Tann Family History: Preserving the Generations
from Kikotan Nation in Virginia
Discover the roots of the Tann family, beginning with the Kikotan Nation, and explore the journey of our ancestors across Virginia and beyond.
"Kikotan Nation:
Uncovering the Lost History of Virginia’s First People"
Ancestors: A Guide to Tracing Indigenous and Colonial Roots
Robert (Swett) Sweat
The Kikotan Nation, an Indigenous community with a deep history rooted in the Chesapeake Bay region of Virginia, has a rich cultural and ancestral legacy.
Today, many Kikotan descendants seek to connect with this heritage, looking to uncover their family histories, traditions, and the stories of their ancestors.
Tracing these roots is a journey of discovery, resilience, and understanding, providing descendants with a renewed sense of identity and belonging. This guide is dedicated to helping Kikotan descendants trace their family roots, uncovering not only genealogical connections but also the cultural heritage that continues to shape their lives.
​
If you need genealogical help with researching your ancestors, feel free to contact the Kikotan Genealogist at drguadalupevrodriguez@gmail.com
Genealogy of Kecoughtan Indians:
Surnames from 17th–19th Century Virginia
Early Kecoughtan Connections:
The Jefferies and Sweat (Swett) Surnames in Colonial Virginia
Early Kecoughtan Connections: The Jefferies and Sweat (Swett) Surnames in Colonial Virginia
During the early history of Colonial Virginia, the surnames Jefferies and Sweat emerged as some of the first known family names connected to the Kecoughtan tribe.
These early Indigenous surnames provide vital clues to the ancestral lineage of Native American families who lived along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Historical records suggest that members of the Jefferies and Sweat families maintained close ties with the Kecoughtan people, one of the earliest tribes encountered by English settlers. Tracing these surnames offers deeper insight into the cultural assimilation, intermarriage, and survival of Indigenous identity in early America. Understanding the Jefferies and Sweat connection helps preserve the living history of the Kecoughtan descendants today.
-
Tann – Recognized in the 1700s–1800s in Elizabeth City County and Hampton Roads area; a family name believed to have Indigenous origins possibly connected to the Kecoughtan people.
-
Langston – Appears in multiple Virginia tribal communities, including Pamunkey and possibly Kecoughtan-descended individuals.
-
Hill – A common surname found among Indigenous communities along the Tidewater region.
-
Bass – Although most associated with the Nansemond, there is speculation that some Bass families had links to Kecoughtan or allied tribes.
-
Collins – A widespread name among eastern tribes; potentially linked through intermarriage or shared community heritage.
Lawrence Valentine Tann
Discover Common Native American Surnames in Virginia circa 1850 and Uncover the Rich Heritage of Indigenous Families Who Survived and Thrived Amidst Colonial Pressures. This comprehensive guide explores the documented surnames of Native American families in Virginia, with a particular focus on those who remained in the state during the mid-19th century.
By 1850, despite centuries of colonization, forced removals, and racial classification practices, many Indigenous communities such as the Pamunkey, Mattaponi, Chickahominy, Monacan, Nottoway, and Nansemond tribes preserved their ancestral identities through oral history, intermarriage, and community resilience.
​
In this article, you’ll find verified historical surnames associated with these tribes—surnames like Bradby, Custalow, Collins, Adkins, Bass, Langston, Redcross, and Tucker. These names appeared in land records, census rolls, and church registries, though many Indigenous individuals were mislabeled as “free people of color,” “mulatto,” or “Black” in official documentation. Despite these misclassifications, these surnames continued to carry cultural significance and can help descendants trace their lineage back to Native roots in Virginia.
​
Learn how the Pamunkey and Mattaponi tribes, two of the oldest continuously recognized tribes in the United States, maintained community structures along the York and Mattaponi Rivers. Explore how Nansemond families like the Bass and Cuffee names have endured in southeastern Virginia. Discover how Monacan surnames such as Branham and Hicks persisted in the Blue Ridge Mountains, often recorded in Amherst County and Lynchburg. We also explore Chickahominy and Eastern Chickahominy families, whose surnames like Allmond, Major, and Stewart continue to be recognized among tribal citizens today.​
Chickahominy Tribe
-
Allmond
-
Dennis
-
Stewart
-
Adkins
-
Bradby
Eastern Chickahominy
-
Cook
-
Jones
-
Major
-
Morris
Mattaponi Tribe
-
Adkins
-
Custalow
-
Collins
-
Langston
-
Bradby
Monacan Tribe (Western Virginia)
-
Branham
-
Redcross
-
Tucker
-
Pannell
-
Hicks
Nansemond Tribe
-
Bass
-
Boone
-
Collins
-
Cuffee
-
Newton
Nottoway Tribe
-
Woodson
-
Turner
-
Reed
-
Jefferson
-
Langston
Whether you're conducting Native American genealogy research, tracing Virginia ancestry, or seeking to reconnect with your Indigenous roots, this article provides crucial insights and documented examples that reflect the persistence of identity despite erasure. You'll also gain a better understanding of how Virginia’s racial integrity laws and the 20th-century paper genocide affected the documentation of Native families.
Additionally, this resource offers guidance for how to interpret records from the 1850 U.S. Federal Census—when surnames were first consistently recorded—and how to identify tribal affiliation using historical context, geography, and family oral histories.
​
This post is a valuable tool for family historians, educators, and anyone passionate about restoring the true legacy of Native American families in Virginia. Uncover the names that tell the story of survival, resistance, and cultural continuity. These surnames are not just entries in dusty ledgers—they represent ancestors who lived, loved, resisted, and paved the way for future generations to reclaim their Indigenous identity.
The Legacy of the Gingaskin Nation of Virginia:
A Resilient Indigenous Community
he Gingaskin Nation, also historically known as the Accomac or Gingoteague people, is one of the oldest recognized Indigenous tribes in Virginia, with deep roots tracing back thousands of years on the Eastern Shore.
As descendants of the Algonquian-speaking peoples of the Powhatan Confederacy, the Gingaskin have preserved their cultural heritage through centuries of colonial disruption, land loss, and forced assimilation.
​
Recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia as one of its original tribal nations, the Gingaskin Nation stands as a symbol of endurance and identity. In 1640, a reservation was established for the Gingaskin people on the Eastern Shore—the first of its kind in Virginia.
Despite pressures from colonial settlers, this land remained under Indigenous stewardship for over two centuries, until the reservation was formally dissolved in the early 19th century.
​
Today, the descendants of the Gingaskin continue to honor their traditions, advocate for their rightful history, and educate others about their contributions to the rich Indigenous heritage of Virginia.
