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Originally the name was Mallorca, the name of the native town of Fr. Sela. The name presumably suggests the presence of palm trees in the locality, as the town of Mallorca in Spain was famous for its luxurious growth of palms. However, the natives found some difficulty in pronouncing the name. Whether the natural evolution and popular usage corrupted the name "Mallorca" into the present "Mayorga," or whether the transformation was sanctioned by official decree motivated by phonetic convenience is not known. Nevertheless, the original "Mallorca" has evolved into its present name.

The site of the village upon which Capitan Lorenzo built the barrio was known then as Kaguingkingon. This is at present the site of barrio Liberty and Barrio Santa Cruz. To the present, the topographical limits of the town have remained unchanged. Mayorga now as it was then, is bounded on the north by the Sibuga River, on the east by the Bocog River and on the west by the Dinoronan River.

After the cholera epidemic of 1878, Mayorga was almost depopulated. The desperate survivors fled from their homes leaving their belongings behind in their haste and fear. In a few months, the already prospering settlement was deserted. The refugees settled on a plain called Binkay, which is now the site of the poblacion. Barrios San Roque, Gen. Antonio Luna, Calipayan, Andres Bonifacio, and Cogon-Binkay Sur.

Two rich families of Binkay - the Lumpas and the Mundela families - owned the land on which the settlers found themselves. The area was expropriated in order to give land to the new settlers. The final and formal laying out of the village site was made in 1880 by Capitan Mariano "Lague" Aguillon, who was the presidente of Dulag. Two natives of Binkay, Victor Devaras and Victor de Paz assisted Capitan Mariano in establishing the village site.

The settlers then went on their way to recovering their losses through hard work. The first trail linking the village to Dulag was built in 1881 thus enabling the natives to transport their produce to the mother municipality. In 1883, the first village chapel was constructed and in 1885, the first Spanish school was opened by Joaquin Kem-ing.

An interesting phase in the history of this municipality was the fact that it was proclaimed a municipality three times. During the revolutionary period from 1898 to 1902, Mayorga was declared an independent municipality by decree of the revolutionary government. Capitan Anastacio Marcos, a former justice of the peace in Dulag, was made jefe de local.

However, upon the assumption of American Sovereignty in Leyte, Mayorga was reverted to barrio status, belonging to the jurisdiction of Dulag. The barrio was made the base of operations by the Americans against the insurrectos, particularly against the elusive General Mojica and the pulahanes.

In 1903, Ambrocio Sumayod was assigned to teach in the American-sponsored barrio school. He was the first Filipino school teacher to teach English in grade school.

On October 20, 1944, the American Liberation Forces razed the municipality of Dulag to the ground in one of the heaviest bombing and shelling operations of the second world war. The seat of local government of Dulag was temporarily transferred to Mayorga.

The final declaration was made on August 25, 1955. By virtue of Republic Act No. 1220, Mayorga was declared an independent municipality. Eleven barrios were attached to the new town.

Epifanio Calupaz was appointed mayor of Mayorga. He was elected in the first election for town mayor held in November, 1954. Since the creation of Mayorga as a municipality, three other barrios have been ceded after their creation by the municipal council. Now a full member of the Council of Local Municipal Governments, Mayorga has a total of fourteen barrios.