He tama a Tāwhiao nā Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, he kaihautū nō Waikato, rāua ko Whakaawi, tana wahine matua. Nō Ngāti Mahuta ia o roto i te kotahitanga o ngā iwi o Tainui. I whānau ia ki Ōrongokoekoeā, kei te tai whakaroto o te awa o Mōkau, i te wā e whakamutu haere ana ngā pakanga mau pū i waenganui i a Ngā Puhi rāua ko Waikato. E ai ki ngā kōrero, i huaina ia ko Tūkāroto hei whakamaharatanga ki te tū a Te Wherowhero i te whakapaetanga i te pā o Mātakitaki i te tau 1822. Nō muri mai, ka iriiria ia e te mihingare, e Robert Burrows ki te īngoa o Matutaera. Nō te tau 1864, ka ūwhia te īngoa o Tāwhiao ki runga ki a ia e Te Ua Haumēne, te poropiti o Pai Mārire.
