Native American tribes in Texas facts for kids
Native American tribes in Texas are the Native American tribes who are currently based in Texas and the Indigenous peoples of the Americas who historically lived in Texas.
Many individual Native Americans, whose tribes are headquartered in other states, reside in Texas.
The state formed the Texas Commission for Indian Affairs in 1965 to oversee state-tribal relations; however, the commission was dissolved in 1989.
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Federally recognized tribes
Texas has three federally recognized tribes. They have met the seven criteria of an American Indian tribe:
- being an American Indian entity since at least 1900
- a predominant part of the group forms a distinct community and has done so throughout history into the present
- holding political influence over its members
- having governing documents including membership criteria
- members having ancestral descent from historic American Indian tribes
- not being members of other existing federally recognized tribes
- not being previously terminated by the U.S. Congress.
The three federally recognized tribes in Texas are:
- Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas, originally from Tennessee and Alabama
- Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, originally from the Great Lakes
- Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas originally from New Mexico.
American Indian reservations
These are three Indian Reservations in Texas:
- Alabama-Coushatta Reservation, in Polk County, Texas
- Kickapoo Reservation, in Maverick County, Texas
- Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, in El Paso County, Texas.
State-recognized tribes
Texas has "no legal mechanism to recognize tribes," as journalists Graham Lee Brewer and Tristan Ahtone wrote. State-recognized tribes do not have the government-to-government relationship with the United States federal government that federally recognized tribes do. Texas has no state-recognized tribes.
Texas Senate Bill 274 to formally recognize the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas, introduced in January 2021, died in committee.
Historical tribes of Texas
These are some of the tribes that have existed in what is now Texas. Many were forcibly removed to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, in the 19th century. Others no longer exist as tribes but may have living descendants.
- Adai people, formerly eastern Texas
- Apache people, western Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma
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- Lipan Apache, southwest
- Salinero, formerly west
- Teya, formerly Panhandle
- Vaquero, also Querecho, formerly northwestern Texas, possible ancestral Apache people
- Biloxi, formerly Neches River in the 19th century, now Louisiana
- Caddo, formerly eastern Texas, now Oklahoma
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- Cacachau, formerly eastern, now Oklahoma
- Eyeish, formerly eastern, now Oklahoma
- Hainai, formerly eastern, now Oklahoma
- Kadohadacho, formerly northeast, now Oklahoma
- Nabedache, formerly eastern, now Oklahoma
- Nabiti, formerly eastern, now Oklahoma
- Nacogdoche, formerly eastern, now Oklahoma
- Nacono, formerly eastern, now Oklahoma
- Nadaco, formerly eastern, now Oklahoma
- Nanatsoho, formerly Red River, now Oklahoma
- Nasoni (Upper), formerly Red River, now Oklahoma
- Natchitoches, formerly Red River, now Oklahoma
- Nechaui, formerly eastern, now Oklahoma
- Neche, formerly eastern, now Oklahoma
- Comanche, formerly north and west, now Oklahoma
- Coahuiltecan, formerly southern
- Dotchetonne, formerly northeastern
- Escanjaque Indians, formerly north-central
- Jumano, formerly southwestern
- La Junta, formerly west
- Karankawa, formerly south coast
- Kiowa, formerly panhandle, now Oklahoma
- Manso, formerly west
- Quems, formerly southwest
- Quicuchabe, formerly west
- Quide, formerly west
- Suma, formerly west, joined Apaches
- Teyas, Panhandle
- Tonkawa, formerly southeast, now Oklahoma
- Wichita, formerly north-central, now Oklahoma
Unrecognized organizations
More than 30 organizations claim to represent historic tribes within Texas; however, these groups are unrecognized, meaning they do not meet the minimum criteria of federally recognized tribes and are not state-recognized tribes. Some of these cultural heritage groups form 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
