Or How to Find Your Native Ancestors

• Begin with yourself and move backwards through time.
• Use the same methods for researching any other ethnicity, using the same record groups.
• Bear in mind that records often identify Native people as Colored, Black, Mulatto, White, Indian, or Red.

Records to Search Through

Vital Records

Probate Records

Census Records

Land Records

Military Sources

Church documents

Plus any other record sources you would use for non-Native ancestors

• Using the above approach, move backwards in time until you reach the ancestor that is the documented Native ancestor.
• If you are unsure of which one of your ancestors may be Native, then still use the above Genealogy 101 steps. Keep in mind that family stories may not be accurate – after all, time changes even memory. Your mission here is to eliminate unlikely ancestors – like those born in other countries.
• Concentrate research efforts on the ancestors born in this country and follow their trails. This may seem like simple advice, but I have had clients that were certain that they have Native roots only to find our that all of their ancestors came from Europe.

Stay tuned for more- Aquene. Cher