The project

The Mexico Surname Map was born as an extension of the MappaDeiCognomi.it project, with the same purpose: to satisfy the curiosity of anyone interested in the geographical distribution of surnames across Mexican territory. The site lets you explore how family names spread through the different regions of the country, offering an unusual view of the roots and the history behind each one.

A surname is far more than a label: it is a deep link to our identity and our family. It carries the memory of our ancestors and the mark they leave across the generations. Understanding how a surname is distributed, discovering the areas where it is most common, working out whether it has several separate origins or is instead genuinely rare — these are all things that feed our curiosity about a word that stays with us for life. That knowledge also connects us to our family's history and to how it changed over time.

Data source

The surname maps were built by processing more than 26 million records taken from telephone directories dating to the turn of the twenty-first century. That extensive work of collection and analysis made it possible to reconstruct a precise picture of how surnames were distributed at that time, revealing interesting patterns in the way family names cluster and disperse across the country.

It is worth stressing that the results do not reflect changes since the early 2000s, and do not include families who had no telephone line at the time. Despite these limits, the database remains a valuable source of information on the geographical distribution of surnames in a specific historical period, and offers a retrospective view of how family names were arranged at the end of the last century.

Over time, new technologies and the shift to mobile networks have changed the way people stay in touch, which has left this kind of database somewhat out of date. The main aim, however — exploring the origins and history of surnames — remains one of the pillars of the project, and keeps it relevant for anyone who wants to look deeper into their family and cultural roots.

The Mexico Surname Map is not only a useful tool for discovering where a surname is concentrated: it is also an invitation to explore the rich cultural and social variety that makes up the country, and a source of inspiration for anyone seeking to understand the personal history behind a surname and its relationship with the wider community over time.