It is believed that the origin of the taco started in Mexican silver mines. Mr. Pilcher believes that they came about some time in the 19 th century. This hypothesis about the taco comes from the fact that the first type of taco was “taco de minero,” which translates to mean miner’s tacos. Also, have you ever realized that taquitos look similar to a stick of dynamite? Taquito is a Spanish word that translates to small taco. It is believed that the word taco originally referred to pieces of paper that miners would wrap around gunpowder and use in holes that were carved into the face of the rock.