How Texas Got Its Name: Spanish Explorer Alonso de León and the Hasinai People

The name Texas originates from the Hasinai (Caddo) Native Americans, whom the Spanish called “Tejas” (meaning “friends” or “allies”).

In 1690, Spanish explorer Alonso de León led an expedition into East Texas and applied the name Tejas to the territory and its indigenous inhabitants. The name evolved into “Texas” and was adopted for the Spanish province, later the Mexican state, the Republic of Texas, and finally the U.S. state.