Cherokee Was the Largest American Indian Group Reported Alone or in Any Combination in the 2020 Census; Navajo Was Largest Reported Alone
The Fact
In the 2020 Census Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File A, Cherokee was the most common American Indian response 'alone or in any combination,' at about 1.5 million people. Counting only people who reported a single group, the Navajo Nation was the most common American Indian response, at 315,086.
What This Means
Two ways of counting give two different 'largest tribes.' Cherokee leads when people with mixed ancestry are included; Navajo leads among people who listed only one group.
Why It Matters
A census answer is self-identification — it isn't the same as tribal citizenship. Tribal enrollment is set by each nation's own rules.
Key Terms
Alone or in any combination: Everyone who checked a group, whether they checked only that one or others too.
Sources
U.S. Census Bureau. "2020 Census Detailed DHC-A File." Press release, September 21, 2023. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/2020-census-detailed-dhc-file-a.html
Related Facts
- How Many Cherokee Were Forced Out on the Trail of Tears? More Than 16,000. About 4,000 Died.
- How Much Shorter Do Native Americans Live? About 10 Years.
- When Did Native Americans Get to Vote? Citizenship in 1924 — Some States Held Out Until 1957.
- How Much Land Did Tribes Lose Under Allotment? About 90 Million Acres in 47 Years.