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. Many southwestern tribes will self-identify by both their clan and tribe.

Alaskan Natives (AN) 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.”

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. 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 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.

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 about 27 states have state-recognized tribes.

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

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

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

Petitioning Tribes (P)

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

Extinct Tribes (E)

Many early tribes are now extinct. From a pre-contact population estimated between 1 and 10 million, numbers declined drastically due to disease and conflict.

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.

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.