In ancient Mexico, a teccalli was a noble household or lineage. The Nahuatl word teccalli is a combination of teuctli, meaning lord, and calli, meaning house. It directly translates to "lord-house" and it can be found in the house compounds of altepetls. The ruler tlatoani and other nobles pipiltin would inhabit this house and have commoners macehualtin work on the land.