Francisco Rizal Mercado

He was one of the children of Juan Monica Mercado and Cirila Alejandro.[1] His family had adopted the additional surnames of Rizal in 1849, after Governor-General Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa decreed the adoption of Spanish surnames among the Filipinos for census purposes (though they already had Spanish names).

Like many families in the Philippines, the Rizals were of mestizo origin. Francisco's patrilineal lineage could be traced to Fujian in China through his father's ancestor Lam-Co, a Hokkien Chinese merchant who immigrated to the Philippines in the late 17th century.[2][3][lower-alpha 1][4] Lam-Co traveled to Manila from Xiamen, China, possibly to avoid the famine or plague in his home district, and more probably to escape the Manchu invasion during the Transition from Ming to Qing. He decided to stay in the islands as a farmer. In 1697, to escape the bitter anti-Chinese prejudice that existed in the Philippines, he converted to Catholicism, changed his name to Domingo Mercado and married the daughter of Chinese friend Augustin Chin-co.

Francisco Rizal was only eight years old when his father died. He attended a Latin school in Biñan, which his sons would later attend. He also attended the Colegio de San Jose in Manila, where he studied Latin and philosophy. He was described by Rafael Palma: "He was 40, of solid shoulders, strong constitution, rather tall than short, of serious and reflective mien, with prominent forehead and large dark eyes. A pure Filipino."[5]

Francisco married Teodora Alonso on June 28, 1848, when he was 30 years old.[6] The couple resided in Laguna, particularly in Calamba, and built a business in agriculture.

Francisco died on January 5, 1898, more than a year after the execution of his son José. His remains were initially interred at Cementerio del Norte in Manila before being transferred alongside the remains of his wife Teodora to their current tomb at his residence (now the Rizal Shrine) in Calamba, Laguna.[7]

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  Teodora Alonso with her daughters and granddaughters, a few days after the burial of Francisco Mercado
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  Historical marker marking the original tomb of Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso at the Manila North Cemetery