Santa Bárbara was one of the older parishes on São Jorge, probably founded before 1550, when 250 inhabitants lived in the parish and when it began appearing in documents during the 16th Century. In 1568, it was included in a listing of six religious parishes that occupied the island of São Jorge. At the time of its founding, it included an area vastly larger than its current borders with the communities of Urzelina, Terreiros and Fajã das Almas lying within its borders.