Passamaquoddy Indian History

Search Fold3 For Your Native American Ancestors:

Given: Surname:

Passamaquoddy (Peskěděmakâdi 'plenty of pollock.') A small tribe belonging to the Abnaki confederacy, but speaking nearly the same dialect as the Malecite.  They formerly occupied all the region about Passamaquoddy bay and on the St. Croix river and Schoodic lake, on the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick.  Their principal village was Gunasquamekook, on the site of St Andrews, N.B.  They were restricted by the pressure of the white settlements, and in 1866 were settled chiefly at Sebaik, near Perry, on the south side of the bay, and on Lewis Island.  They had other villages at Calais, on Schoodic lake in Washington county, Maine and on St. Croix river in New Brunswick.

They were estimated at about 150 in 1726, 130 in 1804, 379 in 1825, and from 400 to 500 in 1859.

The Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes send to the Maine legislature a representative who is permitted to speak only on matters connected with the affairs of the Indian reservations (Prince in Proc. Am. Philos. Soc XXXVI, 481, 1897).  See Abnaki

• Additional Abenaki Indian Resources

  • Abenaki Customs

  • Abenaki History

  • Abenaki Name

  • Abenaki Ethnic Relations

  • Abenaki Towns

  • Abenaki Tribal Divisions

  • Abenaki Chiefs

Index of Tribes or Nations

Source: Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico, Frederick Webb Hodge, 1906

This site includes some historical materials that may imply negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. These items are presented as part of the historical record and should not be interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes implied.