Indigenous Peoples of Montana

About four percent of the present population of Montana is American Indian. The major groups include the Blackfoot, Cree, Crow, Northern Cheyenne, Chippewa, Flathead, Kutenai, and Assiniboin.

Tribes and Bands of Montana
Arapaho, Arikara, Assiniboin, Atsina, Bannock, Brule, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Northern Cheyenne, Chippewa, Cree, Crow, (Mountain River Crow), Dakota, Flathead, Cros Ventre, Hidatsa, Hunkpapa, Kalispel, Kainah, Kiowa, Kootenai, Kutena, Mandan, Nez Perce, Okinagan, Pend d' Oreille, Piegan, Salish, Santee, Sematuse, Shoshoni, Siksika, Sioux, Spokan, Teton, Tunache, Yanktonai

Assiniboin-Sioux, Absarokee-Crow, Chippewa-Cree

Reservations
Reservations with names in bold are current reservations.

Blackfeet Reservation established 1851 (Federal, under jurisdiction of Blackfeet Agency, Tribe: Blackfeet)

Crow Reservation established 1851 (Federal, under jurisdiction of Crow Agency,Tribe: Crow)

Flathead Reservation established 1855 (State, under jurisdictrion of Flathead Agency, Tribes: Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d' Oreille)

Fort Belknap Reservation established 1888 (Federal, under jurisdiction of Fort Belknap Agency, Tribes: Assiniboin and Gros Ventre)

Fort Peck Reservation established 1888 (Federal, under jurisdiction of Fort Peck Agency, Tribes: Assiniboin and Sioux)

Jocko Reservation

Northern Cheyenne Reservation (Tongue River) established 1884 (Federal, under jurisdiction of Northern Cheyenne Agency, Tribes: Northern Cheyenne)

Rocky Boy Reservation established 1916 (Federal, under jurisdiction of Rocky Boy Agency, Tribe: Chippewa-Cree)

Agencies
Fort Belknap Agency

Blackfeet Agency

Crow Agency

Flathead Agency

Northern Cheyenne Agency or Tongue River Agency

Fort Peck Agency

Rocky Boy Agency

Fort Totten Agenc

The Family History Library has microfilm copies of Indian records at the National Archives—Pacific Alaska Region (Seattle). These include excellent collections for the Blackfoot, Crow, Flathead, Northern Cheyenne, and other tribes. The available records include heirship, school, welfare, census, annuity, and family documents. The records are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under MONTANA - MINORITIES or MONTANA - NATIVE RACES. Records are also listed in the Subject Search of the Family History Library Catalog under the names of the tribes.

Online Resources

http://www.native-languages.org/montana.htm

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/montana/index.htm

http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maps/mt/montmap.html

See Also:

Montana-Church for list of missions

Montana-History for a calendar of historical events

Montana-Military for list of forts