Genealogy Research

Genealogic research is the study of family ancestries and histories, creating a family lineage or family tree. These links provide information about genealogy research, with guides, resources and directories to help you. Start with the Genealogy Guides as they can direct you on the process to start your research. Other resources to check would be with your local library which often has a collection of genealogical materials.

How to Do Genealogy Research - DOI (article excerpt)
Start your genealogical research with yourself. Do not begin genealogical research in Indian records for this can most often be the wrong approach. Instead, begin research in current, rather than historic records. If an individual is not currently a member of a federally recognized tribe, band or group research should begin in non-Indian records or other public records such as those records maintained by state and local governments, churches, and schools. Individuals should find all the information they can about their parents, grandparents, and more distant ancestors and write such information down. The most important information is vital statistics, including ancestral names, dates of birth, marriages (or divorces) and death, the places where ancestors were born, lived, married, and died. During such research, the goal, especially for tribal membership purposes, is to establish and document the relationships of Indian ancestors and to identify the Indian tribe with which their ancestor may have been affiliated.The first place to begin genealogical research is at home. Valuable information can be found in family Bibles, newspaper clippings, military certificates, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, diaries, letters, scrapbooks, backs of pictures and baby books. It is often useful to check school, church, and county courthouse records for information. Researchers should not limit the scope of their search to birth, death and marriage records. Historical and genealogical information can be found in other civil records at the county courthouse such as deeds, wills, land or other property conveyances.

Genealogy Research Guides

Click on a resource for more information. You can also find more information by searching Google and typing in Native American Genealogy Guide.

• A Short Historical Genealogical Background for Native Americans - In order to find your Native American ancestors you first have to learn some history. This short article will walk you through the first steps on your wonderful journey.
• Genealogy Today - This site provides a variety of "how to" guides on topics such as starting research, organization, using wills, researching female ancestors, and library resources. Guides are linked in the middle and right side columns. The site also offers several newsletters.
• Midnight at the Internet Cafe Genealogy - Written for the Central Colorado Library System, this site provides gateways to genealogy research, tutorials, and census information, among other help aids.
• Native American Genealogy 101 - Today, genealogy is a hot hobby second only to Native American Genealogy. More and more people who are investigating their family histories are finding Native American roots.
• Native American Genealogy: Reconnecting with Your American Indian Heritage - Here is the general advice I have to offer, though, along with a selection of good American Indian genealogy links which may be helpful in your search.
• Roots Web Guide - This guide explains how to begin research and describes the multitude of records that can be used in genealogy research, such as adoption records, court records, land records, newspapers, etc.
• Tracing Your Indian Roots - Oklahoma Indian Legal Services - This guide focuses mainly on Oklahoma tribes but also provides ideas about genealogy resources such as oral histories, newspaper indexes, and manuscript collections.
• Where do I Begin? A Native American Genealogy Primer - Part I - This is the number one question I receive. So many people want to jump in and find their Native American Roots today. However, you must begin with a solid foundation before you can just delve into the native history of your family.

Genealogy Resources

Click on a resource for more information. Additional resources can be found by using a search engine and searching for Native American Genealogy or American Indian Genealogy.

• Native American Genealogical Research and Publishing Company - Offering Native American, non-Native American, and Civil War genealogical research materials.
• African - Native Genealogy - Celebrating the Estelusti, The Freedmen, Oklahoma's Black Indians of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole Nations.
• InterTribal.net - State by state listing of tribal documents and historical information.
• Kindred Trails - Genealogy resources for researching Native American ancestry. Links to records, census and rolls.
• National Archives and Records Administration - Serves as the NARA's on-line information system. A good place for those who want to research American Indian history.
• Native American Genealogy - Pages of information on Cherokee, Choctaw, Lakota, Melungeon, Narragansett, and general Native American Genealogy. Also with articles and links.
• Native American Genealogy Forum - Forum and resources for people searching for their American Indian roots.
• Native American Genealogy Webring - Online community for those researching their history.
• Native-American Ancestry Articles - Articles on how and where to trace your native ancestry.
• Tribal Leaders Directory - Published by the Bureau of Indian Affairs lists all 562 federally recognized American Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives
• Wichita and Caddo Nation, OK Territory GenWeb - Official USGenWeb and OKGenWeb site for the Wichita and Caddo Nations of Oklahoma Territory. Particular emphasis on the years 1867-1902, during the reservation period under the Wichita Agency.

Genealogy Resource Directories

Click on a resource for more information. Additional resources can be found by using a search engine and searching for Native American Genealogy or American Indian Genealogy.

• Index of Native American Genealogy Resources on the Internet - List of possible research sites to find your ancestors. Native American orientation.
• Access Genealogy - Native American Indian Genealogy - Indian Tribes of the United States - A searchable listing by state of the tribes that lived and their names
• Ancestral Findings - Genealogical search of Birth, Death, Marriage, Census, Ancestry, Family Trees
• Carolyne's Genealogy Helper - Native American genealogical resource including how-to articles that address the nuances and pitfalls commonly found in this complicated branch of genealogical research. Histories, maps and keys to census records are here, too.
• Cyndi's List of Native American Genealogy - - Lists of resources, message boards, family trees and rolls. Information by tribe, surname, or state.
• D'addezio.com - Welcome to the Native American vital records room. Finding vital records for Indian tribes is a difficult challenge, many vital records were lost as the tribes got pushed westward onto reservations. We've cataloged addresses, plus online and offline vital records for each North American tribal unit.
• Family Search - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
• Native Culture Links - Finding Your Native American Ancestors - This list of links was compiled and annotated for people interested in tracing their Native American Ancestry. Some of the sites are specifically focussed on American Indians; others are broader, but have links to specific resources for Native American genealogical research. Some give background information on how to get started with family history research. On the larger sites, be sure to scroll the full length of pages to view all possible links.
• Rootsweb - the Internet's oldest and largest FREE genealogical community
• The USGen Web Project - Organization is by county and state, and this website provides you with links to all the state genealogy websites which, in turn, provide gateways to the counties.

DNA and Blood Testing

Click on a resource for more information. Additional resources may be found by visiting a search engine and searching for DNA Testing or Indian Blood Testing.