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North Carolina events › History › Tribal Nations of North Carolina
The eight tribes of North Carolina, with the counties the state lists for each and a link to each tribe’s own website, and nothing else.
- Tribes Listed8on the state's pages
- Official Sites Linked7each opened Nov 2
- Our Own Stories0the tribes speak for themselves
- CheckedNov 22026
The Tribes
North Carolina’s eight tribes, listed alphabetically with the counties or area the state’s page gives for each. Every link goes to the tribe’s own website. We link nothing else: no stories written by others, no photos of people and no ceremonies.
| Tribe | Where | Own Website |
|---|---|---|
| Coharie Tribe | Harnett and Sampson counties | Official site |
| Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians | Qualla Boundary, next to Great Smoky Mountains National Park | Official site |
| Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe | Halifax and Warren counties; members also in Nash and Franklin counties | Not linked: we could not confirm the tribe’s current web address |
| Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina | Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland and Scotland counties | Official site |
| Meherrin Indian Nation | Hertford, Bertie, Northampton and Gates counties | Official site |
| Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation | Alamance, Caswell and Orange counties | Official site |
| Sappony | Person County, North Carolina, and Halifax County, Virginia | Official site |
| Waccamaw Siouan Tribe | Columbus and Bladen counties | Official site |
What We Could Not Confirm
- The Haliwa-Saponi web address. The state pages list one, but it did not open for us on Nov 2, 2026, so we do not link it.
- Whether the Catawba Nation, which is based in South Carolina and which the state page says has an enterprise in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, belongs on a North Carolina list. We left it off until we know.
- Recognition status, as noted above.
How We List
We are an independent events and places guide, not a tribal government. This page only points to the tribes. For visiting the Qualla Boundary area, see our guide to Cherokee and Bryson City; for the state’s other history pages, see History and North Carolina at America 250.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tribes are in North Carolina?
The state’s America 250 page lists eight, and the Department of Administration page lists the same eight plus the Catawba Nation, which is based in South Carolina. We list the eight.
Why does this page not say which tribes are federally or state recognized?
The two state pages we read describe it differently for at least two tribes, so we print no status. Read it on each tribe’s own site.
Can a tribe change or remove its listing?
Yes. If a tribe writes to us through the Contact page, we will change or remove its line.
Sources
- NC Department of Administration: NC Tribal Communities (no date printed)
- NC America 250: Honoring the First Peoples of the Land (no date printed)
Each tribe’s website was opened on November 2, 2026; Haliwa-Saponi did not open. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “Tribal Nations of North Carolina”, itsnorthcarolina.com/history/tribal-nations/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.