Native American Ancestry

Delving into the past to gather information about family lineage can be difficult task. Learning about the Native American portion of the past can be more difficult because family records were not always written down, and those that were may be hard to locate. Fortunately, new scientific tools and an ever-growing collection of artifacts online make it easier than ever to trace your Native American ancestry.

Native American Ancestry

Determining one's Native American ancestry has long been difficult to do definitively. New DNA testing has provided those curious about their ancestry with a new research tool. Yet, some worry that using this testing is not an effective way to determine tribe eligibility.

A more traditional way to determine ancestry can be found at the Department of the Interior.

Benefits of Being Native American

There are a number of benefits associated with being a Native American. Some people are using genetic testing to claim these benefits.

USA.gov has information on resources that can help people ascertain any education, economic, and health benefits they may be able to receive. It also has information on cultural and tribal resources.

Finding Native American Genealogy Information

The National Archives provides information on census records and Dawes Rolls, as well as general information about Native American genealogy.

The Indian Health Service has collected a number of resources to aid in the genealogy research.

Many of the resources outlined above provide even more resources to help the amateur, or professional, genealogist in his or her quest to trace the Native American ancestry of a given individual. With hard work and the occasional bit of luck genealogy research can be productive and fun.