Did you know the name "Ohio" is an Iroquoian Indian word? It
came from the Seneca name for the Ohio River, Ohiyo, which means "it is beautiful." The Senecas were not the original inhabitants
of Ohio, however. The Indian tribes of the Ohio Valley were decimated by smallpox and other European diseases before the Europeans
had even met them, and Algonquian and Iroquoian tribes from neighboring regions moved into Ohio as European colonization forced
them from their original homes. Only a few of the tribes who were living in Ohio before 1492 still survive today.
The original inhabitants of the area that is now Ohio included:
There are no federally recognized Indian tribes in Ohio today.
Most Native Americans were forced to leave Ohio during the Indian Removals of the 1800's. These tribes are not extinct, but except for
the descendants of Ohio Indians who escaped from Removal, they do not live in Ohio anymore. They were moved to Indian reservations in Oklahoma
instead. If you click on the link for each tribe above, you can find more information about them.
Non-recognized Indian tribes and communities in Ohio include:
Munsee Delaware Indian Nation of Ohio:
70463 Hopewell Rd
Cambridge, OH 43725
Shawnee Nation United Remnant Band:
PO Box 162
Dayton, OH 45401
Teaching and learning activities about Ohio Native Americans:
American Indian Cultures
The Erie tribe
Contacts and FAQ page
