Indigenous Peoples of the United States Cultural Groups

United States American Indian Research  Cultural Groups

The purpose of this wiki is to guide the user to records that will assist them in finding records of individual Indians and to document their family history and genealogy.The following list is given to illustrate the possible ties and associations with other tribes of the same culture grouping. All tribes are not included.


 * Geographical classifications may be determined by linguistics, cultural or other unique factors relating to the tribes in a region. Geographic classification cover a larger land mass and may include several or parts of the culture groups. Other classifications: Eastern Woodland, and California


 * Geographical Regions:


 * Northeast Region: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee
 * Southeast Region: North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma
 * Mid West or Plains Region: Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, and Kansas
 * Western or Great Basin Region: Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming and parts of Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Montana
 * Southwestern Region: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California
 * Northwest or Plateau Region: Washington, Oregon and Idaho
 * Alaska 
 * Hawaii

The cultural groups for the Indians of North America and some of the tribes belonging to each are:


 * Arctic Culture: Aleut and Inuit
 * California Culture: Achomawi (Pit River Indians), Cahuilla, Chimariko, Chumash, Costanoan, Cupeno, Diegueno, Esselen, Gabrieleno, Hupa, Karok, Luiseno, Maidu, Miwok, Pomo, Salinas, Shasta, Tolowa, Wintun, Yahi, Yokuts, Yuki, and Yurok. Linguistic Stocks: Athapaskan, Hokan, Lutuamian, Penutian, and Yukian
 * Great Basin Culture: Bannock, Paiute, Shoshone, Ute, and Washoe Linguistic Stocks: Uto-Aztekan (except Washoe)
 * Great Plains Culture: Arapaho, Arikara, Assiniboine, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Comanche, Crow, Gros Ventre, Hidatsa, Ioway, Kaw, Kiowa, Mandan, Missouria, Omaha, Osage, Otoe, Pawnee, Ponca, Quapaw, Sarcee, Sioux, Tonkawa, and Wichita Liguistic Stocks: Algonkian, Athapaskan, Caddoan, Kiowan, Siouan, and Uto-Aztekan
 * Midwest Culture: Menomine, Sauk, Fox. Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Miami, Neutral, Erie, Mosopelea, Shawnee, Illinois Linguistic Stock: Algonkian
 * Northeast Culture: Abenaki, Algonkin, Chippewa, Erie, Huron, Illinois, Iroquois (Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca &amp; Tuscarora), Kickapoo, Lenni Lenape (Delaware), Mahican, Milisett, Massachuset, Menominee, Meskwaki (Fox), Miami, Micmac, Mohegan, Motauk, Nanticoke, Narragansett, Neutral, Niantic, Nipmuc, Ottawa, Passamaquoddy, Pennacook, Penobscot, Pequot, Potawatomi, Powhatan, Roanoke, Sac, Shawnee, Susquehanock, Tionontati, Wimpanoag, Wappinger, and Winnebago Linguist Stocks: Algonkian and Iroquoian
 * Northwest Coast Culture: Bella Coola, Chinook, Coos, Cowichan, Duwamish, Haida, Kalapuya, Kwakiutl, Makah, Nisqually, Nootka, Puyallup, Quileute, Quinault, Squaxon, Takelma, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Umpqua, and Yaquina.  Linguistic Stocks: Athapaskan, Chimakuan, Chimmesyan, Chinookan, Hokan, Kusan, Ritwan, Salishan, Takelman, Wakashan, and Yakonan
 * Plateau Culture: Cayuse, Coeur d'Alene, Columbia, Flathead, Kalispel, Klamath, Klickitat, Kootenai, Modoc, Nez Perce, Ntlakyapamuk, Okanagan, Palouse, Umatilla, Spokan, Stuwihamuk, Walla Walla, Wanapam, Wishram, and Yakama Linguistic Stocks: Athapaskan, Chinookan, Kitunhan, Sahaptin, Salishan, and Waiilatpuan.
 * Southeast Culture: Alabama, Apalachee, Atakapa, Caddo, Calusa, Catawba, Chitimacha, Choctaw, Coushatta, Creek, Lumbee, Mobile, Natchez, Seminole, Shakori, Timucua, Tunica, Yamasee, Yazoo, and Yuchi Linguist Stocks: Algonkian, Hokan, Iroquoian, Muskhogean, Siuan,Tamaulipecan, Timucuan, Tunican, and Uchean
 * Southwest Culture: Akimel O'odham (Pima), Apache, Coahuiltec, Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Karankawa, Keres, Mojave, Navajo, Pueblo Indians, Tewa, Tiwa, Tohono O'odham, Towa, Yaqui, Yavapai, Yuma, and Zuni Linguist Stocks: Athapaskan, Hokan, Keresan, Tanoan, Uto-Aztekan, and Zunian
 * Subarctic Culture: Ahtena, Beaver, Beothuk, Carrier, Chipewyan, Chippewa (Ojibway), Cree, Dogrib, Han, Hare, Ingalik, Koyukon, Kutchin, Montagnais, Naskapi, Slavey, Tanaina, Tanana, Yellowknife

Miscellaneous

 * Caribbean Tribes: Arawak (Taino)
 * MesoAmerican Civilizations: Aztec, Maya, Olmec, Toltec
 * Others: Metis, Mission Indians, Mound Builders, Prairie Indians, Prehistoric Indians

For additional information about culture see other web sites detailing cultural groups of the natives of North America.

Geographical Record Collections
Northeast Region


 * Draper, Lyman Copeland (1815-1891), Draper Collection. (Trans-Appalachia) [FHL first film 889,098]
 * Holland Land Company (1792-1821)[FHL film 1421412 -inventory] and FHL first film of 202: 1,414,876]
 * Records of the Moravian Missions: 1739-1851 [FHL first film 1,017,681]

Southeast Region


 * Doris Duke Oral History Collection - Oklahoma FHL first film: 1,486,555
 * Oklahoma - Indian Pioneer Papers, 1860-1935 (Oklahoma Historical Society) FHL
 * O'Donnell, James H. Southern Indians in the American Revolution. University of TN., Knoxville. FHL book 970.1 Id5s
 * Gilmer, George Rockingham, 1790-1859. Sketches of Some of the First Settlers of Upper Georgia, of the Cherokees and the Author. American, GA American Book Co., 1926. FHL book 975.8 H2g or film 897,227
 * Rand, James Hall. The North Carolina Indians. Chapel Hill, NC c 1913. FHL book 975.6 B4b vol. 12 #2
 * South, Stanley A. Indians in North Carolina. Raleigh. NC Dept. of Archives and History. C 1965. [FHL 970.1 Al #79 or film 873,680 item 6]
 * Coterill, R. S. The Southern Indians[FHL 970.1 C828s] Source for information about the Five Civilized Tribes before removal.
 * Eastern Cherokee Claims Files (Guion Miller Rolls), 1902-1910.
 * Enrollment for the Five Civilized Tribes and Related Records, 1896-1907. (Dawes Rolls)
 * ONLINE: Southeastern Native American Documents Collection.

Mid West or Plains Region


 * Draper, Lyman Copeland. Draper Collection. (Trans-Appalachia) Prairie Duchene-Tecumseeh Papers (Shawnee Chief 1763-1823) FHL film: 889,097
 * John Gill Pratt Papers 1834-1899 FHL first film 812,758
 * Major James McLaughlin Papers, McLaughlin, James. Major. 1855-1937. FHL first film: 541,380 - Dakotas, KY, NY, Il, IN, VA, WI, TN
 * John J. Watts Collection, 1839-1912. - Missouri - FHL film 1,320,994 item 10 - index and FHL film 485,322
 * Doris Duke Oral History Collection FHL first film: 1,486,555
 * Jesuit Mission and College Records. 1832-1967 FHL film 590,422 and 590,423
 * State Department, Territorial Papers, Northwest of the River Ohio, 1787-1801. FHL film 1,571,572
 * Territorial Papers of US. Territory of Minnesota, 1849-1858. FHL film 1,695,152
 * Territorial Papers of US Territory of Wisconsin 1848-1856 FHL film 1,601,731


 * ONLINE Indian Peoples of the Northern Great Plains - Montana State University Library