30 May 2025 / 10 House
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Find out moreThe name Moctezuma today
ORIGINAL QUESTION received from - and thanks to - Humberto Luis Moctezuma: Can anyone change their last name to Moctezuma?
To answer this question, we’ve enlisted the help of an expert on the history of Moctezuma’s family, Anastasia Kalyuta, Senior Researcher at the Russian Museum of Ethnography, St. Petersburg. She has very kindly provided the following very full answer:-
According to the Crónica Mexicayotl, Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin had 19 children; according to the reports gathered by Cortés’s first biographer, and repeated by another Spanish historian Gonzalo Fernández Oviedo y Valdés... 150 offspring. I suspect that the Crónica Mexicayotl, written by one of Motecuhzoma’s grandsons, was somewhat closer to the truth, because Spanish authors of the XVI century tended, understandably, to exaggerate facts from the New World. Although only 6 or 7 of Motecuhzoma’s children survived up to post-Conquest times (some died even before the Conquest at a very tender age) and at least two of them, Don Martín Cortés Nezahualtecolotl and Don Rodrigo de la Paz Acamapichtli died in their twenties and obviously without children, the remaining 5 sired enough offspring to populate Mexico, Spain, United States, and other countries.
Only Doña Isabel de Moctezuma in her later marriages with Spanish husbands gave birth to 6 children (four sons and two daughters), not to mention the daughter she had with Cortés, her official tutor and protector. This was a short relationship, for Cortés hurried to find a proper husband for his “foster child”. Unusually for feudal times, all her seven children, including illegitimate daughter Doña Leonor Cortés de Moctezuma, reached a mature age, all her sons and the “gift from Cortés” married and had their own offspring, some of whom established kin ties with members of the Spanish nobility. Doña Isabel’s half-brother Don Pedro de Moctezuma Tlacahuepantli almost matched her fertility. He had six children, four sons and two daughters. Unfortunately they were all illegitimate, born of Don Pedro’s unions with various native noblewomen, but it didn’t prevent Don Pedro establishing his own mayorazgo [estate] (with the support of the King’s decree) and proclaiming his oldest son Don Martín the heir to it.
Of course, after the death of Don Pedro and the sudden demise of his official heir, his younger son Diego Luis Ilhuitemoctzin had some troubles succeeding to this wealthy inheritance, because of his illegitimacy. However, after 10 years of disputes with his cousin Juan de Andrade, the oldest son of Doña Isabel, and with his step-mother, he won the case, and established the line of Condes (Counts) de Moctezuma. Its representatives lived on in Spain and in Mexico, the famous archaeologist Eduardo Matos Moctezuma coming from this line.
In brief, the direct descendants of Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin in fact reproduced themselves quite sucessfully, and it’s no surprise to find someone with this surname in Mexico, Spain or even, for example, in Toronto. In today’s world, where titles and noble surnames really mean little, I think everyone can take whatever name or surname they choose. I know the Chihuahua breed that is officially called Moctezuma. We have Moctezuma beer, and chocolate as well. Of course, the living descendants of Motecuhzoma would be enraged, but now few would take their opinions into account, and I doubt that they will start another litigation - they’ve had too many of these already, even this century. Today aristocratic names and titles have only a decorative function, and in most countries anyone can choose them without restriction.
(All images from Google Images)
Comments (9)
Daniel Motecuhzoma
4th Jul 2021
just wanted to come on here & give my 2 cents since I bear the name legally. Although I’m making the decision to change my last name, which some of my family is not happy about … to Motecuhzoma. Which I believe is more true than Moctezuma.
“MO” -our, ours (prefix)
“TECUHTLI” - lord (noun)
“ZOMA” - she/he is angry. wrath or expression of grimace.
We DO live in a world where last names don’t mean much. but for people like me, I like to believe I have a special name. Special & only for me to understand- even if parts of my own family can’t understand the effects of the colonization. It means something deep to me. The world is waking up to the harm that the Manifested White Man has caused & I’m glad to voice my opinion bearing this name. I might have not been alive during , but I won’t forget what happened ever. I carry myself with this name & believe only those born with it should bear it. Thank you.
Coyote Salvaje
19th Feb 2021
I am also a descendant of Dona Isabel. I say that all royals will perish and anarchy will win. *** royalty and *** aristocracy
Henrik Count Holstein
30th Apr 2017
I descend from Dona Isabel through the Barragan-family. I have the greatest respect for Dr. Anastasia Kalyuta as a reseacher. She is welcome to have the opinion, that today ‘titles and noble surnames really mean little’, that ‘few would take their opinion into account’, and, again, that ‘today aristocratic names and titles have only a decorative function’, ‘in most countries anyone...’ etc, etc - but these are her own political statements. The fact is that if you do not descend from Moctezuma, you have no legal or traditional right to carry his name.
Christopher Garcia
7th May 2014
The entire book
CHRONICA MEXICANA
https://archive.org/details/cronicamexicana00alvaiala
can now be read ONLINE
Aurora Escarsega
24th Apr 2014
Hello, I have been doing some research on Isabel Moctezuma. According to the lineage I have, I am a direct descendant of Pedro Gallegos and Isabel Moctezuma. My great-great grandfather was one of those who fought against the Mexican government (not sure if it was in the late 1800’s or very early 1900’s) for the properties of Moctezuma. I’m trying to bind the pieces together. What was he fighting for? According to word of mouth from generations, he was an activist and died under the surveillance of the Mexican government making sure he died without creating a conspiracy. He was given acknowledgment for being one of the last descendants to fight for the properties in a pamphlet published in 1947. I’m missing pieces of information. What property was he fighting for? Why did the government try to stop him? His name was Asuncion Rodriguez. I am one of the last descendants from this lineage and it is so interesting to just find this information, be proud of it and leave it to my children to carry on the story for generations to come. I wouldn’t mind meeting Eduardo Matos Moctezuma or one of the Barragan Moctezuma family members, which according to my grandmother were related to us.
Zoe
24th Oct 2013
Although, the family tree is an ongoing project I have been working on it and have now found 42 children of Montezuma Two and two more wives.
Anastasia
18th Sep 2009
Panoltizino, Tecpaocelotzin, this text wasn’t to be an article at all. It is just a fragment from my letter to Ian Mursell, the moderator and editor of this site. That’s why I omitted reference to Alvarado Tezozomoc, whose “Cronica Mexicayotl” for sure is the main source on Mexica rulers genealogy, although not the only one. However, with my permission Ian posted it on this website. He promised me to put as well my article about Isabel de Moctezuma, which he asked me to write. There I (will) put references in proper order.
A. Kalyuta
Mexicolore
NOTE: Anastasia Kalyuta’s full article is now on the site (in the Moctezuma section)
Zoe
12th Sep 2009
I am doing a family tree on the Aztec Rulers and so far I have found 32 children of Moctezuma Two. I have also found the names of nine of his wives.
Mexicolore
Brilliant, Zoe! When your Aztec rulers family tree is finished, do let us know - we can add it to the website...
Tecpaocelotl
24th Aug 2009
The only thing that is missing in this article is the author of Cronica Mexicayotl, Fernando Alvarado Tezozomoc. Beyond that, excellent article.
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