For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined the community as a census-designated place (CDP).

[2] It was a primary cultural, economic, and religious center at the time of the arrival of Spanish colonists in the very early 17th century[citation needed].

Nambé is the Spanish version of a similar-sounding Tewa word, which can be interpreted loosely as meaning "rounded earth."

As the Ancestral Puebloans abandoned their canyon homeland due to social upheaval and climate change, they migrated to other areas.

The Spanish introduced new foods to the native communities, including peaches, peppers, and wheat.

[10] By November 2022, Tesla had followed this model of leasing native American land for a service and delivery center at a second New Mexico city—Santa Ana—which is 60 mi (97 km) closer to the large city of Albuquerque.