2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Xicohtencatl
A Nahuatl surname possibly meaning "snail-snake" or "snake-shell".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Xicohtencatl. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Xicohtencatl surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Xicohtencatl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Xicohtencatl, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 99.2%. The next largest groups are White (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Xicohtencatl
The surname Xicohtencatl originates from the Nahuatl language, spoken by the Aztec and other indigenous peoples of central Mexico. The name is primarily associated with the Tlaxcalans, a group of Nahua people who were known for their resistance to Aztec domination. The name Xicohtencatl is derived from "xicohtli," which means "turkey," and "tecatl," meaning "person" or "man." Together, Xicohtencatl can be interpreted as "Person of the Turkeys," which may have held symbolic or clan significance.
The name Xicohtencatl first appeared in historical records during the period of Spanish colonialism in the 16th century. The most famous historical reference to the surname is in relation to Xicohtencatl the Elder and Xicohtencatl the Younger, leaders of the Tlaxcalan people during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. Xicohtencatl the Elder, born around 1450 and died around 1522, was the ruler of Tizatlan, one of the four principalities of Tlaxcala. His leadership was crucial in the alliance with Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés against the Aztecs.
Xicohtencatl the Younger, also known as Xicohtencatl Axayacatl, was a warrior leader born around 1484. He initially resisted the Spanish forces, believing them to be a threat to Tlaxcalan sovereignty, but eventually took on a military role in the alliance against the Aztecs. Xicohtencatl the Younger was executed in 1521 by the Spanish on charges of treason, under controversial circumstances.
Beyond these well-known historical figures, the name Xicohtencatl also appears in various historical manuscripts and land records in colonial Mexico. One such mention is in the Lienzo de Tlaxcala, a canvas painting depicting the history and important events of the Tlaxcalan people, including their alliance with the Spanish. The surname also appears in legal documents and codices that recorded the rights and properties of indigenous nobles following the Spanish conquest.
In the centuries following the colonization, the surname Xicohtencatl continued to be associated with the Tlaxcalan nobility. For example, an individual named Don Pedro Xicohtencatl participated in the formal requests to the Spanish Crown for recognition of Tlaxcalan privileges and rights in the 17th century. Another notable figure includes María Xicohtencatl, who was documented in the 18th century as a landowner and community leader in Tlaxcala.
During the 19th century, Manuel Xicohtencatl emerged as a prominent figure, known for his contributions to the preservation of Tlaxcalan history and culture. Born in 1811 and passing in 1884, he was a noted historian and intellectual, working to ensure that the legacy of the Tlaxcalan people was remembered and documented.
Each of these individuals and records highlights the rich history and significance of the surname Xicohtencatl, a name deeply rooted in the heritage and identity of the Tlaxcalan people of central Mexico. The legacy of this surname spans leadership, resistance, and cultural preservation over several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Xicohtencatl
Among Census respondents with the surname Xicohtencatl, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 99.2%. The next largest groups are White (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Xicohtencatl bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Xicohtencatl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino99.2% · 117
- White0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Xicohtencatl
Xicohtencatl appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-2 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,283 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 4,283 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Xicohtencatl surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #143,511 | -3.1% |
| Count | 120 | 118 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Xicohtencatl bearers went from 120 to 118 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 4,283 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #143,511.
FAQ
Xicohtencatl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Xicohtencatl?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Xicohtencatl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Xicohtencatl?
Xicohtencatl ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Xicohtencatl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Xicohtencatl.
Has Xicohtencatl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Xicohtencatl went from 120 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Xicohtencatl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Xicohtencatl, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 99.2%. The next largest groups are White (0.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Xicohtencatl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.2% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Xicohtencatl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (99.2%), White (0.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Xicohtencatl (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Xicohtencatl mean?
A Nahuatl surname possibly meaning "snail-snake" or "snake-shell". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Xicohtencatl (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Xicohtencatl?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.