1847 Indian Population of the United States and Territory

According to the census taken, under the agency of Mr. Henry K. Schoolcraft, in pursuance of the act of Congress passed in March 1847, the following returns were made of the numbers of the Indian tribes subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

The grand total was set down at 388,229, and about 30,000 more was considered a probable estimate of tribes inhabiting districts yet unexplored. The “Ultimate Consolidated Tables of the Indian Population of the United States,” containing the results of the proposed investigation, are given substantially as follows, in Schoolcraft s “History, Condition, and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States: ”

  1. “Tribes whose vital and industrial statistics have been taken by Bands and Families, under the direction of the act of Congress,” including Iroquois, Algonquin, Appalachians, and Eastern Sioux 34,704
  2. “Tribes of the new States and Territories, South and West, including the acquisitions from Mexico, under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,” viz.: of Texas, New Mexico, California, Oregon, Utah, and Florida, and consisting of Camanches, Apaches, Utahs, Shoshonees or Snake Indians, &c. 183,042
  3. Tribes between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains, to the northward of Texas and New Mexico, viz.:
Assinaboins, south of lat. 49 deg.1,000Miamies500
Arapahoes3,500Missouris500
Absarokes, or Crows4,000Munsees200
Aurickarees1,500Ottawas, west300
Blackfeet13,000Otoes500
Blood Indians (few reach the Missouri)500Omahas2,000
Brothertons600Ogellahs1,500
Cherokees26,000Pawnees17,000
Creeks25,000Poncas700
Chickasaws5,000Pottawatomiee3,200
Choctaws16,000Peorias150
Cheyennes2,500Piankeshaws200
Caddoes2,000Quappas400
Chippewas,west,and Red River, north,l,500Shawanees1,600
Cayugas and Iroquois, west30Sioux of the Mississippi (not
Delawares1,500enumerated in No. 1)9,000
Foxes and Sacs2,400Sioux of the Missouri (not
Gros Ventres3,000enumerated in No. 1)5,500
Kiowas2,000Stockbridges400
Kickapoos600Seminoles1,500
Kanzas1,600Swan Creek and Black River
Kaskaskias200Chippewae (not enumerated
Menoinonies2,500in the Algonquin group)200
Mandans, (?)300Tetans3,000
Minitarees2,500Weas250
Within the old States are the following remnants of ancient tribes:
Maine956Virginia Nottoways, mixed with the African race40
Massachusetts847South Carolina Catawbas200
Rhode Island Narragansetts420North Carolina Catawbas250
Connecticut Mohegans400Together with Cherokees included in former table.
New York, besides the Iroquois before enumerated40

Topics:
History,

Collection:
Brownell, Charles De Wolf. Indian Races of North and South America: Comprising an account of the principal aboriginal races; a description of their national customs, mythology, and religious ceremonies, the history of their most powerful tribes, and of their most celebrated chiefs and warriors; their intercourse and wars with the European settlers; and a great variety of anecdote and description, illustrative of personal and national character. Hartford, Conn., Chicago,E. B. & R.C. Treat; [etc., etc.]: Hurlbut, Scranton & Co. 1864.

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