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Native American Tribes of Texas

Welcome to our Texas State Facts section, part of an educational project designed to provide information about indigenous people in different U.S. states. Follow the links to the right of our tribal map for more information about the language, culture and history of each Texas tribe, or scroll below the map for Texas Indian activities including a wordsearch, fact sheets, and words from the Native American languages of Texas. Feel free to print any of these materials out for classroom use!

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American Indians in Texas

Did you know the name "Texas" comes from a Caddoan Indian word? It is a Spanish corruption of the Caddo word Taysha, which means "friend." The Caddo were not the only native people of this region, however.

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

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The Apache tribes

The Bidai tribe

The Coahuiltecan and Carrizo tribes

The Caddo tribe

The Comanche tribe

The Jumano, Suma, Piro, and other
eastern Pueblos

The Karankawa tribe

The Kiowa tribe

The Kitsai tribe

The Tawakoni tribe

The Tonkawa tribe

The Wichita tribe

Other Indian tribes driven into Texas after Europeans arrived included:

The Alabama tribe

The Cherokee tribe

The Coushatta tribe

The Kickapoo tribe

The Tigua Pueblo tribe

There are three federally recognized Indian tribes in Texas today.

Here are the addresses of Texas' Indian reservations:

1 Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas:
Rt 3 Box 640
Livingston, TX 77351

2 Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas:
HC1 Box 9700
Eagle Pass, TX 78852

3 Ysleta del Sur Pueblo:
PO Box 17579, Ysleta Stn
El Paso, TX 79917

Teaching and learning activities about Texas Native Americans:

Feel free to print these out to use at school!

Texas Indian Word Search: Printable puzzle hiding the names of Texas' Indian tribes.

Texas Language Greetings: Learn to say "hello" in several Native Texas languages.

Texas Native Animals: Learn the Native American names of Texas animals.

Write Your Name In Cherokee: Directions for using the Cherokee writing system to spell English names.

Texas Indian Facts for Kids: Answers to frequently asked questions about the Indian tribes of Texas.
We currently have pages for the Apache, Comanche, Caddo, Kiowa, Cherokee, Coushatta, Kickapoo, and Wichita tribes.

Recommended books about Texas Native Americans
(Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through these links)

Texas Native Peoples: Good book introducing Texas' Native American history and culture to kids.

Learn About Texas Indians: Another good book on Texas tribes for kids.

The Texas Indians: A more in-depth look at Texas Native Americans, well-written and informative.

Historic Native Peoples of Texas: Good anthropology book about Native American history in the different regions of Texas.

The Indians of Texas from Prehistoric to Modern Times: History book about American Indians in Texas.

Encyclopedia of Texas Indians: Thorough reference book about the Native American tribes of Texas.

The Rock Art of Texas Indians: Art book of prehistoric Texas Indian petroglyphs.

When The Storm God Rides: Collection of Native Texas legends.

The Last Comanche Chief: Biography of Texas Indian leader Quanah Parker.

Cynthia Ann Parker: Biography of his mother, a Texas colonist captured and adopted by the Comanches.

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

American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions:
Nonprofit organization working on behalf of the Coahuiltecan Indians of Texas.

Texas Indians:
Articles aimed at kids about the native tribes of Texas.

Texas Indian History:
Historical profiles of the American Indian tribes native to Texas.

Texas Native American Webquest:
An online lesson plan for teaching kids about Texas Indians.

Native Americans of Texas:
Texas Indian links pages.