Explore the alphabetical list of tribes in this U.S. Tribes A-Z Directory. From federal tribes, state tribes,
petitioning tribes, unrecognized tribes, and extinct tribes, we have them all.

US Tribes A–Z Directory

Indigenous peoples in what is now the contiguous United States are commonly called “American Indians,” or just “Indians” domestically, but are also often referred to as “Native Americans.”

Most Native people prefer to be referred to by their tribal name, such as Lakota or Chippewa.

Some Southwestern tribes will self-identify by both their clan and tribe.

Federally Recognized Tribes

Federal tribes (F) are formally recognized by the U.S. Government. Recognized Indians are those who are enrolled members of tribes with whom the federal government has acknowledged treaty or statutory obligations. As of 2025, there are 574 federally recognized tribes.

Federally recognized tribes possess certain inherent rights of self-government and are eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other federal agencies.

These rights include the power to establish their own governments, enforce laws (civil and criminal), tax, license and regulate activities, and exclude persons from tribal lands. Federal recognition affirms a government-to-government relationship between the tribe and the United States.

Recognition also means that a tribe can access programs supporting economic development, education, health care, housing, and cultural preservation. For many communities, this support helps sustain tribal institutions and revitalize traditional lifeways.

Obtaining or restoring federal recognition can be a long and complex process. Tribes may pursue it through congressional legislation, administrative procedures managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or litigation in the federal courts.

It is important to note that not all tribes with long histories and vibrant cultures are federally recognized.

State Recognized Tribes

State tribes (S) have recognition at the state level, but may or may not have federal recognition. Only 35 states have state-recognized tribes, as of 2025.

State recognized tribes are Native American communities that have received official acknowledgment from a state government as distinct political and cultural groups. While they may not have federal recognition, state recognition still grants them certain rights, access to some resources, and a degree of self-governance within that state.

Differences from Federally Recognized Tribes

Unlike federally recognized tribes, which have a government-to-government relationship with the U.S. federal government, state recognized tribes do not receive federal benefits such as funding through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. However, they may qualify for state-level benefits, educational programs, and cultural preservation initiatives, depending on state laws.

Why State Recognition Matters

State recognition helps preserve tribal identity and history. It also often plays a crucial role in land protection, cultural heritage preservation, and legal standing in matters like child welfare and education.

For many communities, state recognition is a meaningful step toward gaining broader acknowledgment and asserting sovereignty.

Terminated Tribes (T)

In the 1950s, the U.S. government ended federal trusteeship of roughly 3% of Native Americans through a policy called termination. The net effect was cultural and economic devastation.

Many tribal members were left without the social services, health care, and education previously provided under treaty obligations and trust responsibilities. Termination legislation frequently ignored tribal self-determination and was implemented without the consent of the communities affected.

By the late 1960s and early 1970s, the failure of termination became widely recognized, leading to a shift in federal policy toward supporting tribal sovereignty and self-determination. Many Terminated Tribes organized and fought to restore their recognition. In the decades since, some tribes have successfully regained federal status through legislation or administrative processes, although not all have been restored.

Black Indians (B)

Black Indians are people of African-American descent who also have Native American ancestry and cultural ties. Many African Americans have Native American ancestry because of centuries of contact, intermarriage, and shared experiences of displacement.

During the era of slavery, some Native tribes offered refuge to people escaping bondage, resulting in blended communities and family ties that persisted over generations.

In other cases, Africans were enslaved by Native American nations themselves, later becoming integrated into tribal societies through adoption, marriage, or emancipation.

Some Black Indians are enrolled citizens of federally recognized tribes, while others face challenges proving lineage due to historical record-keeping that often omitted or obscured mixed-ancestry families.

The complexity of this shared history means that many African American families have oral traditions or DNA evidence of Native roots, even if those connections are not formally documented or legally recognized.

Unrecognized Tribes (U)

Unrecognized tribes (U) are historical tribes not recognized by federal or state governments. They include communities whose ancestors avoided census records or were terminated.

Unrecognized tribes are Native American communities that identify as Tribal Nations but have not been formally acknowledged by either the federal or state governments.

Despite lacking official recognition, many of these groups have well-documented histories, distinct cultures, and ongoing efforts to preserve their heritage and traditions.

Without recognition, these communities are ineligible for most federal or state benefits available to recognized tribes, including funding for health, education, or housing. Despite this, unrecognized tribes often continue to function as cohesive communities, maintaining ceremonies, language preservation efforts, and tribal leadership structures while working toward future recognition.

Petitioning Tribes (P)

Many unrecognized and terminated tribes are seeking federal recognition. (Inclusion here does not constitute endorsement of any claim.)

What are Petitioning Tribes?

Petitioning tribes are Native American groups that are actively seeking official recognition from the federal government or a state. To do so, they must go through a formal process, usually through the Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA) within the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), to prove their continuous existence as a distinct community with political authority since historical times.

This petition process is rigorous and can take years or even decades to complete.

The Challenges of Gaining Recognition

The criteria for federal recognition are complex, requiring extensive historical, genealogical, and anthropological documentation. Many petitioning tribes face financial and administrative barriers during this process, as they must provide detailed evidence of lineage, governance, and cultural continuity.

Despite the challenges, federal or state recognition can open doors to legal rights, access to services, and the reaffirmation of sovereignty—making the effort vital for many Native communities.

Extinct Tribes Legacy and Rediscovery

Extinct tribes (E) are Native American groups that are no longer recognized or no longer exist as distinct political or cultural entities. From a pre-contact population estimated between 1 and 10 million, numbers declined drastically due to disease and conflicts.

Estimated Tribal Diversity Before European Contact

Before European explorers and settlers arrived, it’s estimated that around 1,000 distinct tribes lived throughout what is now the continental U.S.

These tribes spoke hundreds of different languages and had diverse cultural traditions, social systems, and economies. Some were small, semi-nomadic bands; others were large, complex societies with permanent settlements and advanced political structures.

While many tribes have disappeared from the historical record, archaeological evidence and oral histories continue to shed light on their existence. Some descendants of so-called extinct tribes are now working to revive lost languages and cultural practices, or to gain recognition for their heritage. Their efforts are vital to preserving the fuller story of America’s Indigenous past.

Canadian First Nations

Canadian tribes are commonly referred to as First Nations. They are distinct from Inuit and Métis peoples. There are 634 First Nations in Canada. Learn more at First-Nations.info.

Alaskan Natives (AN)

Alaskan Natives include Native Americans, Yupik and Inupiat Eskimos, and Aleuts. Yupik and Inupiat are the preferred names for these peoples over “Eskimo,” which some feel is derogatory. The term literally translates as “fat eaters.”

While this originally referred to the food they eat in their original languages, such as whales and walrus which are rich in fat, as slang it took on another meaning that was derogatory.

The fat of any animal is the most nutritious part. “Fat eater” as slang refers to someone who takes the best for themselves and is stingy and does not want to share.

Since there are an additional 229 Alaskan tribes, we have dedicated a separate website to them at Alaskan-Natives.com.

Native Americans and Alaska Natives make up about 2% of the U.S. population, with over 6 million identifying as such, though only 1.8 million are registered tribal members.

Tribes have established their own rules for membership, some of which are increasingly exclusive. Many people have unrecognized Native American ancestry together with other ethnic backgrounds.

A minority of U.S. Native Americans live in land units called Indian Reservations. In Canada, these land tracks are called Reserves.

Some Southwestern tribes, such as the Yaqui and Apache, have registered communities in Northern Mexico. Similarly, northern bands of Blackfoot reside in southern Alberta, Canada, where they are known as Blackfoot. Those on the United States side of the border are known as Blackfeet.

A number of Kumeyaay communities may be found in Baja California del Norte.

Indian tribes are unique legal entities in the United States with extensive powers of self-government. Tribal sovereignty predates the U.S. government.

Treaties, federal statutes, and executive agreements over the past 200 years have established a special trust relationship between tribes and the federal government.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is designated as the primary agency to protect tribal interests and administer trust responsibilities.

Native Hawaiians

Native Hawaiians are descendants of the Polynesian settlers of Hawaii. They are not federally recognized tribes, but are a unique indigenous people with distinct traditions.

Their ancestors arrived in Hawaii over 1,000 years ago from other Polynesian islands, navigating vast ocean distances using stars, winds, and waves.

They developed a rich, land-based culture with deep spiritual connections to nature, governed by systems of kapu (sacred law), and supported by advanced agricultural and aquacultural practices.

The Hawaiian Kingdom was an internationally recognized sovereign nation until it was overthrown in 1893 by American and European settlers with U.S. military support.

Tribes by Confederacy: Understanding Native Alliances

Native American tribes often formed tribal confederacies, or alliances, to promote unity, defense, and shared governance among neighboring nations.

These tribal confederacies were complex political and cultural unions that predated European contact and continued to evolve during colonization. Some confederacies were based on linguistic and cultural similarities, while others were strategic partnerships for trade, war, or survival.

Many tribes within these confederacies retained their individual identities while participating in a broader political system. Decisions were often made through councils, consensus, and clan-based representation.

Confederacies allowed smaller or isolated tribes to gain protection and voice by joining stronger coalitions, preserving their culture while adapting to changing pressures from colonial forces and other external threats.

Today, learning about tribal confederacies offers valuable insight into Indigenous political systems, diplomacy, and cooperation. Exploring these alliances deepens our understanding of Native sovereignty, shared resistance efforts, and intertribal relations that continue to shape Indigenous communities in the present day.

Bands, Gens and Clans

A division or branch of a tribe can be a single band, but usually divisions are broken down into several smaller groups called Bands, Gens, and Clans.

How many bands, gens, and clans there were was largely dictated by the size of the tribe and the resources available in the areas where they lived, and whether they were nomadic hunter-gatherers or stationary farmers.