Indigenous Peoples of Massachusetts

United States Massachusetts  American Indian Research  Indians of Massachusetts

The name Massachusetts originates from an Indian word meaning "at or about the great hill"

Tribes and Bands of Massachusetts
The following list of tribes and bands of American Indians who have lived in Massachusetts has been compiled from Hodge's Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico...  and Swanton's Indian Tribes of North America.


 * Mahican
 * Mashpee
 * Massachuset
 * Nauset
 * Nipmuc
 * Pennacook
 * Pocomtuc
 * Wampanoag

Tribe Recognized by the State of Massachusetts
Chappquiddick Tribe of the Wampanog Indian Nation, Chaubunagungamaug Band of the Nipmuck Nation, Webster/Dudley, Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe, Nipmuc Nation (Hassanamisco Band), Pacasset Wampanoag Tribe, and Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe

Reservations
Reservations were established as westward expansion and settlement occurred. Tribes ceded land and were removed to restricted and reserved land.

The following reservation names have been compiled from The National Atlas of the United States of America, the Omni Gazetteer of the United States of America , and American Indian Reservations and Trust Areas.


 * Gay Head Reservation -- An 1860 census of the residents of Gay Head Reservation was published in Mass. Senate No. 96 publication, March 1861 and has been transcribed and made available online.
 * Hassenamisco Reservation
 * Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
 * Wampanoag Reservation

See Also:
Massachusetts-History for a calendar of events

Massachusetts-Military for a list of forts