Which major language families are native to Mesoamerica?

Mesoamerica is a linguistically diverse region, home to more than 125 indigenous languages classified into approximately 10 language families, including several language isolates.1

Most of these languages are grouped into four major families:2

• Uto-Aztecan: A widespread family that played a dominant role in the region, particularly through the Nahua groups and the Nahuatl language, which served as the official tongue of the Aztec empire.2
• Mayan: A family comprising numerous languages spoken across southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador.3
• Otomanguean: A large, heterogeneous phylum centered in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It includes significant groups such as the Mixtec and Zapotec, which established powerful kingdoms during the pre-Columbian era.24
• Mixe-Zoquean: One of the primary language groupings native to the region.2

In addition to these families, Mesoamerica contains several language isolates—languages with no known relatives—such as Tarascan, Huave, and Cuitlatec.2