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Native American Tribes of Illinois

Did you know the name "Illinois" is an Algonquian Indian word? It comes from the Miami-Illinois tribal name Illiniwek, which means "the people." The Illini Indians were not the only Native Americans in Illinois, however.

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The original inhabitants of the area that is now Illinois included:

The Chickasaw tribe

The Dakota Sioux tribe

The Ho-Chunk tribe (Winnebago)

The Illinois tribe (Illini)

The Miami tribe

The Shawnee tribe

Other Indian tribes migrated into Illinois after Europeans arrived:

The Delaware tribe

The Kickapoo tribe

The Ottawa tribe

The Potawatomi tribe

The Sac and Fox tribes

The Wyandot tribe

See also our new Illini, Miami, Shawnee, Dakota Sioux, Chickasaw, Winnebago, Delaware, Kickapoo, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Huron-Wyandot, and Sac-Fox Facts for Kids pages!

There are no Indian tribes surviving in Illinois today.

The Indian tribes of Illinois are not extinct, but like many other native tribes, they were forced to move to Indian reservations in Oklahoma by the American government. You can find their present-day locations by clicking on the tribal links above.

Other resources about American Indian history, culture and society in Illinois state:

Native Americans of Illinois: The history of native people in Illinois, from the Illinois State Museum.

Indians of the Chicago Region: Article on the original inhabitants of what is now Chicago.

Illinois Indian History: Article on the Indian tribes of Illinois and their interactions with early settlers.

Cahokia Mounds: Information about this Illinois archaeological site and the ancient Mound Builder civilization.

Recommended books about Illinois Native Americans:

Illinois Indians: Introducing Illinois Native American history and culture to kids.

Illinois Native Peoples: Another good book on Illinois tribes for kids.

Ancient Cahokia and the Mississippians: An interesting book on a prehistoric civilization of Illinois.

Cahokia: Mirror of the Cosmos: Another good book on the ancient Moundbuilder civilization.

Indian Place Names in Illinois: The native etymology of present-day place-names in Illinois.

Encyclopedia of Illinois Indians: A huge compendium of information on Illinois Native American Indians.

Back to the index of Native American tribes
Back to our index of Indian tribe maps
Back to our American Indian website for kids

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