Indigenous American Submitted Surnames

These names are or were used by the various indigenous peoples who inhabit North and South America.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Aca Aztec, Nahuatl
From Nahuatl acatl meaning "cane".
Acothley Navajo
Acothley means "cowboy".
Allooloo Inuit
Surname borne by inuk writer and artist Siku Allooloo and by politician Titus Allooloo.
Atamaint Shuar, Indigenous American, South American
The surname of a certain indigenous Ecuadorian politician.
Begay Navajo
Derived from the Navajo word biyeʼ meaning "his son". This was frequently adopted as a surname among the Navajo when Native Americans were required by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to formally adopt surnames for the purpose of official records.
Benally Navajo
From Navajo binálí meaning "his grandchild", derived from análí meaning "(paternal) grandchild". It was commonly adopted when Native Americans were required to take surnames for record purposes.
Bitsuie Navajo
From bitsóí meaning "his grandchild", a commonly adopted surname when the BIA required Native Americans to take surnames for the purpose of official records.
Bylilly Navajo
Derived from Navajo ‎"for him" and álílee "magic power".
Can Mayan
from the word kaan meaning "snake"
Canul Yucatec Maya
Means "protector" in Mayan.
Chapulin Aztec, Nahuatl
From Nahuatl meaning grasshopper.
Citlalpopoca Aztec, Nahuatl
From Nahuatl meaning "smoking star" or "comet".
Cly Navajo
From Navajo tłʼaaí meaning ‎"lefty, left-handed one", from the verb nishtłʼa ‎"to be left-handed".
Condori Indigenous American, Aymara (Hispanicized), Quechua (Hispanicized)
Derived from Aymara and Quechua kunturi meaning "condor, vulture".
Creepingbear Indigenous American, Arapaho (?)
From the English words creeping and bear.
Cuautli Aztec, Nahuatl
From Nahuatl quauhtli meaning "eagle".
Deschene Navajo
From deeshchiiʼnii (clan designation, “red-streak people”).
Ehecatl Aztec, Nahuatl
From Nahuatl meaning "wind".
Escuintla Nahuatl
From Nahuatl Itzcuintlan meaning "abundance or place of dogs".
Foothill Indigenous American
Combination of "foot" and "hill".
Greyeyes Indigenous American
A notable bearer is the Canadian actor Michael Greyeyes.
Harjo Creek
From Creek Ha'chō meaning "crazy brave; recklessly brave".
Hatathli Navajo
From Navajo hataałii meaning ‎"medicine man, shaman", literally "singer" (from the verb hataał ‎"he sings, he is chanting").
Huamán Quechua (Hispanicized)
Hispanicized form of Quechua waman meaning "falcon, hawk".
Huehuetenango Nahuatl
Means "place of the ancients" in Nahuatl.
Huitzil Aztec, Nahuatl
From Nahuatl uitsitsillin meaning "hummingbird".
Kanatiqueli Cherokee
This surname is derived from the Old French surname Cantrell, meaning "small bell" or "treble". The first known bearer is a part-Cherokee author.
Kanatiquelli Cherokee
This surname is derived from the Old French surname Cantrell, meaning "small bell" or "treble". The first known bearer is a part-Cherokee author.
Lightfoot Indigenous American
This surname is of Cherokee origin.
Mamani Indigenous American, Aymara
Means "falcon, hawk" in Aymara.
Maytwayashing Ojibwe
Unknown meaning, most commonly found in Anishinaabe communities in Manitoba. A notable bearer is Clifford Maytwayashing, a legendary fiddle player.
Nakai Navajo
Nakai means 'The one who wanders.' In Hebrew its meaning is "pure, clean " but i personally like the first one more.
Neztsosie Navajo
From nééz, “tall” in Navajo and tsʼósí, “slim” in Navajo
Panzacola Indigenous American (Rare)
Named after the tribe meaning "hairy people".
Papaqui Aztec, Nahuatl
From Nahuatl pakini meaning "happy".
Peshlakai Navajo
Derived from the Navajo words béésh "metal" and łigaii "white" meaning “silver”.
Popoca Aztec, Nahuatl
From Nahuatl meaning "to smoke".
Quispe Quechua (Hispanicized)
Hispanicized form of Quechua qispi meaning "free".
Sakagut Zapotec (Anglicized, Rare)
This name is rare and usually given to the "god child."
Tanguma Indigenous American (?), Mexican
Mexican surname of uncertain origin, probably Native American.
Tapachula Nahuatl, Aztec
Means "between the waters" in Nahuatl.
Tecuanhuehue Aztec, Nahuatl
From Nahuatl meaning "old tiger".
Tenayuca Indigenous American, Mexican (Rare), Comanche (?)
Of uncertain origin. A known bearer was Emma Tenayuca (1916-1999), an American labor leader of Comanche descent.
Tepetl Aztec, Nahuatl
From Nahuatl meaning "hill".
Tochihuitl Aztec, Nahuatl
Means ‘Rabbit Feather Down’ - ‘down’ as in soft feathers. It’s a combination of tochitl meaning "rabbit" and ihuitl meaning "feather" particularly small ones.
Todachine Navajo
Variant of Todicheene meaning "bitter water people."
Todicheene Navajo
"Bitter water people."
Tomahawk Sioux
The name comes from Powhatan tamahaac, derived from the Proto-Algonquian root *temah- 'to cut off by tool'. Algonquian cognates include Lenape təmahikan, Malecite-Passamaquoddy tomhikon, Abenaki demahigan, all of which mean "axe".
Tsosie Navajo
From the Navajo suffix -tsʼósí meaning "slender, slim", originally a short form of a longer name such as kiitsʼósí "slender boy", hashkétsʼósí "slender warrior", cháalatsʼósí "slim Charlie", dághaatsʼósí "the one with a slender mustache", dinétsʼósí "slender man", or hastiintsʼósí "slender man".
Tulum Yucatec Maya
Means "wall" in Mayan language.
Uentillie Navajo
From Navajo ayóí meaning "very" and áníldííl meaning "husky, large".
Waawaashkeshshi Indigenous American
The name Waawaashkeshshi origin is annishinabe given name it means white tailed deer
Wagamese Ojibwe
Comes from an Ojibway phrase meaning ‘man walking by the crooked water.’
Walking Bear Indigenous American
A notable bearer is Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail, the first Crow individual to achieve a higher education, and one of the first Native American nurses to ever be accepted.
Wanbli Sioux
Means "eagle" in the Sioux language.
Whiteplume Arapaho
Native Arapaho Wyoming Montana
Yazzie Indigenous American, Navajo
Derived from the Navajo word yázhí meaning "little".
Yupanqui Quechua (Hispanicized)
Hispanicized form of Quechua yupanki meaning "accountant".