The Meherrin Tribe, part of the Iroquoian linguistic family, is situated along the Meherrin River on the Virginia-North Carolina border. First documented in 1650, they later incorporated refugees from the Conestoga due to Iroquois conflicts. By 1761, they lived alongside the Tuscarora and Saponi tribes. Population estimates indicate a decline from 700 in 1600 to only 20 in 1761. The tribe’s name endures through the Meherrin River and a town in Virginia.
The Meherrin Indians, an Iroquoian tribe, historically inhabited the Meherrin River region on the Virginia-North Carolina border. Once conflated with the Tutelo by Thomas Jefferson, they were inaccurately recorded as remnants of the Conestoga or Susquehanna in colonial documents. However, they are noted as Menheyricks in a 1669 census, with a population of around 180. Their identity may have been influenced by the influx of Conestoga refugees. The Meherrin were generally considered subjects of Virginia, though their territory also intersected with Carolina, and they shared close ties with the Nottoway.