What was the First Hawaiian Bank?

Written by Editorial Team | Last Updated: August 2026

First Hawaiian Bank, the oldest and one of the largest financial institutions headquartered in Honolulu, was originally founded in 1858 under the corporate name Bishop & Company by pioneer businessmen Charles Reed Bishop and William Aldrich during the Hawaiian Kingdom era. Established to provide vital commercial banking, currency exchange, and savings services to merchants, sugar plantation operators, and local residents, the institution played a foundational role in the economic development of the islands. Over subsequent decades, through strategic expansions, technological modernizations, and structural reincorporations under holding company frameworks, the bank adopted its modern name while maintaining its legacy of financial leadership across the Pacific.

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