Abenaquis, Or Abnakis (Men Of The Eastern Land), a group of Indian tribes of the Algonquin family, originally occupying the present state of Maine, and comprising the Canibas or Abenaquis proper on the Kennebec, the Etechemins or Malecites as far as the river St. John, and, according to some, the Pennacooks on the Merrimack and the Sokokis west to the Connecticut. They were approached early in the 17th century by the English and French, but adhered to the latter, whose missionaries converted most of them to Christianity. They figure constantly in the New England border wars under the name of Tarranseens, but were finally overthrown and their missionary Rale killed at Norridgewock in 1724. Many had emigrated to Canada, where two villages still remain, hearing the name Abenaquis, at St. Francis and Becancour. The remnants in Maine are called Penobseots and Passama-quoddies, from the rivers on which they reside. Another remnant is in New Brunswick, near Fredericton. During the American revolution they embraced the cause of the colonies under their chief Orono. Their language was thoroughly studied by Father Sebastian Rale, whose dictionary is still highly important.

Then- history has been written by the Rev. E. Vetro-mile (New York, 1866), and more fully by the Rev. J. A. Maurault (Sorel, 1866).