09/12/2025
Oregon Indigenous. There are nine federally recognized tribes with reservation lands in Oregon. Those nine tribes have about 24,500 members, according to the latest figures.
Some prominent Indigenous tribes of Oregon include:
Chinook: This tribe primarily resided in the coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest and had a significant influence on the region's trade and language.
Kalapuya: This group inhabited central and western Oregon, with numerous branches and subdivisions.
Klamath: The Klamath tribe lived in the Klamath and Agency Lake regions in southern Oregon.
Modoc: This tribe lived in both Oregon and California, with a portion of their territory now situated in Klamath County, Oregon.
Nez Perce: While also present in Idaho and Washington, some Nez Perce tribal members resided in eastern Oregon.
Paiute: Among the largest Indigenous groups in Oregon, the Paiute people have numerous branches and subdivisions spread across the state.
They range in size from the Burns Paiute Tribe, with 349 members, to the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, with 5,200 members. There are smaller tribes not on the that list, including the Takelma Tribe, whose members lived in the Rogue Valley until they were forcibly moved to the Siletz and Grand Ronde reservations in northern Oregon in the 1800s. Some members of that tribe have returned to Southern Oregon, notably tribal spokeswoman Agnes Baker Pilgrim, the granddaughter of a Takelma chief. The estimated population of all Native Americans in Oregon — including tribal members, members of tribes without federal recognition and those who self-identify as American Indian or Alaskan Native — was 109,223 in the 2010 Census.
Here’s the list of the nine tribes with reservation lands, with the number of members, per the Blue Book: Burns Paiute Tribe, 349 members. Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw, 953 members. Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, 5,200 members. Confederated Tribes of Siletz, 4,677 members. Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, 2,893 members. Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation, 4,306 members. Coquille Indian Tribe, 963 members. Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe, 1,536 members. Klamath Tribes, 3,700 members.
These Indigenous tribes have rich cultural heritages and have historically played integral roles in shaping the region's history and identity. Despite facing significant challenges and disruptions due to colonization and historical injustices, they continue to preserve and honor their traditions, languages, and ways of life in contemporary society.
