The Meskwaki are Algonquian-language speakers from the Eastern Woodland Culture area. The language spoken is the same dialect as the Sauk and Kickapoo. The tribe has been historically located in the St Lawrence River valley, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa.

The Meskwaki were called “Renards” (the Fox) by the French- the tribe’s first contact with Europeans was in 1666-but have always identified themselves as “Meskwaki”.