Guanajuato City: Origin, Meaning, and Toponymy of its Name. What was its first name?
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Table of Contents
Introduction to the Meaning and Origin of the name of Guanajuato City
The beautiful Guanajuato City, a World Heritage Site, holds a rich history and deep meaning in its name.
Have you ever wondered what Guanajuato’s first name was or what GTO. means? Here you will delve into its fascinating toponymy and the historical origin that has shaped the identity of this iconic city throughout the centuries.
Meaning of Guanajuato City: Its Name and History
Chupícuaro Culture and the First Settlers
The first settlers of what we now know as our state in El Bajío were located to the south. They lived as hunter-gatherers along the banks of the Lerma River, where they began to cultivate corn, beans, and squash, adopting a semi-agricultural way of life. This is known as the Chupícuaro culture, a word derived from Purépecha meaning: “Blue Place.”
Their location was seven kilometers from present-day Acámbaro and Tarandacuao. They developed the molcajete for grinding corn and made pottery of various sizes, demonstrating their knowledge of mud firing. In addition to cultivating, they fished and gathered wild fruits and plants from the region. They built dwellings (stone huts with mud floors), which marked their transition from nomads to semi-nomads and, finally, to sedentary people. In their period of greatest development, the Chupícuaro people built oval pyramids.
Pre-Hispanic Names and their Toponymy
The Chichimecas, the first to settle in the northern region, called it Mo – o – ti, meaning “place of metals.” Meanwhile, the Purépechas – Chupícuaros from the south named it Kuanasiuatu, a name derived from kuanasi (frog) and uata (hill), words that in the Purépecha language mean: “Mountainous place of Frogs” or “Frog Hill.” Later, the Mexicas named this region Paxtitlán, “Place of Straw.”
El Bajío is a region of Mexico that includes parts of the states of Guanajuato, Querétaro, Los Altos de Jalisco, and Aguascalientes. The name and meaning of Gto. are deeply linked to Paxtitlán, “place of frogs,” which is why many of its handicrafts depict these amphibians (from the Greek ANUROS) or batrachians.
Invasions and Indigenous Resistance in Guanajuato City
The Purépechas and Tarascos, settled in the south of what is now the state, lived under the constant threat of invasions by semi-savage tribes with their own customs, languages, and religions. Regardless of whether they were Guamares, Cazcanes, Pames, or Guachichiles, the danger of robberies, murders, and rapes was a daily reality for the first inhabitants of these “hills full of frogs.”
The Spanish Castilianized the northern groups as “Chichimecas,” a term that encompassed all peoples living from the Lerma River to the northernmost part of Aridoamerica.
The first inhabitants of the territory where the capital city is located called themselves “Guamares.” They wore long hair and, unlike other nomadic tribes, the Guamares and Pames used materials to cover their genitals; women wore animal skins as skirts, leaving the rest uncovered. Unlike other Chichimeca tribes, the Guamares built round huts with straw. Regarding their worship, they adored the stars, rain, and nature in general. They knew the properties of some plants and consumed them in rituals, with peyote being a sacred plant that turned them into fierce warriors.
Scope of the Chupícuaro Culture
The Chupícuaro culture also encompassed parts of the State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Colima, Nayarit, Guerrero, and Michoacán, forming what archaeologist Beatriz Braniff called “the Chupícuaro Tradition.” Furthermore, the Guanajuato region occupied by this culture received influences from other important civilizations:
- That of Los Morales from the Upper Preclassic (400 BC – 250 BC).
- Teotihuacán, from the Classic Horizon (200 AD – 900 AD).
- Toltec from the Early Postclassic (900 AD – 1200 AD).
- Purépecha, from the Late Postclassic (1200 AD – 1525 AD).
In 1522, Cristóbal de Olid’s expedition arrived at what is now known as Yuririapúndaro and Pénjamo, finding the territory occupied by the Chichimeca tribe in the central and northern parts, and by the Purépecha tribe in the southwest.
Real de Minas de Guanajuato: The Origin of the City
It is important to note that small Chichimeca groups primarily occupied a site in the canyon called Paxtitlán, but it was the Tarascan – Purépecha Indians who baptized this place as Quanaxhuato, meaning “mountainous place of frogs.”
The capital city would not have emerged without the discovery of silver veins in the Mina de Rayas and Mellado, which led to the first settlements and transformed the place into a small village.
By 1574, this town in El Bajío already existed as a major alcaldía. However, it was not until 1741 that it received the title of Ciudad Santa Fe y Real de Minas de Guanajuato from King Philip V.
In the 18th century, the city’s mining opulence was evident. Large buildings were constructed on Calle Real, which has since been the city’s main thoroughfare and where the first constructions were erected. Mining grew considerably, giving rise to other mines such as La Mina de Cata, Valenciana, Bocamina San Ramón, among others.
From Village to Capital City: The Evolution
In 1576, the Villa de León was founded with the aim of counteracting indigenous incursions.
In 1590, La Villa de San Luis de la Paz was founded to celebrate the peace treaty between the Spanish authorities and the Chichimeca tribe.
The regional boom in mining in the 18th century led to the construction of notable civil and religious buildings in the capital city and other towns, magnificent examples of Baroque and Churrigueresque architecture.
By the year 1741, the capital city was granted the title of Villa de Santa Fe y Real de Minas de Guanajuato, with the right to use a coat of arms.
Evolution of the name Guanajuato
The history and evolution of the name Guanajuato are as rich as its silver veins.
In 1741, by order of King Philip V of Spain, it was granted the category of “Most Noble and Loyal City of Santa Fe and Royal Mines of Guanajuato,” with the arrival of the first mayor, Preafán de Rivera y Gómez.
Years earlier, on October 26, 1679, by decree of Viceroy Enrique de Rivera, it had received the title of Villa, adopting the name “Villa de Santa Fe y Real de Minas de Guanajuato.” By 1790, the growing population was already declared an intendancy.
Spanish colonization in this area spread through land grants. Rodrigo Vázquez received properties for mining exploitation, while Andrés López de Céspedes and Juanes de Garnica obtained cattle ranches, laying the foundations for the region’s settlement and development.
Indigenous Resistance and Foundation of Guanajuato
The Chichimecas: Guardians of the Territory
A fundamental aspect of Guanajuato’s history is the resistance of its original inhabitants. The Chichimecas of the region never submitted to Spanish authority, and their constant assaults on newly established settlements were a force to be reckoned with.
To protect the valuable mining activities, four key forts were built: Santiago, Santa Ana, Santa Fe, and Tepetapa, which over time would evolve into the neighborhoods we know today.
The fort of Real de Santa Fe, being the most prosperous, was established as the head of the other three and was crucial for the definitive settlement of the capital city in 1554.
Under the orders of Philip II, the distribution of houses was carried out irregularly and on different levels, giving rise to the famous alleys, passages, tunnels, squares, and corridors that characterize the capital of El Bajío.
In 1679, by mandate of Charles II, the iconic Plaza Mayor of the Villa was established with land ceded by the colonizing residents.
Among the first religious constructions, the parish of Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato stands out, with its distinctive yellow color, and the first convent, San Diego de Alcalá, located next to the renowned Teatro Juárez.
The Mining Wealth and its Impact on Guanajuato’s Development
Gold and Silver: Pillars of Guanajuato’s Opulence
Guanajuato was not only an important city due to its settlement; it was an economic powerhouse. During the 17th century, this region consolidated its position as the world’s leading silver producer, surpassing other mining centers like Zacatecas, Fresnillo, and San Luis Potosí. This immense mineral wealth, derived from the exploitation of gold and silver, propelled unprecedented development in the city.
The opulence achieved in the 18th century manifested itself impressively in its civil and religious architecture. Notable examples include the first chapel blessed in 1555, belonging to the Hospital de los Indios Otomíes, and the oratory of the Colegio de Compañía de Jesús, founded around 1589 and located next to the University of Guanajuato.
By 1810, this historic city, driven by its imposing mines, extracted a quarter of the world’s silver production, a milestone that cemented its global relevance.
From the Colonial Era to Independent Mexico: The Consolidation of Guanajuato
With the arrival of independent Mexico and the promulgation of the first Mexican Constitution in 1824, during the First Federal Republic, the city was elevated to a new status: it became the Capital City of the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato, thus consolidating its preeminent place in the new nation.
The evolution of the Bajío state has been remarkable. From indigenous settlements to these modern times when even the Virtual University of the State of Guanajuato (Uveg) exists, from which my wife Jéssica graduated as an Engineer in Information Technology Management.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the name Guanajuato
What was the first name of Guanajuato?
The first official recorded name, in its villa category, was “Villa de Santa Fe y Real de Minas de Guanajuato,” granted in 1679. Subsequently, in 1741, it received the category of “Most Noble and Loyal City of Santa Fe y Real de Minas de Guanajuato.”
What does Guanajuato (GTO meaning) mean?
The meaning of Guanajuato comes from the Purépecha “Quanaxhuato,” which means “Mountainous place of frogs” or “Place where frogs abound.” Abbreviations like GTO. commonly refer to the state or city of Guanajuato.
What is toponymy?
The toponymy of Guanajuato refers to the study of the origin and meaning of its name. This name has pre-Hispanic (Purépecha) roots and has evolved throughout the colonial and modern history of Mexico, reflecting its geography and mining history.
Images: Jéssica de la Portilla Montaño.
