Discover Your Native American Genealogy

“This is truly amazing as it is difficult to trace Native American and African American ancestry. Your site, literally, was the ONLY place that has usable information to prove my ancestors’ existence, including marriages, divorces, previous addresses and where they’re buried. The completeness and accuracy is overwhelming.” – S.F. Rich

Search by Name
Your family name is a great starting point, however keep in mind the following aspects when searching for Native American ancestors by name.

• The annual Federal Indian Census list began in the 1880s, but the same person may be listed under two names, an Indian and English name, or even as “Refused to Answer” as many people did not want to provide their family names.
• Also keep in mind that names used in newspaper articles may be nicknames. This may explain why you’ve reached a dead end in your research.
• Note: An Indian census list is not enough to prove tribal affiliation. These lists are a good starting point but you will also need the tribal enrollment lists.

Search by Native American Tribes
Use GenealogyBank’s keyword include (and exclude) feature to find newspaper articles about specific tribes and/or people.

• Pro tip: Use the location (state) feature to narrow your search to a specific Indian territory

Search Birth and Marriage Announcements
These exciting moments were published in newspapers and help you add details beyond names and dates to your family tree and discover unknown Native American ancestors.

Search by Tribe Specific Newspapers
If you know the tribe of your American Indian ancestors, you can search newspapers specific to that tribe such as the Cherokee Advocate or Navajo Times.