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Gloria was once part of the Municipality of Pinamalayan. Early settlers of the place were migrant families from Marinduque who settled in Barrio Tambong sometime in 1915. In 1930, when the Municipality of Pinamalayan was traversed by a national road, the settlers of Tambong moved westward and occupied the area along the road. Through the then Provincial Board Member Alfredo Mendoza, Tambong was divided into two barrios, the first retained its original name while the second became "Maligaya" (meaning "happy"), a name alluded to the settlers happiness brought about by the bountiful yield of their agricultural crops.

The residents of the twenty-five (25) barrios namely: Maligaya, Kawit, Malusak, Balite, Dalagan, Tinalunan, Calamundingan, Bulbogan, Langgang, Banus, Agus, Batingan, Papandungin, Malamig, Tubag, Malayong, Malubay, Mirayan, Guimbonan, Agsalin, Manguyang, Banutan, Boong-Lupa, Tambong and Maragooc grouped together and petitioned for the separation of their barrios from their mother Municipality of Pinamalayan.

The petition was granted on October 1, 1964 through Executive Order No. 117 issued by the then President Diosdado Macapagal. Executive Order No. 140 issued on February 25, 1965 by the same President defined and fixed the boundaries of Gloria as a new municipality. On December 24, 1965, however; the Supreme Court nullified the new municipality's corporate existence. Gloria was finally recognized as a distinct municipality on June 9, 1966 when Housebill No. 6107 sponsored by the then Congressman Luciano Joson was enacted into law and later to be known as RA46 51.

The Municipality was named Gloria, primarily as a token of gratitude to President Macapagal whose daughter is named Gloria and secondarily from the word "glory" due to the settlers "glorious" existence in Barrio Maligaya.  This Barrio later became the Poblacion and the official seat of the municipal government. Nicolas M. Jamilla, Sr. became the first Mayor of Gloria by virtue of his appointment by the then President Diosdado Macapagal. He served from 1964 to 1967.  He ran in the local election of 1967 and won. The first session of the appointed members of the Municipal Council was held in the residence of Mr. Albino Janda. The town's official function was held in this house from February 1964 to November 1965; then in the residences of Genaro Olavidez from March to June 1965 and Arsenio Arriola from July 1965 to 1973.

The name of the following barangays were changed: Bulbugan to Sta. Maria; Dalagan to San Antonio; Malusak to Narra; Batingan to Andres Bonifacio; Tubag to Macario Adriatico; Tinalunan to Gaudencio Antonino; Langgang to Sta. Theresa and Calamundingan to Lucio Laurel. Bulaklakan and Alma Villa (1989) were created as additional barangays later.

In 1968, the municipality received a two-hectare donation from Gloria Realty Development Corporation which became the site of the Municipal Building in 1972. Under the leadership of Mayor Jamilla, the municipality bought a total of ten-hectare lot in the ensuing years which became the site of the Municipal Cemetery, Sports Center, Agricultural Center, and Breeding Station and the Medicare Hospital.