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Indigenous History Stories & local character

Waco Gets Its Name From the Waco Indian Village

McLennan County History & Culture

The Waco Indians (also spelled Huaco) were a Wichita-speaking people who farmed along the Brazos River. In 1824 their village at this site had 500 to 600 residents. By the mid-1830s they had been driven out, partly by Cherokee settlers moving into the area.

When surveyor George B. Erath laid out the town in 1849, he suggested the name Waco Village to honor the former inhabitants. The name 'Huaco' also appears in older records. Archeological evidence shows people lived in this part of the Brazos valley as far back as roughly 11,000 years ago.

Content last revised 2026-07-11

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