[2] Ayotlán comes from "Ayotl" (its former name) and means "place of turtles" or "squashes" In 1583 the Spaniards called it "Ayo el Chico" to distinguish it from large town that was near San Pedro Piedra Gorda, in the now state of Guanajuato.

Cristóbal de Olid sent by Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Michoacán in 1521, and registered as a resident grabbed the Ayotl natural.

Valley Coin was given instructed to Juan de Villaseñor the Elder, who ruled 9 years.

On October 26 the same year, personally Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza besieged El Penol with a powerful army and gave them so fierce battle that nearly ended with them.

Ayotlán is located at coordinates 20 ° 20 '05 "to 20 ° 37' 30" north latitude and 102 ° 15 '00 "102 ° 39' 40" west longitude at an altitude of 1.630 meters above sea level.