How Do I Trace Indian Ancestry?

To determine if you are eligible for tribal membership, contact your ancestral tribe. Individual tribes determine tribal membership. Additional resources links to trace Indian ancestry are provided below.

Ancestry - General statement on tracing your American Indian ancestry for purposes of enrolling in a federally recognized American Indian tribe.

Genealogical Research -  Provides general information as to where individuals can look in order to find the appropriate information they need to support their effort.

Enrollment Process - Provides a general description on what the Enrollment Process to a federally recognized tribe involves.

Benefits & Services Provided to American Indians and Alaska Natives - Provides a general description on what benefits and services are available to American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Cherokee Indian Ancestry - There are three federally recognized Cherokee Tribes that have different requirements for enrollment in their tribes.

Information on the Dawes Rolls -The Dawes Commission was organized in 1893 to accept applications for tribal enrollment between 1893-1907 from American Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes who resided in Indian Territory, which later became the eastern portion of Oklahoma.

Contacting a Tribal Entity - Link to the BIA Tribal Leaders Directory that lists the name, address and phone number of all the Federally Recognized Tribes. Dated May, 2007

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