When the Spanish people came to this region, they found that there were many savannas with good grasses for food for cattle (cows), horses and sheep. And they made nine "hatos". "Hato" is a word from southern Spain that means a large farm for raising cattle (a ranch); it is a common word in the Dominican Republic. One of those "hatos" was Hato Mayor del Rey, made in the name of King Charles I of Spain (Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor) but given as a "Mayorazgo" (a family property) to Francisco Dávila as the manager and the property was called sometimes "Hato Mayor de Dávila".