Previously known as Marayo a name derived from a bean-like -exotic plant called Marayo which abundantly growing with seashells on the sub-soil of the place, another story also was recorded that the name of Marayo came from the name of the chieftain Iyo  who ruled the town before and his beautiful wife Mara.

Before the 18th century the Marayo was inhabited by native people called Negritos and like to the other town moved to mountains when migrants from Panay came to Marayo.  When the Spaniards came, they found a well-populated Marayo. To show their authority, they renamed the place “PontePiedra” or “Stone Point”, after a big stone jutting at the mouth of the river. But the natives found it more convenient to pronounce “Pontevedra”, and that is how it stayed until now.   

The municipality of Pontevedra is located in the northern part of Negros Occidental, it is considered as a 3rd class municipality of the province, it composes of 20 barangays, according to the 2000 Census, the town recorded 42, 089 people in 8, 554 households.