José Rizal was born to the wealthy Mercado-Rizal family in Calamba, Laguna, of the Philippines. The Mercado-Rizals were considered one of the most prestigious Filipino families during their time. José Rizal came from the 13-member family consisting of his parents, Francisco Mercado II and Teodora Alonso Realonda, and nine sisters and one brother. His parents were leaseholders of a hacienda and an accompanying rice farm by the Dominicans.