The Province of Pánuco is a province of the Spanish colony of New Spain.

It was probably discovered by Amerigo Vespucci in 1498, and later by Juan de Grijalva.

It is located on the Mexican gulf coast centered on Santiestebán de Pánuco, from the river of Tuxpan and extending into the current state of Tamaulipas.

Originally inhabited by Huastecs, it is claimed both by conquistador Hernán Cortés, who sends Francisco de Montejo to claim the area and by Francisco de Garay, governor of Jamaica, who sends Alonso Alvarez de Pineda.

The province is the object of a power struggle between supporters of Cortés and his opponents, first divided into encomiendas and allotted to Cortés supporters.

Nuño de Guzmán of the Anti-Cortés faction,appointed governor of Pánuco in 1525, arrives in May 1527 and strips Cortés' supporters of their encomiendas.

He undertakes a policy of violent slave raids against the local Indians.