As a linguistic family, Atakapa is now considered to be language isolate, not closely related to any other languages in the world. However, some linguists have suggested that Chitimacha may have been a distant relative of Atakapa, and that Atakapa may have also had some relation to the extinct Tunica language.
The Atakapa were first encountered by the French in the late 17th century, and they were subsequently decimated by disease, warfare, and slavery. By the early 19th century, the Atakapa had largely disappeared from their former homeland, and their language and culture were rapidly fading away.
Today, there are only a handful of Atakapa speakers left, and the Atakapa language is critically endangered. However, there are efforts underway to revitalize the Atakapa language and culture, and there is a growing interest in Atakapa history and heritage.