The Tonkawas often visited the capital city of Austin during the days of the Republic of Texas and during early statehood. In 1840 at the Battle of Plum Creek and again in 1858 at the Battle of Little Robe Creek, the Tonkawa fought alongside the Texas Rangers against the Comanche.

At the time, Austin was an agent recruiting immigrants to settle in the Mexican state of Coahuila y Texas. Austin to protect Anglo-American immigrants against the Comanche. In 1824, the Tonkawa entered into a treaty with Stephen F. The tribe continued their southern migration into Texas and northern Mexico, where they allied with the Lipan Apache. In 1758, the Tonkawa along with allied Bidais, Caddos, Wichitas, Comanches, and Yojuanes went to attack the Lipan Apache in the vicinity of Mission Santa Cruz de San Sabá, which they destroyed. In the 1740s, some Tonkawa were involved with the Yojuanes and others as settlers in the San Gabriel Missions of Texas along the San Gabriel River. Their numbers diminishes to around 1,600 by the late 17th century due to fatalities from new infectious diseases and conflict with other tribes, most notably the Apache. In the 16th century, the Tonkawa tribe probably had around 1,900 members. By 1700, Apache and Wichita enemies had pushed the Tonkawa south to the Red River which forms the border between current-day Oklahoma and Texas.

Recent research, however, has shown that the tribe inhabited northwestern Oklahoma in 1601. Scholars once thought the Tonkawa originated in Central Texas. The annual Tonkawa Powwow is held on the last weekend in June to commemorate the end of the tribe's own Trail of Tears when the tribe was forcefully removed and relocated from its traditional lands to present-day Oklahoma. Events Tonkawa otter pelt turban, circa 1880, Oklahoma, Oklahoma History Center Along with several smoke shops, the tribe runs three different casinos: Tonkawa Indian Casino and Tonkawa Gasino located in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, and the Native Lights Casino in Newkirk, Oklahoma. The Tonkawa tribe operates a number of businesses which have an annual economic impact of over $10,860,657 (as of 2011).

The name Tonkawa is derived from the Waco tribal word, Tonkaweya, meaning 'they all stay together'. Today, Tonkawa people are enrolled in the federally recognized Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma. Their Tonkawa language, now extinct, is a linguistic isolate. The Tonkawa are a Native American tribe indigenous to present-day Oklahoma. Wichita, Waco, Tawakoni, Kichai, Guichita Christianity, Native American Church, traditional tribal religions

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