Is Illinois an Indian Name

The name “Illinois” is a French alteration derived from the Native American word “ininiwek or ininiok.” Illinois was the name of a confederacy of six Native American tribes.

Is Illinois a Native American name?

The Prairie State gets its official name from Native Americans. Illinois comes from “Illiniwek,” which is what the Illini people were called. The name means “best people.” Illinois is the spelling we use for the indigenous people the French explorers encountered in the region in the late 17th century.

What Indian tribe is Illinois named after?

The state is named after one tribe, the Illiniwek. The Illiniwek were composed of twelve smaller tribes. Among them were the Cahokia, Peoria, and Kaskaskia. The Grand Village of the Kaskaskia was one of their biggest villages.