List of federally recognized tribes in the United States
This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes., 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the United States. Of these, 231 are located in Alaska.
Description
In the United States, the Indian tribe is a fundamental unit, and the constitution grants Congress the right to interact with tribes. More specifically, the Supreme Court of the United States in United States v. Sandoval, 231 U.S. 28, warned, "it is not... that Congress may bring a community or body of people within range of this power by arbitrarily calling them an Indian tribe, but only that in respect of distinctly Indian communities the questions whether, to what extent, and for what time they shall be recognized and dealt with as dependent tribes". Federal tribal recognition grants to tribes the right to certain benefits, and is largely controlled by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.While trying to determine which groups were eligible for federal recognition in the 1970s, government officials became acutely aware of the need for consistent procedures. To illustrate, several federally unrecognized tribes encountered obstacles in bringing land claims; United States v. Washington was a court case that affirmed the fishing treaty rights of Washington tribes; and other tribes demanded that the U.S. government recognize aboriginal titles. All the above culminated in the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975, which legitimized tribal entities by partially restoring Native American self-determination.
Following the decisions made by the Indian Claims Commission, the BIA in 1978 published final rules with procedures that groups had to meet to secure federal tribal acknowledgement. There are seven criteria. Four have proven troublesome for most groups to prove: long-standing historical community, outside identification as Indians, political authority, and descent from a historical tribe. Tribes seeking recognition must submit detailed petitions to the BIA's Office of Federal Acknowledgment. Consequently, the Federal Acknowledgment Process can take years, even decades; delays of 12–14 years are not uncommon. The Shinnecock Indian Nation formally petitioned for recognition in 1978 and was recognized 32 years later, in 2010. At a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing, witnesses testified that the process was "broken, long, expensive, burdensome, intrusive, unfair, arbitrary and capricious, less than transparent, unpredictable, and subject to undue political influence and manipulation."
In July 2018 the United States' Federal Register issued an official list of 573 tribes that are Indian Entities Recognized and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. The number of tribes increased to 567 in May 2016 with the inclusion of the Pamunkey tribe in Virginia who received their federal recognition in July 2015. The number of tribes increased to 573 with the addition of six tribes in Virginia under the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017, signed in January 2018 after the annual list had been published. The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians became the 574th tribe to gain federal recognition on December 20, 2019. The website USA.gov, the federal government's official web portal, also maintains a constantly updated list of . Ancillary information present in former versions of this list but no longer contained in the current listing has been included here in italics print.
Alphabetical list of federally recognized tribes
A
- Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma
- Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, California
- Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa Indian Reservation, Arizona
- Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas
- Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma
- Alturas Indian Rancheria, California
- Apache Tribe of Oklahoma
- Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming
- Aroostook Band of Micmac
- Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana
- Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, California
B
- Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin
- Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan
- Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, California
- Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California
- Big Lagoon Rancheria, California
- Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley
- Big Sandy Rancheria of Western Mono Indians of California
- Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of the Big Valley Rancheria, California
- Bishop Paiute Tribe
- Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana
- Blue Lake Rancheria, California
- Bridgeport Indian Colony
- Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California
- Burns Paiute Tribe
C
- Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, California
- Cachil DeHe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Indian Community of the Colusa Rancheria, California
- Caddo Nation of Oklahoma
- Cahto Tribe
- Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians of the Cahuilla Reservation, California
- California Valley Miwok Tribe, California
- Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation, California
- Capitan Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California:
- * Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation, California
- * Viejas Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Viejas Reservation, California
- Catawba Indian Nation
- Cayuga Nation of New York
- Cedarville Rancheria, California
- Chemehuevi Indian Tribe of the Chemehuevi Reservation, California
- Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, California
- Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma
- Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma
- Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota
- Chickahominy Tribe, Virginia
- Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma
- Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California
- Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana
- Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana
- Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
- Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma
- Cloverdale Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California
- Cocopah Tribe of Arizona
- Coeur D'Alene Tribe
- Cold Springs Rancheria of Mono Indians of California
- Colorado River Indian Tribes of the Colorado River Indian Reservation, Arizona and California
- Comanche Nation, Oklahoma
- Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Montana
- Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington
- Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
- Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Washington
- Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington
- Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of Oregon
- Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah
- Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
- Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
(previously listed as Coquille Tribe of Oregon
D
. The hyphen in Timbisha is actually ungrammatical and based on a clerical error which has not been corrected. The tribe itself always uses Timbisha, without the hyphen.- Delaware Nation, Oklahoma
- Delaware Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma
- Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, California
- Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the Duckwater Reservation, Nevada
E
- Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
- Eastern Chickahominy, Virginia
- Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma
- Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians of the Sulphur Bank Rancheria, California
- Elk Valley Rancheria, California
- Ely Shoshone Tribe of Nevada
- Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California
- Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, California
F
- Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, California
- Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota
- Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin
- Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana
- Fort Bidwell Indian Community of the Fort Bidwell Reservation of California
- Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians of the Fort Independence Reservation, California
- Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, Nevada and Oregon
- Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Arizona
- Fort Mojave Indian Tribe of Arizona, California & Nevada
- Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma
G
- Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona
- Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan
- Greenville Rancheria
- Grindstone Indian Rancheria of Wintun-Wailaki Indians of California
- Guidiville Rancheria of California
H
- Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, California
- Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan
- Havasupai Tribe of the Havasupai Reservation, Arizona
- Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin
- Hoh Indian Tribe
- Hoopa Valley Tribe, California
- Hopi Tribe of Arizona
- Hopland Band of Pomo Indians, California
- Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians of Maine
- Hualapai Indian Tribe of the Hualapai Indian Reservation, Arizona
I
- Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, California
- Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Inaja and Cosmit Reservation, California
- Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California
- Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska
- Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
J
- Jackson Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California
- Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe of Washington
- Jamul Indian Village of California
- Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Louisiana
- Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico
K
- Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona
- Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel Reservation, Washington
- Karuk Tribe
- Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria, California
- Kaw Nation, Oklahoma
- Kewa Pueblo, New Mexico
- Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan
- Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma
- Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas
- Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas
- Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma
- Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma
- Klamath Tribes, Oregon
- Kootenai Tribe of Idaho
L
- La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians, California
- La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the La Posta Indian Reservation, California
- Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin
- Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin
- Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan
- Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian Colony, Nevada
- Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan
- Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana
- Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan
- Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe
- Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians of the Los Coyotes Reservation, California
- Lovelock Paiute Tribe of the Lovelock Indian Colony, Nevada
- Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Lower Brule Reservation, South Dakota
- Lower Elwha Tribal Community
- Lower Lake Rancheria, California
- Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota
- Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Washington
- Lytton Rancheria of California
M
- Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation, Washington
- Manchester Band of Pomo Indians of the Manchester Rancheria, California
- Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Manzanita Reservation, California
- Mashantucket Pequot Indian Tribe
- Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan
- Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, California
- Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
- Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Mesa Grande Reservation, California
- Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico
- Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
- Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida
- Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California
- Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota
- * Bois Forte Band
- * Fond du Lac Band
- * Grand Portage Band
- * Leech Lake Band
- * Mille Lacs Band
- * White Earth Band
- Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
- Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada
- Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma
- Mohegan Indian Tribe of Connecticut
- Monacan Nation, Virginia
- Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California
- Morongo Band of Mission Indians, California
- Muckleshoot Indian Tribe
- Muscogee Nation
N
- Nansemond, Virginia
- Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island
- Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah
- Nez Perce Tribe
- Nisqually Indian Tribe
- Nooksack Indian Tribe
- Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana
- Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California
- Northwestern Band of Shoshoni Nation
- Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan
O
- Oglala Sioux Tribe, South Dakota
- Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico
- Omaha Tribe of Nebraska
- Oneida Indian Nation, New York
- Oneida Nation, Wisconsin
- Onondaga Nation, New York
- Osage Nation, Oklahoma
- Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma
- Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma
P
- Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah
- * Cedar Band of Paiutes
- * Kanosh Band of Paiutes
- * Koosharem Band of Paiutes
- * Indian Peaks Band of Paiutes
- * Shivwits Band of Paiutes
- Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony, Nevada
- Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation, California
- Pamunkey Indian Tribe
- Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona
- Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians of California
- Passamaquoddy Tribe of Maine
- Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pauma & Yuima Reservation, California
- Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma
- Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pechanga Reservation, California
- Penobscot Nation
- Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma
- Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California
- Pinoleville Pomo Nation, California
- Pit River Tribe, California
- * XL Ranch
- * Big Bend Rancheria
- * Likely Rancheria
- * Lookout Rancheria
- * Montgomery Creek Rancheria
- * Roaring Creek Rancheria
- Poarch Band of Creeks
- Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana
- Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma
- Ponca Tribe of Nebraska
- Port Gamble Band of S’Klallam Indians
- Potter Valley Tribe, California
- Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation
- Prairie Island Indian Community in the State of Minnesota
- Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico
- Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico
- Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico
- Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico
- Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation
'
- Quartz Valley Indian Community of the Quartz Valley Reservation of California
- Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, California & Arizona
- Quileute Tribe of the Quileute Reservation
R
- Ramona Band of Cahuilla, California
- Rappahannock Tribe, Virginia
- Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin
- Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota
- Redding Rancheria, California
- Redwood Valley or Little River Band of Pomo Indians of the Redwood Valley Rancheria California
- Rincon Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Rincon Reservation, California
- Robinson Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, California
S
- Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska
- Sac & Fox Nation, Oklahoma
- Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa
- Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan
- Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, New York
- Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona
- Samish Indian Nation
- San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona
- San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona
- San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, California
- San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California
- Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians, California
- Santa Rosa Indian Community of the Santa Rosa Rancheria, California
- Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California
- Santee Sioux Nation, Nebraska
- Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe
- Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan
- Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians of California
- Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
- Seminole Tribe of Florida
- * Dania Reservation
- * Big Cypress Reservation
- * Brighton Reservation
- * Hollywood Reservation
- * Tampa Reservation
- Seneca Nation of Indians
- Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma
- Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota
- Shawnee Tribe
- Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California
- Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria, California
- Shinnecock Indian Nation
- Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation
- Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming
- Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho
- Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada
- Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota
- Skokomish Indian Tribe
- Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians of Utah
- Smith River Rancheria, California
- Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
- Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, California
- Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin
- Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado
- Spirit Lake Tribe, North Dakota
- Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, Washington
- Squaxin Island Tribe of the Squaxin Island Reservation
- St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin
- Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North & South Dakota
- Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington
- Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin
- Summit Lake Paiute Tribe of Nevada
- Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison Reservation
- Susanville Indian Rancheria, California
- Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of Washington
T
'Four constituent bands:
- * Battle Mountain Band
- * Elko Band
- * South Fork Band
- * Wells Band
- The Muscogee Nation
'
'
- Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma
- Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota
- Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona
- Tonawanda Seneca Nation
- Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma
- Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona
- Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, California
- Tulalip Tribes of Washington
- Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation, California
- Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe
- Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria of California
- Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota
- Tuscarora Nation
- Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians of California
U
- United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California
- United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma
- Upper Mattaponi, Virginia
- Upper Sioux Community, Minnesota
- Upper Skagit Indian Tribe
- Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah
- Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah
- Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe of the Benton Paiute Reservation, California
V
W
- Walker River Paiute Tribe of the Walker River Reservation, Nevada
- Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head
- Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California
- * Carson Colony
- * Dresslerville Colony
- * Woodfords Community
- * Stewart Community
- * Washoe Ranches
- White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona
- Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Oklahoma
- Wilton Rancheria, California
- Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
- Winnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada
- Wiyot Tribe, California
- Wyandotte Nation
X
Y
- Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota
- Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona
- Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe
- Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony & Campbell Ranch, Nevada
- Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, California
- Yomba Shoshone Tribe of the Yomba Reservation, Nevada
- Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas
- Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation, California
Z
- Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico
Federal Register
Current version
- Federal Register, Volume 85, Number 20 dated January 30, 2020 – 574 entities
Former versions
- Federal Register, Volume 84, Number 22 dated February 1, 2019 – 573 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 83, Number 141 dated July 23, 2018 – 573 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 83, Number 20 dated January 30, 2018 – 567 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 82, Number 10 dated January 17, 2017 – 567 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 81, Number 86 dated May 4, 2016 – 567 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 81, Number 19 dated January 29, 2016 – 566 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 80, Number 9 dated January 14, 2015 – 566 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 78, Number 87 dated May 6, 2013 – 566 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 77, Number 155 dated August 10, 2012 – 566 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 75, Number 190 dated October 1, 2010, with a supplemental listing published in Federal Register, Volume 75, Number 207 dated October 27, 2010 – 565+1 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 74, Number 153 dated August 11, 2009 – 564 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 73, Number 66 dated April 4, 2008 – 562 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 72, Number 55 dated March 22, 2007 – 561 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 70, Number 226 dated November 25, 2005 – 561 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 68, Number 234 dated December 5, 2003 – 562 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 67, Number 134 dated July 12, 2002 – 562 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 65, Number 49 dated March 13, 2000 – 556 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 63, Number 250 dated December 30, 1998 – 555 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 62, Number 205 dated October 23, 1997 – 555 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 61, Number 220 dated November 13, 1996 – 555 entities
- Federal Register, Volume 60, Number 32 dated February 16, 1995 – 552 entities
- dated October 21, 1993
- dated December 29, 1988
- dated November 24, 1982 – First time listing that includes native entities within the state of Alaska
- – First listing of Indian tribal entities within the contiguous 48 states