Explore the Native American tribes of the United States—past and present—through our comprehensive A–Z directory. This resource covers federally recognized, state recognized, unrecognized, petitioning, and historically extinct tribes, all in one place. Each profile includes history, culture, language, notable leaders, and present-day status, making it a valuable reference for students, researchers, and anyone interested in Indigenous heritage.
From the well-known Cherokee and Navajo to smaller, lesser-known nations, you’ll find accurate, well-researched information along with links to related tribal histories, cultural practices, and historical events. Whether you’re tracing ancestry, studying historical events, or seeking to understand the diversity of Native peoples, this directory provides both quick facts and in-depth resources—organized alphabetically for easy navigation.
Browse by letter to find any tribe quickly — whether well-known like the Cherokee, Navajo, or Sioux, or smaller, lesser-documented communities. Where possible, we’ve linked each profile to related pages on tribal culture, language, notable leaders, and historical events.
Explore an alphabetical directory of Native American tribes from across the United States — past and present. This hub brings together federally recognized tribes, state recognized tribes, unrecognized heritage groups, and historical tribes that are now extinct or terminated, all in one place for easier research and discovery.
Each tribal profile includes:
Name variations and alternate spellings.
Historical homelands and migration patterns.
Cultural practices and language families.
First contact history with Europeans or other outsiders.
Population changes over time and present-day status.
Links to detailed articles, photos, maps, and related resources.
Federally recognized tribes (F): Sovereign nations acknowledged by the U.S. government with treaty rights and federal benefits.
State recognized tribes (S): Recognized by individual states for governmental purposes; may or may not also have federal recognition.
Unrecognized tribes (U): Groups that self-identify as Native American but lack official recognition at state or federal levels; may be historical communities, terminated tribes, or petitioners for recognition.
Extinct or terminated tribes (T): Historic peoples who no longer exist as distinct communities due to assimilation, relocation, population loss, or official termination policies.
Recognition affects a tribe’s legal status, access to programs, and ability to govern itself. Some tribes are seeking to restore recognition lost through federal termination policies in the mid-20th century, while others maintain cultural identity without formal recognition.
From pre-contact populations in the millions to the devastating impacts of disease, warfare, forced removals like the Trail of Tears, assimilation policies, and the near-eradication of the buffalo, Native peoples have endured profound challenges. Yet, many communities have preserved their heritage, rebuilt their populations, and continue to thrive today.
The Beothuk were the aboriginal inhabitants of Newfoundland when Europeans arrived, and were the first indigenous people the Europeans encountered in North America. They are now an extinct tribe, at least as a culture. Recently, dna has been found in Iceland that indicates, they may, indeed, have some descendants still living.
The Duwamish Tribe are an unrecognized Lushootseed Native American tribe in western Washington, and the original indigenous people of metropolitan Seattle. The Duwamish tribe descends from at least two distinct groups from before intense contact with people of European ancestry—the People of the Inside (the environs of Elliott Bay) and the People of the Large Lake (Lake Washington).
The Juaneño Band of Mission Indians is recognized by the State of California, but is not federally recognized. They traditionally lived along the coast in what is now Orange and San Diego counties in California.
The Chattahoochee River is where at least 32 ethnic groups came to live in the 1700s. They assimilated to become the Creek Indians by the end of that century.
The ataaxam people have occupied the San Luis Rey Valley in California since the beginning of time. The San Luis Rey Band of Luiseño Indians has kept its identity as a people within the local communities that now exist on those ancestral tribal lands.
The Choctaw Apache Tribe of Ebarb is located in western Sabine Parish, Louisiana. They are recognized by the state of Louisiana and have petitioned for federal recognition.