Purépecha (also P'urhépecha [pʰuˈɽepet͡ʃa], Purepecha: Phorhé or Phorhépecha), often called Tarascan, which is a pejorative term coined by Spanish colonizers (Spanish: Tarasco), is a language isolate or small language family that is spoken by some 140,000 Purépecha in the highlands of Michoacán, Mexico. Purépecha was the main language of the pre-Columbian Tarascan State and became widespread in the region during its heyday in the late post-Classic period. The small town of Purepero got its name from the indigenous people who lived there.