To the colonists of Roanoke Island, the word "Croatoan" would have likely referred to a nearby indigenous tribe, the Croatoan people, with whom the colonists had cordial relations. It also was the name of the island they lived on, which is today known as Hatteras Island (via History). This has led to the most common theory about where the colonists went — to live alongside the Native Americans on Hatteras Island.
The scant archeological evidence that exists may support this theory. A 1709 log by an Englishman told of Indigenous Carolinians who could read English, according to The New York Times, though the accuracy of this account is debated. Other accounts by early settlers spoke of blonde, blue-eyed Native Americans in the area, or of indigenous tribes that claimed to have white ancestors, according to the website History Collection. European tools from the late 16th century, such as a rapier hilt and a slate writing tablet, were found on Hatteras Island.
Most intriguing of all, Roanoke Island had not been quickly abandoned, and there was no sign of violence in the deserted village. The buildings had all been taken down intentionally, and the symbol the colonists were supposed to carve if they had to flee in distress — a Maltese cross — was nowhere to be seen.
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