American Indian population (approximate) in North Carolina during the colonial period
| Tribe | Population | Location | Status |
| Cape Fear | not available | South central N.C., eastern S.C. | Extinct. |
| Catawba | 4,600 in 1682 | One band in western S.C., another in central S.C. | Reside on reservation in York County, S.C. |
| Cheraw | 1,000 in 1,600; 510 in 1715 |
Northwest S.C., western N.C., central N.C., central S.C. | Some may have merged with Catawba and Saponi. Descendants among many of today's state-recognized tribes, including Haliwa-Saponi, Sappony, Lumbee, and Occaneechi-Saponi. |
| Cherokee | 8,000 in 1600 | Western N.C., western S.C. | Reside on Qualla Boundary reservation and in Snowbird and Tomotla communities in western N.C. |
| Chowanoc | 700 warriors in 1584–1585; 1,500 in 1600; 240 in 1713; 20 families in 1731; 5 in 1755 |
Chowan River, north central N.C. | Thought extinct, but members of Meherrin tribe trace ancestry to Chowanoc. |
| Coree | 1,000 with the Neusiok in 1600; 75 in 1709 |
Neuse River in N.C. | Thought extinct. Some may have merged with Tuscarora following the Tuscarora War. |
| Eno | 750 in 1600 | Tar and Neuse Rivers in N.C., Hillsborough, N.C., S.C. | May have merged with Catawba and Saponi, with descendants among Haliwa-Saponi, Sappony, and Occaneechi-Saponi. |
| Hatteras | 1,200 with the Machapunga in 1600; 89 in 1709; 3–4 in 1761 |
Cape Hatteras, N.C. | In 1761 and 1763, nine children were reported living among Machapunga in Hyde County. Hatteras and Machapunga became extinct, moving into the surrounding white and black communities. The surname Mackey, found in Hyde County and surrounding counties, traces back to Hatteras/Machapunga merge. |
| Keyauwee | 500 in 1600 | High Point, N.C., Albemarle Sound in N.C., Pee Dee River in S.C. | Merged with Catawba and possibly Robeson County Indians. |
| Machapunga | 1,200 in 1600; 260 in 1709; 7–8 warriors in 1761 |
Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds in N.C. (present-day Hyde County) | Maintained cohesion as tribe until late 1700s, when they blended with surrounding white and black communities. The surname Mackey, found in Hyde County and surrounding counties, traces back to Hatteras/Machapunga merge. |
| Meherrin | 700 in 1600; 180 in 1669; 7–8 warriors in 1755; 20 warriors in 1761 |
Meherrin River along N.C.–Va. border | Following Tuscarora War, many Meherrin moved to reservation in Bertie County. When reservation closed in 1802, some moved to N.Y. Descendants of those who remained live in Northampton County and surrounding counties. |
| Moratok | not available | Roanoke River in N.C. | Extinct. |
| Neusiok | 1,000 with the Coree | Neuse River, Craven and Carteret Counties, N.C. | May have merged with Tuscarora, with descendants among Coharie in Harnett and Sampson Counties. |
| Nottaway or Notowega | 1,500 in 1600; 300 in 1715; 47 in 1825; 300 in Va. in 1827 |
Western N.C. | May have merged with Meherrin, Susquehanna, or Cherokee. |
| Occaneechi | 750 in 1709 | Orange County, N.C. | Some removed to northern U.S. ca. 1740. Descendants in Alamance, Orange, and surrounding counties. |
| Pamlico | 75 in 1709 | Pamlico River in coastal N.C. | Enslaved, merged with Tuscarora. |
| Saponi | 750 in 1709 | Yadkin River, Salisbury, N.C. | Some migrated north; others remained in the N.C.–Va. border region. Descendants among Haliwa-Saponi, Sappony, Occaneechi-Saponi, and Lumbee. |
| Shakori | not available | S.C., Nottoway River in N.C., Eno River near Durham | Merged with Eno then joined Catawba and Saponi. Descendants among Haliwa-Saponi, Sappony, and Occaneechi-Saponi. |
| Sissipahaw | not available | Santee River in S.C., Haw River in N.C. | Merged with Catawba; some may have moved to Lumber River area. |
| Sugeree | not available | Mecklenburg County, N.C., York County, S.C. | Merged with Catawba. |
| Tuscarora | 5,000 in 1600; 1,200 warriors and 15 towns in 1709; 300 in 1752–1761; 220 to 230 in 1766; 105 in 1767 |
Roanoke, Neuse, Tar and Pamlico Rivers in N.C. | Migrated steadily to N.Y. and other northern states from 1713 (end of Tuscarora War) to 1802 (closing of Bertie County reservation). Descendants of those who remained merged with various eastern N.C. tribes. |
| Waccamaw | 610 in 1715 | Waccamaw River in N.C., Lower Pee Dee River in S.C. | Merged with Catawba; some may have moved to Lumber River and Green Swamp areas of N.C., with descendants among Lumbee and Waccamaw-Siouan. |
| Waxhaw | not available | Western S.C. (North Augusta), Lancaster, S.C., Mecklenburg and Union Counties, N.C. | Merged with Cheraw and later Catawba; some may have moved to Lumber River area. |
| Weapemeoc | 800 in 1600; 40 in 1701 |
Northeast N.C. | Extinct. May have merged with Algonquian tribes such as Chowanoac. |
| Woccon | 600 in 1600 | Goldsboro | Some merged with Tuscarora, others with Catawba. After a war with South Carolina, many moved to the Green Swamp of Bladen and Columbus Counties. Descendants among Waccamaw-Siouan. |
Estimated July 2004 Population Figures
American Indian and Alaska Native population in North Carolina
- All ages: 110,198 total, 1.3% of total North Carolina population
- Five states (California, Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas) have a larger Indian population than North Carolina.
American Indian and Alaska Native population in the United States
- All ages: 2,824,751 total, 0.95% of total U.S. population
North Carolina tribal populations in 2000
| Tribe | Population | Counties | State Recognition |
| Lumbee | 56,000 | Robeson, Hoke, Scotland, Cumberland | 1885 |
| Eastern Band of Cherokee | 13,400 | Swain, Graham, Jackson | 1889 (1868 federal) |
| Haliwa-Saponi | 3,800 | Halifax, Warren | 1965 |
| Coharie | 2,500 | Sampson, Harnett | 1911 (rescinded 1913; reinstated 1971) |
| Waccamaw-Siouan | 2,000 | Columbus, Bladen | 1971 |
| Sappony | 850 | Person | 1911 |
| Meherrin | 800 | Hertford, Bertie, Gates | 1986 |
| Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation | 800 | Orange, Alamance | 2002 |