Approximately 315,000 Native Americans currently live in Texas, representing just a fraction of the estimated 200,000 to 500,000 Indigenous people who inhabited the region before European contact. This dramatic population decline has left only three federally recognized tribes in Texas: the Alabama-Coushatta, Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo.
Despite this history, many Indigenous Texans continue preserving their heritage through cultural initiatives and community gatherings. The complete story of Texas’s original inhabitants reveals much more resilience and complexity than is often acknowledged.
The Original Inhabitants: Pre-Colonial Indigenous Nations of Texas
Long before Texas became the Lone Star State, the region was home to diverse Indigenous cultures that thrived for thousands of years. For over 12,000 years, Native peoples inhabited and shaped the land we now call Texas.
The Karankawa, who lived along the Gulf Coast, were among the first to encounter European explorers like Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in the 1500s. In East Texas, the Caddo created matrilineal societies with extensive farming, trade networks, and ceremonial mounds.
Further west, the Jumano acted as traders and cultural intermediaries, though their precise origins remain debated. Some eventually merged with Apache groups. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the Comanche emerged as the dominant power in the Central and Western Plains of Texas, only surrendering in 1875 under Chief Quanah Parker.
Today, Native communities like the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo continue to maintain deep ties to their ancestral traditions despite centuries of displacement.
Numbers Through Time: Tracking the Population Decline of Texas Tribes
Image: Lance L Lowry, Alabama Coushatta Tribe – panoramio, CC BY 3.0
The story of Indigenous Texans is marked by profound demographic change. Before European colonization, Texas supported between 200,000 and 500,000 Native Americans. However, warfare, disease, displacement, and assimilation policies caused their numbers to decline by over 90% by the late 1800s.
As of the most recent census, approximately 315,000 people in Texas identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, either alone or in combination with other races. While this reflects a partial demographic rebound, only three tribes are federally recognized in Texas today:
- The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe in Polk County
- The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas in Maverick County
- The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in El Paso County
Texas has no state-recognized tribes, unlike many other states. The 1836 Texas Declaration of Independence included language referring to Native peoples as “merciless savages,” highlighting the dehumanization used to justify violence and displacement.
The Three Remaining Federally-Recognized Tribes in Modern Texas
Only three federally recognized tribes remain in Texas, granting them certain sovereign rights and eligibility for federal programs:
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The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe, relocated from Alabama in the 18th century, now resides near Livingston, where they host annual powwows and maintain cultural education programs.
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The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, located near Eagle Pass, maintains strong cross-border cultural ties and holds dual residency between the U.S. and Mexico.
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The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, also known as the Tigua, were relocated to El Paso in 1680 after the Pueblo Revolt, making them one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in Texas.
Absent from federal recognition in Texas are peoples like the Wichita and Tonkawa, who once held territory throughout North and Central Texas. Their historical influence persists through linguistic, architectural, and cultural legacies.
Preserving Heritage: Cultural Initiatives and Tribal Communities Today
Despite centuries of colonization, displacement, and cultural erasure, Indigenous Texans continue preserving their traditions through grassroots organizations and tribal outreach.
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe promotes language revitalization, traditional crafts, and cultural tourism. In San Marcos, the Indigenous Cultures Institute helps descendants of Native and Hispanic ancestry reclaim their Indigenous identity, particularly among mestizo communities often excluded from tribal rolls.
The American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AIT-SCM) works to educate the public and restore awareness of mission-era Indigenous histories in San Antonio, including those of Coahuiltecan and Tāp Pīlam descendants.
These efforts reflect the ongoing determination of Native people to preserve their culture amid legal and social barriers.
Beyond Recognition: Unacknowledged Indigenous Groups in Texas
Numerous Indigenous communities in Texas lack formal recognition, denying them federal funding, tribal land rights, and full sovereignty.
The Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas continues to push for federal acknowledgment while organizing protests to protect sacred lands, such as cemeteries threatened by border wall construction in South Texas. Members of this tribe live primarily in Starr County and surrounding areas.
The Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation also remains unrecognized despite extensive genealogical and historical documentation linking them to mission-era Indigenous groups. Without recognition, they face exclusion from repatriation rights and legal standing in matters concerning ancestral remains.
These unrecognized tribes underscore the complex and often unjust systems that still determine who is allowed to claim Indigenous identity in Texas today.
