Powhatan Indians (Southern Renape pawd’tan, ‘falls in a current’ of water.-Gerard). A confederacy of Virginian Algonquian tribes. Their territory included the tidewater section of Virginia from the Potomac south to the divide between James River and Albemarle sound, and extended into the interior as far as the falls of the principal rivers about Fredericksburg and Richmond. They also occupied the Virginia counties east of Chesapeake Bay and possibly included some tribes in lower Maryland. In the Piedmont region west of them were the hostile Monacan and Manahoac, while on the south were the Chowanoc, Nottoway, and Meherrin of Iroquoian stock. Read more about the Powhatan History
Archives, Libraries and Museums
Powhatan Indian Biographies
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Powhatan Indian Cemeteries
Powhatan Indian Census
- Indians in the 11th (1890) Census of the United States
- Native American (Indian) Census Records
- US Indian Census Schedules 1885-1940
Powhaten Genealogy
- Powhaten Family Manuscripts
The Family Manuscript Repository provides access to over three centuries (1700-2006) of Citizen Potawatomi cultural and historical content. Researched, assembled, and contributed by tribal members across four decades, this extensive collection comprises more than 30,000 documents. These encompass federal allotment and census records, legal documents, correspondence, genealogical resources, and family histories and biographies. The materials are organized by tribal family and individual members associated with each family. - Proving Your Indian Ancestry
- DNA- Testing for your Native American Ancestry
- How to Write a Genealogical Query
Powhatan Indian History
- Powhatan Indian Tribe History
- Powhatan Indian Locations
- Powhatan Indian Villages
- Powhatan Indian Chiefs and Leaders
- Powhatan Towns and Villages
- Powhatan Locations
- Powhatan Confederacy
- Chronology of Powhatan Indian Activity
- Virtual Jamestown
- History of Jamestown
Powhatan Indian Land, Land Allotments and Maps
- Powhaten Allotments
The reservation in Indian Territory was partitioned into parcels for allocation to individual tribal members in 1872 and 1887. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation communicated with the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) to determine the precise locations of these allotments. An interactive map is available for users to explore the reserve based on allotment, allottee’s name, cemetery, or town. - Powhatan’s Territory 1607
Powhatan Indian Language
- Powhatan Language
- Sign Language Among North American Indians
Sign language among North American Indians was surprisingly uniform across the tribes, and appears to be the “language” of choice when Indians traversed from tribe to tribe in order to trade. This manuscript provides detailed signs for common dictionary words, complete narration and dialogue, as well as the history of sign language and how its origin in the Indian nations. Of particular interest are the sections on Native American gestures, and their use of smoke signals, fire signals, and dust signals.
Powhatan Indian Legends
- Indian Mythology
- Pocahontas Myth
Powhatan Indian Military
- Indian Wars, Conflicts and Disturbances 1614-1893
- Indians Who Served in the War (WWII)
Other Tribes
The list of tribes and organizations below are not federally recognized. Many of them are state recognized organizations only or working towards federal recognition. We do not have the resources to check the validity of each and every organization and expect that you should before attempting to join or send a monetary contribution. We will provide a listing for any Native American organization or tribe. If you would like your organization listed please submit the information here.
Schools
- Hampton School Records
- Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute
- Indian Schools, Seminaries and Asylums
Treaties
- Indian Treaties, Acts and Agreements
- Indian Affairs, Laws and Treaties, Vol. 2
As the United States expanded westward from the original thirteen colonies, settlers often confronted the existing owners of the land. As a result the federal government often negotiated treaties with these Native Americans. This collection of official treaties was compiled by the United States and originally printed in 1904.
Suggested Reading
Pocahontas’s People: The Powhatan Indians of Virginia Through Four Centuries, By Helen C. Roundtree
This history traces events that shaped the lives of the Powhatan Indians of Virginia, from their first encounter with English colonists, in 1607, to their present-day way of life and relationship to the state of Virginia and the federal government. Roundtree’s examination of those four hundred years misses not a beat in the pulse of Powhatan life. Combining meticulous scholarship and sensitivity, the author explores the diversity always found among Powhatan people, and those people’s relationships with the English, the government of the fledgling United States, the Union and the Confederacy, the U.S. Census Bureau, white supremacists, the U.S. Selective Service, and the civil rights movement.
