75+ Aztec Last Names With Meaning and Significances
The Aztecs have a captivating past mirrored in their distinctive surnames. These surnames provide insight into their customs, heritage and values. They are used to identify people and hold profound meanings.
In this blog, we’ll delve into the charm and intricacy of Aztec Last names, exploring their beginnings, symbols, and ongoing preservation and respect. Let’s discover the narratives wrapped in these age-old names and honor the enduring Aztec heritage.
Aztec Last Names
Explore the rich history and heritage of Aztec last names. Discover the meaning and significance behind these unique surnames.
Ahuitzotl: Named after the Aztec ruler Ahuitzotl, meaning “water monster.”
Ahuizotl: A mythical creature in Aztec culture, also associated with Ahuitzotl.
Atl: Meaning “water” in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs.
Atlacoya: Likely derived from “atl” (water) combined with “coya” (royal woman), possibly indicating nobility or a royal lineage.
Axayacatl: An Aztec ruler, meaning “face of water.”
Cacama: Possibly meaning “to cut something in half,” or “distinguished” in Nahuatl.
Centeotl: The Aztec god of maize or corn.
Chalchiuhtlatonal: Likely derived from “chalchihuitl” (jade) and “latonal” (to carry), possibly indicating someone who carries jade.
Chalchiuhtlicue: The Aztec goddess of water, fertility, and childbirth.
Chantico: The Aztec goddess of hearth fires.
Chichimecatecotl: A mythical figure, possibly meaning “inhabitant of Chichimec lands.”
Chicomecoatl: The Aztec goddess of agriculture and maize.
Chimalpopoca: An Aztec ruler, meaning “smoking shield.”
Cihuacoatl: The Aztec goddess of fertility, motherhood, and childbirth.
Citlalli: Meaning “star” in Nahuatl.
Citlalmina: Possibly derived from “citlalli” (star) combined with “mina” (precious), indicating someone precious like a star.
Coatl: Meaning “serpent” in Nahuatl.
Cuauhtémoc: The last ruler of the Aztec Empire, meaning “descending eagle.”
Cuitláhuac: An Aztec ruler, meaning “excrement of coyote.”
Ehecatl: The Aztec god of wind.
Huehuecoyotl: The Aztec god of dance, music, and mischief, meaning “old coyote.”
Huitzilihuitl: An Aztec ruler, meaning “hummingbird feather.”
Huitzilopochtli: The Aztec god of sun and war, meaning “left-handed hummingbird.”
Huixtocihuatl: A mythical figure, possibly meaning “woman of thorns.”
Itzpapalotl: The Aztec goddess of agriculture, fertility, and war, meaning “obsidian butterfly.”
Ixcuina: A goddess of pleasure and fertility.
Ixtacoyotl: A mythical figure, meaning “white coyote.”
Ixtlilton: A god associated with healing and medicine.
Ixtlilxochitl: Possibly meaning “black flower.”
Izel: Meaning “unique” or “only one” in Nahuatl.
Malinalli: Referring to Malinalli Tenépatl, also known as Malinche, a significant historical figure who acted as a translator for Hernán Cortés during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.
Mayahuel: The Aztec goddess of maguey and pulque, a fermented alcoholic beverage.
Metztli: Meaning “moon” in Nahuatl.
Mictlantecuhtli: The Aztec god of the dead and the underworld, meaning “lord of Mictlan.”
Moctezuma: Referring to several Aztec rulers, meaning “he who frowns like a lord.”
Montez: Likely derived from “Moctezuma,” a common variation of the name.
Moquihuix: An Aztec ruler, meaning “angry lord.”
Moteuczoma: Variant spelling of “Moctezuma.”
Nezahualcoyotl: An Aztec philosopher, poet, and ruler, meaning “fasting coyote.”
Nezahualpilli: An Aztec ruler, meaning “hungry coyote.”
Ollin: Meaning “movement” or “motion” in Nahuatl.
Quetzal: Referring to the quetzal bird, a sacred symbol in Aztec culture.
Quetzalcoatl: The Aztec god of wind, air, and learning, meaning “feathered serpent.”
Tecuichpotzin: The title of Moctezuma II’s daughters, meaning “princess” or “noblewoman.”
Tenoch: Referring to Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire.
Tepanecatl: Possibly derived from “tepan” (wall) and “catl” (person), indicating someone from Tepanec lands.
Tepetzin: Meaning “iron” in Nahuatl.
Tepeyollotl: The Aztec god of earthquakes and jaguars, meaning “heart of the mountain.”
Tezcatlipoca: The Aztec god of providence, meaning “smoking mirror.”
Tizatl: Possibly derived from “tizatl” (blood), indicating someone related to blood or sacrifice.
Tizoc: An Aztec ruler, possibly meaning “bloodthirsty” or “he who pulls his toes.”
Tlacaelel: A powerful Aztec statesman, meaning “he who builds or makes things.”
Tlacopan: One of the three city-states that formed the Aztec Triple Alliance, meaning “place of mud.”
Tlacotzin: Meaning “lord” or “noble” in Nahuatl.
Tlacuiloh: Possibly meaning “scribe” or “bookkeeper.”
Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli: The Aztec god of dawn, meaning “lord of the dawn.”
Tlalli: Meaning “earth” or “land” in Nahuatl.
Tlaloc: The Aztec god of rain, fertility, and water, meaning “he who makes things sprout.”
Tlaltecuhtli: The Aztec goddess of earth, meaning “lord/lady of the earth.”
Tlatoani: Meaning “speaker” or “ruler” in Nahuatl, referring to the supreme ruler of the Aztec Empire.
Tlazolteotl: The Aztec goddess of purification, fertility, and childbirth, meaning “filth eater.”
Tlazoltéotl: Variant spelling of “Tlazolteotl.”
Tlilpotonqui: Meaning “he who brings forth in abundance” in Nahuatl.
Toci: The Aztec goddess of healing and fertility.
Tonal: Meaning “sun” or “day” in Nahuatl.
Totoquihuatzin: An Aztec ruler, meaning “lord of the totocalli” (a type of bird).
Tototl: Meaning “bird” in Nahuatl.
Tzitzimitl: Female deities associated with stars, possibly meaning “sacred star” or “demon.”
Xicotencatl: An Aztec ruler, possibly meaning “our lord of the sour prickly pear.”
Xihuitl: Meaning “year” or “time” in Nahuatl.
Xilonen: The Aztec goddess of young maize or corn.
Xipe Totec: The Aztec god of agriculture, vegetation, and the seasons, meaning “our lord the flayed one.”
Xiuhcoatl: Meaning “turquoise serpent” in Nahuatl.
Xiuhtecuhtli: The Aztec god of fire and time, meaning “lord of the turquoise.”
Xochipilli: The Aztec god of art, games, beauty, dance, flowers, and song, meaning “flower prince.”
Xochiquetzal: The Aztec goddess of beauty, fertility, and love, meaning “flower feather.”
Xochitl: Meaning “flower” in Nahuatl.
Xolotl: The Aztec god of lightning and death, often depicted as a dog-headed figure.
Yacatecuhtli: The Aztec god of merchants and travelers, meaning “lord of the travelers.”
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Final Thought
Aztec last names open a door into an exciting culture that loved customs, icons, and ties to nature and family from the past. Diving into what these last names mean gives us a stronger grasp of the principles and standards that guided the Aztec way of life and still motivate us in the present.
