Ceres’ origins are linked to the expansion of stock farming by European colonists in the 18th century. Grazing licenses were granted and cattle posts established creating a fast moving stock farming frontier. These areas were later permanently occupied on the loan farm system (leenplaasstelsel) and after 1813 on the perpetual quitrent system (erfpag). As previously thinly populated areas became permanently settled, frontier conditions changed and towns were established to serve the needs of surrounding farmers. This was how Ceres, and subsequently Prins Alfred’s Hamlet, Baliesgat, Wolseley, Op die Berg and other small towns in the district were established.

Just before 1730, two strong migration streams, flowing northwards and eastwards, moved across the mountains. This was the trek of the cattle farmers over the Olifantskloof in the Bokkeveld Mountains and over the Mostershoek in the Witzenberg towards the Cold and Warm Bokkeveld respectively. Earlier in the 18th century loan farms had already been established in this area, amongst others, Moddervallei (today known as Boplaas), Houdenbek, Bokrivier, Leeufontein, Koelfontein, Ezelfonein and Rietvallei.

By 1728, Rietvallei, situated on the east side of the Dwars River, had been given as a loan farm to Willem van Heerden. In 1832 this farm was transferred to George Sebastiaan Wolfaardt and, after his death, to his son. In 1854 Jan Hendrik Munnik, a notary and businessman from Worcester, visited Ceres. Here he found relief from his asthma and bought a part of the farm from Wolfaardt jr. He divided this into plots, thus establishing a village settlement on the east banks of the Dwars River. The opening of Mitchell’s Pass in 1848 led to the establishment of plots on the west bank. About 1800 acres of crown land at the eastern entrance of Mitchell’s Pass were laid out as the site of the village. On 21 July 1849, a sale of these plots was held before the Magistrate in Tulbagh. On 29 October 1849, sixteen properties were transferred to their new owners.

The government surveyor H.W. Marriott laid out the village. On 5 August 1858, Ceres, named after the Roman goddess of agriculture, was declared a public market. According to regulations, the market would be held every weekday from sunrise to 9am and from 3pm until sunset and the government appointed a market master. The market was situated in the southwestern corner of the present Owen and Voortrekker Streets. Owen, Mantel, Buckland, Phillip, Murchison and Lyell were the first streets to be laid in Ceres.

Like many other small towns, Ceres did not have an independent municipality in its early years. A municipality was only established on 3 November 1864 – with J.H. Munnik as chairman. In May 1908 the ratepayers made a unanimous request to the Governor for full status according to the Municipal Law of 1882. This was agreed to on 18 November 1908. With the new structure place, the committee met for the first time on 3 March 1909 and Dr Reinhard Johan Reinecke was chosen as chairman.