The native races of Mexico are many. Following is a listing of the major native races in Mexico and their location:

Amuzgo: Guerrero

Coras: in the northern part of Nayarit

Cucopos (Cochimies): in the northern part of Baja California North

Cuicatecos (Mixteca): in the central and northern part of Oaxaca

Chatinos (Zapoteca): in the central and southern part of Oaxaca

Chichimecas y Jonas (Jonases or Tameses): in San Luis Potosí and the northeastern part of Guanajuato and Queretaro

Chinantecos (or Tenex): in the northeastern part of Oaxaca and in Veracruz

Chochos y Chuchones: in the central and northern part of Oaxaca

Choles: in the central and southern part of Tabasco

Chontales: in Oaxaca and in the region of Salina Cruz. The Chontales of Tabasco are in various regions of the state

Huaves: in the region of the Gulf of Tehuantepec

Huaxtecos: in various regions of Veracruz, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, and Tamaulipas

Huicholes: in the central and northern part of Nayarit and in the northeastern part of Jalisco

Ixcatecos: northeast of the Chinantecos in Oaxaca

Kikapoos: in the central and northern part of Coahuila

Lacandones: in part of northeastern Chiapas

Mames: in the northern part of Oaxaca, together with the Chinantecos

Matlazincas (Pirindos): in the southern part of the state of Mexico

Mayas: in the Yucatán peninsula

Mayos: in the northern part of Sinaloa and southern part of Sonora

Mazahuas: in the southeastern part of the state of Mexico.

Mazatecos (Popoloca): in the central and northern part of Oaxaca

Mixtecos: in the western part of Oaxaca and the eastern part of Guerrero

Mixes: in the central part of Oaxaca

Nahuas: southeast of Veracruz in the region of Coatzacoalcos; south of Veracruz; southeast of Puebla in Tehuacán; south of Puebla; center and northeast part of Guerrero; northeast of Guanajuato; the north pacific coast of Guerrero in Petatlán and Zihuatanejo, Tlaxcala; north of Puebla, Veracruz, and Hidalgo; southeast of San Luis Potosí

Ojitecos: in the central and northern part of Oaxaca and the borders of Veracruz.

Otomíes: along the north and south borders of the state of Mexico, continuing through the western part of Queretaro and ending in Guanajato; in the western part of Queretaro and San Luis Potosí; in the central and northern part of Hidalgo; in Mezquial; and in Tlaxcala

Pápagos: in the northeastern part of Sonora and in Baja California North

Pimas: northeast of Sonora on the border of Chihuahua and southeast of Sonora

Popolocas: in Puebla, in the region of Tehuacán; in the southeastern part of Veracruz; and in Oaxaca.

Seris: along the coast of Sonora and the Island of Tiburón

Tarahumaras: southeast of Chihuahua and northeast of Durango

Tarascos: in the region between the cities of Morelia, Uruapan, Los Reyes, and Zamora, Michoacán

Tepehuanes: south of Durango and west of Zacatecas

Tepehuas: northeast of Hidalgo along the borders of Puebla and Veracruz

Tlapanecos: in the southeastern part of Guerrero and north of the Amuzgos

Tojolabales (Chañabales): in the central and western parts of Chiapas

Totonacas: north of Puebla and along the border of Veracruz

Triquis: in the central part of western Oaxaca

Tzeltales: in the central and western parts of Chiapas, around the region of the Tojolabales

Tzotziles: northeast of Chiapas

Verogios (Guarigios): southeast of Sonora

Yaquis: southeast of Sonora in the region of Guaymas

Zapotecas: west of Oaxaca, up to Chiapas and part of Veracruz

Zoques: in the mountains of the isthmus of Tehuantepec and in Chiapas

Many of the Indians in Mexico now speak Spanish as well as their native language. The languages that are most widely spoken are Mexicano/Azteca, Maya, Totonaco, Zapoteca, Otomí, Tarahumar, Mixteco, Mexe, Mazateco, and Mazahua.

Few pre-Cortes Indian records survived the early colonial period. However, once the priests converted the Indians to Christians, their sacraments were recorded in the parish books. At the time of baptism the Indian was given a Christian name, by which he or she would use and be known. In pre-revolution time the Catholic Church customarily recorded the sacraments of the Indians separate from those of the Spaniards. Racial classification was often made on the basis of physical appearance or social status and therefore was not always accurate. At times the priests would use a different set of books or record the Spaniards in the front of the book and the Indians in the back. Be sure to look in both records, because the priests would sometimes unintentionally record an entry in the wrong section.

After the revolution and independence was won, it became law that documents would no longer contain one’s race. Since then the Spaniards, Mestizos, and Indians sacraments were recorded in the same book. It was during this period in the 1800s that the Indians began to take surnames, which were acquired in different ways.