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People group profile · PG049313

The Tzeltal of the United States

The Tzeltal of the United States, numbering about 86,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Maya people indigenous to the highlands of chiapas in Mexico.

They are a diaspora people in the Maya people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Roman Catholicism, and they primarily speak Tzeltal.

Pray for the TzeltalPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Tzeltal people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Tzeltal

Fast facts

Country
United States
Population
86,000
Affinity group
American Peoples
People cluster
Maya
Primary language
Tzeltal (tzh)
Primary religion
Roman Catholicism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
15% or Greater but Less than 20%
GSEC ?
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Moderately Reached People Group
Region
Northern America, Americas

Where they live

Gospel status

The Tzeltal are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Tzeltal

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Roman Catholicism · Christianity

51% adherents

Primary language

Tzeltal · Mayan family

91% speak Tzeltal

Gospel resources in Tzeltal

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Tzeltal

  1. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  2. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  3. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  4. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.

Download a prayer guide

Tzeltal in other countries

The same people is also reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
TzeltalMexico858,000No Longer Unreached

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