Indigenous Peoples of Illinois

United States Illinois  Indians of Illinois

See Indians of the United States and Their Records for suggestions on how to research American Indian ancestry.

To learn how to get started with American Indian research, find research facilities, and American Indian websites click here.

Tribes and Bands of Illinois
The most prominent Indian tribes in Illinois were the Illinois, Miami, Winnebago, Fox and Sacs (Sauk), Kickapoo, and Pottawatomie tribes. The Illinois Indians were composed of five subdivisions including Kaskaskias, Cahokias, Tamaroas, Peorias, and Metchigamis. Most of these tribes were eliminated from Illinois by about the mid-nineteenth century either through warfare or resettlement to other territories by the federal government.

The following list of American Indians who have lived in Illinois has been compiled from Hodge's Handbook of American Indians... and from Swanton's The Indian Tribes of North America. Some may simply be variant spellings for the same tribe.


 * Chippewa
 * Chippewa Indians
 * Delaware
 * Fox
 * Illinois
 * Iowa
 * Iroquois
 * Kaskaskia
 * Kickapoo
 * Michigamea
 * Miami
 * Moingwena
 * Ottawa
 * Peoria
 * Piankashaw
 * Potawatomi
 * Sauk and Fox
 * Sulk
 * Shawnee
 * Winnebago
 * Winnebago Indians Wyandot Indians
 * Wyandot

Reservations
From the mid-1800s, the official policy of the United States government toward the American Indian was to confine each tribe to a specific parcel of land called a reservation. Agencies were established on or near each reservation. A government representative, usually called an agent (or superintendent) was assigned to each agency. Their duties included maintaining the peace, making payments to the Native Americans based on the stipulations of the treaties with each tribe, and providing a means of communication between the native population and the federal government.

Sometimes, a single agency had jurisdiction over more than one reservation. And sometimes, if the tribal population and land area required it, an agency may have included sub-agencies.

The boundaries of reservations, over time, have changed. Usually, that means the reservations have been reduced in size. Sometimes, especially during the later policy of "termination," the official status of reservations was ended altogether.

The following list of reservations has been compiled from the National Atlas of the United States of America, the Omni Gazetteer of the United States of America , and other sources. There are no current federally-recognized reservations in Illinois.

Reservation Map - Illinois - Indian Reservations- Federal Lands and Indian Reservations. by the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Geological Survey.

Agencies of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Agencies and subagencies were created as administrative offices of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its predecessors. Their purpose was (and is) to manage Indian affairs with the tribes, to enforce policies, and to assist in maintaining the peace. The names and location of these agencies may have changed, but their purpose remained basically the same. Many of the records of genealogical value were created by these offices.

The following list of agencies that have operated or now exist in Illinois has been compiled from Hill's Office of Indian Affairs..., Hill's Guide to Records in the National Archives Relating to American Indians , and others.


 * Chicago Agency
 * Prairie du Chien Agency 1824-1842

Researching Indians in Illinois
It is usually best to start with a search at a local level such as the city, town, or village and then try the county or state. Links to county pages appear below. Additional resources for Indians of Illinois may be found in the Illinois-Native Races topic page of the Family History Library catalog (FHLC) or by doing an FHLC Subject Search under the name of the tribe. Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Also find Indians of Illinois resources available at other libraries (WorldCat). Explore how to search WorldCat and the FHLC.

The following references may be helpful for those searching for American Indians in Illinois:


 * Beckwith, Hiram Williams. The Illinois and Indiana Indians. 1884. Reprint, New York, New York: Arno Press, 1975. This book gives histories of the tribes in Illinois.
 * Tregillis, Helen Cox. The Indians of Illinois: A History and Genealogy. [Decorah, Iowa: Anundsen Publishing], 1983. In addition to histories of the tribes, this source contains biographies of prominent Illinois Indians and a bibliography of sources.
 * The Lyman Copeland Draper Collection which includes:


 * Chief Joseph Brant papers
 * Tecumseh Papers, (Shawnee Chief) 1768-1823

See Also:

 * Illinois-History for a calendar of events
 * Illinois-Military for a list of forts
 * Illinois ethnic group records for related resources