Indigenous Peoples of Massachusetts

Learn about the indigenous people of Massachusetts, tribes and bands, state recognized tribes, records, reservations, and repositories.

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 indigenous people 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 1660 a reservation was established for Christianize Indians from a number of tribes that sought sanctuary. These Indians were known as Mashpee. Three communities live in Barstable County (Mashpee, Yarmouth, and Waquiot) and a community in Bristol County near Fall River.
 * Massachuset
 * Nauset
 * Nipmuc Live in the central part of Massachusetts near Grafton, Worcester, Gardner, and Mendon.
 * Pennacook
 * Pocomtuc
 * Stockbridge a tribe of the Mahican Confederacy. In 1785 moved to New York and taken in by the Oneida.
 * Wampanoag Many Wampanoag live in Martha's Vineyard at Gay Head. They own their own small town.

Massachusetts State Recognized Tribes

 * Nipmuc Nation (Hassanamisco Band)

Reservations
Reservations were established as westward expansion and settlement occurred. Tribes ceded land and were removed to restricted and reserved land. Reservation status ended in 1869 for all Indians Statewide.

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 (Cape Cod) Wampanoag Tribe Date Allotted or lost 1842
 * Harring Pond Allotted or Lost 1850
 * Yarmouth assimilated or joined Herring Pond
 * Fall River established 1701
 * Dartmouth established 1861
 * Namatakeeset established 1675 Clark Island
 * Oynkaagog Sold 1840
 * Natick Sold last land 1828
 * Hassanamisco 1848
 * Chappaquiddick (Martha's Vineyard) established 1849
 * Christiantown
 * Gayhead established 1849
 * Wampanoag Reservation

Records
The majority of records of individuals were those created by the agencies. Some records may be available to tribal members through the tribal headquarters.They were (and are) the local office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and were charged with maintaining records of the activities of those under their responsibility. Among these records are:


 * Allotment records
 * Annuity rolls
 * Census records
 * Correspondence
 * Health records
 * Reports
 * School census and records
 * Vital records

Family History Library
FamilySearch Catalog Massachusetts Native Races

See Also:
Massachusetts-History for a calendar of events

Massachusetts-Military for a list of forts