ANCESTORS

The Rizal's family was a mix races as principles. Jose had a Chinese ancestors on his father's
side and japanese on his mother side. His mother is from rajah lakandula. Resulting in a truly
magnificent blend of bloods. Dominggo Lamco, a native Chinese of sionggue, city of changchow,
province of Fukien, he arrive in manila around 1690, Lamco became a Christian because he wished
to be a Catholic. His change his surname to "mercado" in 1731. Their union produced two children,
Francisco and Josefa. Francisco mercado was Jose's great grandfather. In the hacienda San Pedro
tunasan he married cirila Bernacha(Bernarda Monicha). Francisco Mercado lived in binan and was
eventually elected as the town's Gobernadorcillo.They had two children before his death in 1801,
Juan and Clemente. Juan Mercado, Jose's grandfather, also elected as Gobernadorcillo and was
affectionately Known as Kapitan.(1808, 1813, 1823) and serve Hermano mayor on several
Occassions. He married Cirila Alejandra, the daughter of Lamco's grandson Siongco. They had 12
children, the youngest of whom was Jose's father, francisco Mercado.

Jose Rizal's matrilineal descent can be traced back to Lakandula, the last native King of
tondo and A Bornean Muslim. Eugenio Ursua, Dona Teodora's great-grandfather, married a filipina
named Benigna. Regina married a chinese lawyer Manuel de Quentos from Pangasinan. Brigida
married Lorenzo Alberto Alonso. Narcisa, Teodora, Gregorio, Manuel and Jose were born to Brigida
and Lorenzo. According to Craig, the Lamco family was not used to taking their godparents name. His
son Sangley. According to Russell and Rodriguez, Governor General Claveria issued a decree
changing the last names of each family in order to Survey the number of people in his encomendero
and tax them.

Francisco Mercado evaded the decree and instead used a Spanish term that sounded like a
sleaze word recial that means a green field or grazing land.In a letter to his friend Blumentritt, Jose
explained why he used Rizal's last name and other is Mercado Bec of his brother Paciano's strong
attachment to father Burgos There was numerous Mercados in the philippines who where unrelated
to them Family friend who was an Alcalde Mayor who used Rizal.

CHILDHOOD

They Lived on the Laguna Lake's shore at the foot of Mt. Makiling. His eagerness to learn can
be used to characterize his childhood. He was an amiable, thoughtful and Loving son, brother and
sibling Bec he was frail and sickly, his parents lowished him with tender loving care. His mother was
his first teacher. When he was three years old, his mother taught him the alphabet and how to pray.

He was able to write a poem about his hometown. "In Memory of My town" when he was a
young boy His father built him a small nipa hut then a resting place. When little Jose refused to eat
his evening mealHe often enjoyed playing alone and listening to different birds sing, his mother as a
teacher not only taught him to write poems, but also to pray on daily basis including! the recitation
of the holy rosary. His unde Jose (regular basis)." Jose also owned a pony, w/c he used to ride
around.his hometown's beautiful scenery. Another happy memory was his nocturnal walk with
Usman. He used to play with his neighb- or's cloves. He also perform magic tricks such as
disappearing coin falsely cutting a thin rope, and untying a handkerchief. His sisters giggled at him
once while he was playing w/ his friends, he silently told them, when he died, people would build
monuments and image of him. Jose's happiest memory from his childhood was a trip w/ his father to
antipolo to fulfill his mother's vow to perform pilgrimage to the virgin antipolo. After paying their
respects to the Virgin, they traveled to manila to see his sister saturnina. Jose experienced his first
grief when he was four as a result of the death of his younger sister Concepcion. Jose years old,
exhibited a poetic mind, because his mother was well-versed in literature and the toric, he
developed an interest in writing- short verses. The tragic fate of the moth left an indelible memory
of sacrificing for a worthy cause in exchange for something valuable.