Indian Tribes of North America

Swanton, John R. The Indian Tribes of North America. Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 145. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office. 1953.

Oconee Indians

Oconee Tribe – Significance unknown. Oconee Connections. The Oconee belonged to the Muskhogean linguistic stock, and the Atcik-hata group. (See Apalachicola) Oconee Location. Just below the Rock Landing on Oconee River, Georgia. (see also Florida.) Oconee History. Early documents reveal at least two bodies of Indians bearing the name Oconee and probably related. One was on or near the coast of Georgia and seems later to have moved into the Apalachee country and to have become fused with the Apalachee tribe before the end of the seventeenth century. The other was at the point above indicated, on Oconee River. About … Read more

Occaneechi Indians

Occaneechi Tribe: Meaning unknown. The Botshenins, or Patshenins, a band associated with the Saponi and Tutelo in Ontario, were perhaps identical with this tribe. Occaneechi Connections. The Occaneechi belonged to the Siouan linguistic stock; their closest connections were probably the Tutelo and Saponi. Occaneechi Location. On the middle and largest island in Roanoke River, just below the confluence of the Staunton and the Dan, near the site of Clarksville, Mecklenburg County, Va. (See also North Carolina.) Occaneechi History. Edward Blande and his companions heard of them in 1650. When first met by Lederer in 1670 at the spot above mentioned, … Read more

Ocale Indians

Ocale Tribe, or Etocale tribe. Meaning unknown, but perhaps connected with Timucua tocala, “it is more than,” a comparative verb. I A possible exception to this statement was the temporary entrance of a small body of Coweta Indiana under Secoffee, or the Cowkeeper. Ocale Connections. This tribe belonged to the Timucuan or Timuquanan linguistic division of the Muskhogean linguistic family. Ocale Location. In Marion County or Levy County north of the bend of the Withlacoochee River. Ocale Villages. Uqueten (first village approaching from the south), and perhaps Itaraholata. Ocale History. This tribe is first mentioned by the chroniclers of the … Read more

Nottaway Indians

Nottaway Tribe: Meaning “adders,” in the language of their Algonquian neighbors, a common designation for alien tribes by peoples of that linguistic stock. Also called: Cheroenhaka, their own name, probably signifying “fork of a stream.” Mangoak, Mengwe, another Algonquian term, signifying “stealthy,” “treacherous.” Nottaway Connections. The Nottaway belonged to the Iroquoian linguistic family, their closest connections probably being the Meherrin, Tuscarora, and Susquehanna. Nottaway Location. On the river of the same name in southeastern Virginia. Nottaway History. The Nottaway were found by the Virginia colonists in the location given above. Though they were never prominent in colonial history, they kept … Read more

Northern Shoshoni Indians

Northern Shoshoni Indians. The Northern Shoshoni occupied eastern Idaho, except the territory held by the Bannock; western Wyoming; and north-eastern Utah.

Northern Paiute Indians

Northern Paiute. The Northern Paiute were not properly a tribe, the name being used for a dialectic division as indicated above. They covered western Nevada, southeastern Oregon, and a strip of California east of the Sierra Nevada as far south as Owens Lake except for territory occupied by the Washo. According to the students of the area, they were pushed out of Powder River Valley and the upper course of John Day River in the nineteenth century by Shahaptian tribes and the Cayuse.

North Dakota Indian Tribes

The following tribes at one time are recorded in history as having resided within the present state of North Dakota. If the tribe name is in bold, then North Dakota is the primary location known for this tribe, otherwise we provide the tribes specifics as it pertains to North Dakota and then provide a link to the main tribal page. Arapaho Indians. Certain traditions indicate that the Arapaho at one time lived in the Red River Valley in what is now Minnesota and North Dakota, but they had left before the historic period. Arikara Indians Assiniboin Indians. In early days … Read more

North Carolina Indian Tribes

The following tribes at one time are recorded in history as having resided within the present state of North Carolina. If the tribe name is in bold, then North Carolina is the primary location known for this tribe, otherwise we provide the tribes specifics as it pertains to North Carolina and provide a link to the main tribal page if available. Bear River Indians A body of Indians mentioned by Lawson and associated with Algonquian tribes. They may have been a part of the Machapunga. Rights (1947) calls them the Bear River or Bay River Indians. Lawson (1709) gives the name of … Read more

Nooksack Indians

Nooksack Indians were located along the Nooksack River in Whatcom County, Washington and Canada.

Nisqually Indians

Nisqually Indians were located on Nisqually River above its mouth and on the middle and upper courses of Puyallup River.

Nez Percé Indians

Nez Percé Indians. A French appellation signifying “pierced noses.” Also called: Â’dal-k’ato’igo, Kiowa name, signifying “people with hair cut across the forehead.” Anípörspi, Calapooya name. A-pa-o-pa, Atsina name (Long, 1823). A-pū-pe’, Crow name, signifying “to paddle,” “paddles.” Blue Muds, name applied by traders. Chopunnish, Lewis and Clark. Green Wood Indians, Henry-Thompson Journal. I’-na-cpĕ, Quapaw name. Kamŭ’inu, own name. Ko-mun’-i-tup’-i-o, Siksika name. Mikadeshitchísi, Kiowa Apache name. Nimipu, own name, signifying “the people.” Pa ka’-san-tse, Osage name, signifying “plaited hair over the forehead.” Pe ga’-zan-de, Kansa name. Pierced Noses, English translation of name. Po’-ge-hdo-ke, Dakota name. Sa-áptin, Okanagon name. Shi’wanǐsh, Tenino name … Read more

New Mexico Indian Tribes

The following tribes at one time are recorded in history as having resided within the present state of New Mexico. If the tribe name is in bold, then New Mexico is the primary location known for this tribe, otherwise we provide the tribes specifics as it pertains to New Mexico and then provide a link to the main tribal page. Apache Indians Comanche Indians. In the Spanish period, the Comanche raided into and across the territory of New Mexico repeatedly. (See Texas.) Jemez Indians Jicarilla Indians. An Apache tribe which ranged over the northeastern corner of New Mexico. (See Colorado.) … Read more

New Hampshire Indian Tribes

Abnaki. Parts of Grafton County were occupied by the Ossipee and Pequawket bands, affiliated with the Sokoki of the Abnaki tribe. (See Maine.) Pennacook. Gerard (Hodge, 1910) says the name is “cognate with Abnaki pe(nâkuk, or penankuk, ‘at the bottom of the hill or highland,’) ” but Speck says simply “down hill.” Also called: Merrimac, from the river of that name. Nechegansett, name given by Gookin (1792). Owaragees, Iroquois name (fide Colden (1747)). Connections. The Pennacook belonged to the Algonquian linguistic stock, their nearest relatives being the Abnaki, with whom they were frequently classed, and the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, and Malecite. … Read more

Nevada Indian Tribes

The following tribes at one time are recorded in history as having resided within the present state of Nevada. If the tribe’s name is in bold, then Nevada is the primary location known for this tribe, otherwise we provide the tribes specifics as it pertains to Nevada and then provide a link to the main tribal page.

Neutral Indians

Neutral Indians. So called by the French because they remained neutral during the later wars between the Iroquois and Huron. Also called: Hatiwanta-runh, by Tuscarora, meaning “Their speech is awry”; in form it is close to the names applied by the other Iroquois tribes and more often quoted as Attiwandaronk. Neutrals Neutral Connections  The Neutrals belonged to the Iroquoian linguistic Stock; their position within this is uncertain. Neutral Location. In the southern part of the province of Ontario, the westernmost part of New York, in northeastern Ohio, and in southeastern Michigan. (See also Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Canada.) Neutral Subdivisions … Read more

Neusiok Indians

Neusiok Tribe: Probably a place name. Neusiok Connections. The form of this name suggests that the Neusiok were of the Algonquian stock, but they may have been Iroquoian like their neighbors the Tuscarora and Coree (?). Neusiok Location. On lower Neuse River particularly on the south side, in Craven and Cartaret Counties. Neusiok Village. Chattooka, on the site of Newbern, and Rouconk, exact location unknown. Neusiok History. In 1584 Amadas and Barlowe heard of the Neusiok as at war with the tribes farther north. The later settlers speak to of them as Neuse Indians. They dwindled away rapidly and perhaps … Read more

Nebraska Indian Tribes

The following Indian tribes at one time are recorded in history as having resided within the present state of Nebraska. If the tribe name is in bold, then Nebraska is the primary location known for this tribe, otherwise we provide the tribes specifics as it pertains to Nebraska and then provide a link to the main tribal page. Arapaho Indians. The Arapaho ranged for a considerable period over the western part of this State. Arikara Indians. This tribe lived in the territory now included in Nebraska with the Skidi Pawnee at some prehistoric period, and after 1823 they returned to … Read more

Navaho Indians

Navaho Indians, Navajo Indians. Located in northern New Mexico and Arizona with some extension into Colorado and Utah. With the Apache tribes, the Navaho formed the southern division of the Athapascan linguistic family.