The majority of Norteño gang members are male and of Hispanic origin.  However, whites, blacks, and other ethnic minorities are also found to pledge allegiance to Norteño gangs.  The age of gang members covers a broad spectrum from children, who are as young as 9 or 10 years old, to adults, who are in their 50s.  Although, most Norteño gang members are in their late teens to early 30s.  Norteños are found in nearly every state but are most dominate in the west, specifically California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. 

Norteño gang identify themselves with the color red and have tattoos that usually contain the number and/or words norte, Norteño, 14, X4, or XVI.  The number 14 represents the 14th letter of the alphabet N, which denotes the Nuestra Familia alliance.  The Nuestra Familia is also referred to as La ENE, which is Spanish for the letter N.  The Nuestra Familis was formed in Solidate, California in 1965 to protect Hispanics in prison from the Mexican Mafia.  Regardless of how the number 14 appears, the meaning is the same; its alliance is to Northern California.