 The first people are estimated to have arrived in Virginia over 12 @,@ 000 years ago . By 5 @,@ 000 years ago more permanent settlements emerged , and farming began by 900 AD . By 1500 , the Algonquian peoples had founded towns such as <unk> in the Tidewater region , which they referred to as <unk> . The other major language groups in the area were the Siouan to the west , and the Iroquoians , who included the Nottoway and Meherrin , to the north and south . After 1570 , the Algonquians consolidated under Chief Powhatan in response to threats from these other groups on their trade network . Powhatan controlled more than 30 smaller tribes and over 150 settlements , who shared a common Virginia Algonquian language . In 1607 , the native Tidewater population was between 13 @,@ 000 and 14 @,@ 000 . 
