Legislative Act No. 3537 passed on November 2, 1929 divided the old province of Misamis inot Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental. The Occidental comprised the towns of Baliangao, Lopez Jaena, Tudela, Clarin, Plaridel, Oroquieta, Aloran, Jimenez, and Misamis. The original nine (9) municipalities of the province of Misamis Occidental grew into the present three cities of Ozamiz, Oroquieta and Tnagub and the fourteen (14) municipalities of Aloran, Baliangao, Bonifacio, Calamba, Clarin, Concepcion, Don Victoriano, Jimenez, Lopez Jaena, Panaon, PLaridel, Sapang Dalaga, Sinacaban and Tudela with a total of 490 barangays.

The name "Misamis" is believed to have been derived from the Subano word "Kuyamis" which is a variety of sweeto coconut - the staple food of the early settlers in this place. During the years the name persisted as an inference of the geographical location and upon the advent of the Spanish settlers, the word "kuyamis" easily gave way to the more convenient pronounceable but corrupted word "Misamis".

Source: Misamis Occidental: History