Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows New Haven County has the most diverse Native American population in Connecticut.
New Haven County’s population includes people from 52 Native American groups – more than any other Connecticut county, according to the data.
The data was collected during the 2020 Decennial Census and captures a detailed snapshot of the national population — nearly 1,500 different ethnic groups are represented.
A majority of Connecticut residents shared detailed information in the survey, but the results aren’t perfect because the data relies on self-identification.
The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs uses the term Native American to refer to all people from Indigenous populations of the land now considered the U.S., including people identifying as Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Chamorros and American Samoans. Additionally, it includes individuals from the First Nations in Canada and Indigenous communities in Mexico, Central, and South America who are U.S residents.
CT Insider found there are nearly 700 Native American populations represented in Connecticut, either alone or in combination with other ethnicity groups. For instance, the Cherokee population might encompass individuals who solely identify as Cherokee as well as those who identify as both Cherokee and Black.
The Cherokee community has the largest Native American population in Connecticut, making up 0.14% of the state’s 3.6 million residents. Other sizable groups comprise individuals identifying as Taino and members of the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana.
The Cherokee community has the largest population in five out of Connecticut’s eight counties. In New Haven County, individuals identifying as Cherokee constituted roughly 0.16% of the county’s population.
In New London County, the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut had the largest population. The tribe’s reservation is located on the Thames River in Uncasville, which is located in the county.
From as early as 1916, states have established holidays commemorating the heritage of Indigenous peoples. November is Native American Heritage Month. In 2009, former President Barack Obama formalized Native American Heritage Day, designated as a national holiday observed the day following Thanksgiving.
Use the table below to search for any of nearly 700 Native American groups found in Connecticut and see how many residents identify as part of them. (Because people can identify as multiple ethnicities, the populations of each group may exceed the state’s total population when aggregated.)
Reporter Amelia Winger contributed to this report.
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