According to Reyes and Robelo this town was originally called Tlalnepantla Kuauhtenko; this second place name means "On the shore of the eagles"; its etymology from Kuauh-tli, "eagle"; ten-tli, "shore or lip", and ko, adverb of "place"; however, in the hieroglyph the sign of the tree is clearly seen between two parts of the earth.

[6] By the 1590s a town called Teocaltitla was established northwest about seven kilometers from the present municipal seat.

The ruins of the town of San Bartolomé ("Cohamilpa") are located about four kilometers west of Tlalnepantla.

Ruins of the San Nicolás Tolentino neighborhood ("Teopancasholtitla"), founded in 1600, are located six kilometers from Tlalnepantla.

[12] A telephone line was established between 1880 and 1910 near Tenecuilco where President Porfirio Díaz had a hunting lodge.

On one occasion, the president got lost, only to be saved by a local resident named Bonifacio Rodríguez.

[6] San Nicolás del Monte was isolated until Mexican Federal Highway 113 was built in 1973.

The town changed its name to El Vigía in 1973 because during the Revolution it was used to warn people when enemy armies were approaching.

[14] On July 2, Tlalnepantla reported 33 infections and four deaths from the virus; the reopening of the state was pushed back until at least June 13.

With an average altitude of 2,060 meters above sea level, it is the third highest municipality in the state, exceeded only by Huitzilac (2,500 m) and Tetela del Volcán (2,200 m).

The highest peaks are: Approximately 16% of the total surface is rugged, 78% is semi-flat, and 0.5% is flat (mostly in the north, west, and southeast).

[19] Flora consists mainly of Temperate coniferous forest: pine, oak, fir, ash, elm, tejocote (a fruit tree), and ocotillo (a shrub).

[6] Fauna includes white-tailed deer, skunk, Mexican volcano mouse, mountain lions, quail, coyote, wolf, wildcat, cacomistle (raccoon), opossum, ocelot, ferret, rabbit, iguana, snakes, scorpion, chameleon, roadrunner, and woodpecker.

Both the fruit and the leaves are sold in Mexico City, Monterrey, Tijuana, and even the United States.

The Chinelos costume consists of four main items: a long flowing robe made of velvet which usually has a rectangular shape tunic, a mask, a large plumed hat, and gloves.