eleven children who married
Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.

• Concepcion Rizal (1862 – 1865), also known as “Concha,” was the eight child of
the Rizals, who died at the age of three.
 • Josefa Rizal (1865 – 1945) was the ninth child and affectionately called Panggoy.
She remained a spinster throughout her life.

• Jose Rizal (June 19, 1861- December 30, 1896), later to become the Philippine
national hero, was the second son and seventh child.

• Trinidad Rizal (1868 – 1951) was the tenth child who, like Josefa, died without a
husband.

• Soledad Rizal (1870 – 1929) was the youngest of the brood who later married
Pantaleon Quintero, a native of Calamba.

[edit] Paternal Ancestors

• Domingo Lam-co, the family root, arrived from Amoy, China in 1660s and
changed his name to Mercado in 1697. He married late in life.

• Francisco Mercado y Chinco, the first son of Domingo Lam-co.

• Juan Mercado y Monica, youngest son of Francisco Mercado y Chinco, a captain

in the Spanish army

• Petrona, Potenciana and Francisco Mercado, Sr., children of Juan Mercado. The
youngest Francisco Mercado, Sr. was the father of Jose Rizal, Francisco Mercado
(Junior).

[edit] References
• Ancheta, Celedonio A. Jose Rizal's Life and His Complete Works. Diliman,
Quezon City: National Bookstore, Inc., 1977.
• Bantug, Asuncion Lopez-Rizal. Indio Bravo: The Story of Jose Rizal. Manila:
Tahanan Books, 1997.
• Bantug, Asuncion Lopez. "Lolo José", 2nd edition. Quezon City: Vibal
Foundation, 2008.
• Craig, Austin. Lineage, Life and Labors of Jose Rizal. Manila: Philippine
Education Co., 1913.
• Laubach, Frank C. Rizal: Man and Martyr. Manila: University of the Philippines
Press, 1936.
• National Historical Institute. "Letters between Rizal and Family Members (1876-
1896)." Manila: NHI, 1993.
• Ocampo, Esteban A. de. "The Rizal Family." Manila: self published, 1954.
• Sta. Maria, Felice Prudente. In Excelsis: The Mission of Jose P. Rizal – Humanist
and Philippine National Hero. Makati City: Studio Five Designs, Inc., 1996.
• Zaide, Gregorio F. Jose Rizal: Life, Works and Writings. Reprint, Mandaluyong
City: National Bookstore, Inc., 2005.
[edit] External Links
• Correspondence to and from Jose Rizal and related books Accessed on 16 May
2009
• Rizal family tree, up to fourth generation, from Asuncion Lopez Bantug's book
Lolo Jose 1st edition (1988)Accessed on 16 May 2009
• Vibal Foundation blog post on the launch of Rizal's grandniece Asuncion Lopez
Bantug's 2nd edition of Lolo Jose, together with other members of the present
Rizal family Accessed on 16 May 2009
• Vibal Foundation interview with Ana Maria Belen Bantug Tan and her brother
Arturo, both great grandchildren of Jose Rizal Accessed on 16 May 2009
• Chapter 3 of Austin Craig's Lineage, Life and Labors of Jose Rizal, describing the
immediate Mercado family, published on Filipiniana.net Accessed on 16 May
2009
• Photos of each of the Rizal siblings on the Rizal website Rizal.tk by Jennylyn N
Fernandez Accessed 16 May 2009
• 13 June 2003 E-balita interview with Rizal grandnieces, Asuncion Lopez Bantug,
Carmen Consunji and Natividad Francisco Accessed 16 May 2009
• Extensive Rizal genealogical chart contributed to by family members up to the 6th
generation, maintained by Job Guerrero Elizes Accessed on 16 May 2009
• Inquirer columnist Wilson Lee Flores on Jose Rizal's Chinese ancestry and the
commemorative visit of the Rizal family to their origins in Sionque, near Jinjiang
City, Fujian, in south China Accessed on 16 May 2009

[edit] Related Resources