Family lore is one of the most important steps in finding out your Native American heritage. Did
your grandmother or grandfather mention that there is "Indian blood" running in the family?
If they did, chances are that the legend is still a dead end. Because Native Americans
intermarried with both European Americans and African Americans, and Americans are
notoriously a mobile group, definitive ties can be hard to find. But there are a few places to
look!
Location
To find out what group your ancestor belonged to, you first need to identify where your
ancestor was born. Though not always reliable, location can be important in establishing your
kinship. For example, if you find out that your great grandmother was born in Florida, and your
grandmother says that she was an Indian, she just might have been a Seminole.
Tribal Headquarters
With a name in hand - ideally, your ancestor's full name - find out if that name appears on the
register of Indians that corresponds to your ancestor's birth location. For example, if your
ancestor from 1803, who you're told was an Indian, was from Mississippi, there's a good chance
he was either a Choctaw or Cherokee.
Primary Accounts
One major overlooked resource are the primary accounts given by European explorers in the
16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Though men like Athanse de Mezieres, a French trader who
described the Caddo in the 17th century, would not have written down names, you might
discover a lot about your family history just by knowing their group affiliation.
When doing this kind of primary research, bear in mind that the names attributed to the tribes
do not necessaritly match what they are today. The Spanish called the Wichita "Nortenos," and
the Caddo were called "Tejas." These first hand accounts are also hard to come by, making
trips to archival libraries necessary.
your grandmother or grandfather mention that there is "Indian blood" running in the family?
If they did, chances are that the legend is still a dead end. Because Native Americans
intermarried with both European Americans and African Americans, and Americans are
notoriously a mobile group, definitive ties can be hard to find. But there are a few places to
look!
Location
To find out what group your ancestor belonged to, you first need to identify where your
ancestor was born. Though not always reliable, location can be important in establishing your
kinship. For example, if you find out that your great grandmother was born in Florida, and your
grandmother says that she was an Indian, she just might have been a Seminole.
Tribal Headquarters
With a name in hand - ideally, your ancestor's full name - find out if that name appears on the
register of Indians that corresponds to your ancestor's birth location. For example, if your
ancestor from 1803, who you're told was an Indian, was from Mississippi, there's a good chance
he was either a Choctaw or Cherokee.
Primary Accounts
One major overlooked resource are the primary accounts given by European explorers in the
16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Though men like Athanse de Mezieres, a French trader who
described the Caddo in the 17th century, would not have written down names, you might
discover a lot about your family history just by knowing their group affiliation.
When doing this kind of primary research, bear in mind that the names attributed to the tribes
do not necessaritly match what they are today. The Spanish called the Wichita "Nortenos," and
the Caddo were called "Tejas." These first hand accounts are also hard to come by, making
trips to archival libraries necessary.
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| Tribal Websites Choctaw Cherokee Chickasaw Comanche Pawnee Seminole Though some groups do not have their own websites, the following links provide an overall guide: Indians Native Americans Indigenous People Oklahoma Resource |
| Researching Native American Ancestry |
