How to Find Out My American Indian Ancestry
Searching for your Native American roots can be a rewarding experience that will help you understand more about your family history. In addition, having a certain percentage of Native American blood can help you qualify for certain government grants and educational scholarships. Because many tribes kept less than spotless records---and because each tribe has a different way of deciding whether a person is considered a member---it can be difficult to trace your tribal genealogy. It's not impossible, though, and with diligence you can uncover a wealth of information.
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Instructions
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Sit down with your parents and older relatives and fill out a family tree that details names of family members, who they were married to, what children they produced, where they were born, when they were born, and where and when they died. Also include notes on their immigration and citizenship status if available. Find their birth certificates, marriage records, and death notices. Keep a collection of all the information in a scrapbook that you can use to help you find your Native American heritage. You can also search for vital records online, then contact the states where relatives were born or died to obtain certificates.
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Use the free online census forms, linked in references below this article, to try and track the movements of your family members across the country. The National Archives is another source of genealogy information. Although the Archives website does not have census records, it does have the microfilm catalogs online, which can help prepare you for your visit to the National Archives. Some subscription-based genealogy websites have digitized many of the Federal Census records; these same records may be viewed free-of-charge from any National Archives facility.
At the same time, create a map of where major Native American tribal groups were located. Create the Native America settlements in red on the map and the movements of your family in blue. Try to determine if and when they overlap.
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Read through the tribal listings, also linked below, to find out more about the Native American tribes and their movements and history in America. Determine if your family was involved in any of the same movements. Any time movements or actions of Native American tribes overlap with those of your family, there is a chance that there was interaction.
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Search the U.S. Census Records to look for names of your ancestors. You can also peruse the Native American Census Records and Rolls which contain information gathered during the Indian Removal campaigns of the 1800s. If you find their names in these latter databases, then they are probably considered to be Native Americans.
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Contact the tribe that your family may be affiliated with through your research. Make an appointment to meet with them or send them a copy of your information. Request that they send you information about whether you might also be considered a Native American. If you haven't heard from them in three months, follow up with a phone call or visit explaining your research.
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Learn about the tribe you're affiliated with through your contact person at the tribe and through online research. Request documentation that supports your claim about having Native American blood. In most cases, you'll have to submit your tribal roll number or Blood Decree from the registry of your tribe. You may also use an affidavit from a member of your tribe who is willing to say you maintain an active membership in the tribe.
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References
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