| For those of Native American descent, one of the | | | | Native name was used. Thus, Cherokee |
| easiest genealogies to trace is Cherokee | | | | genealogy searches often come up with the dead |
| genealogy. Thanks to the Cherokee being one of | | | | end of a mysterious name. |
| the most Anglicized of the nations, they put down | | | | As well, many people claim Cherokee ancestry, |
| much more of their history in writing than many | | | | but were not actually Cherokee. There were |
| other nations. | | | | many other nations around the Cherokee, and |
| As the Cherokee lived along and near the Eastern | | | | some folks would simply call themselves |
| Seaboard, had much more contact with white | | | | Cherokee to save a lot of confusion. Thus, a |
| settlers and thus picked up many more of the | | | | person might have grown up believing they were |
| white settlers ways. Included among these ways | | | | Cherokee, but their Native American grandfather |
| was the habit of obsessively writing down their | | | | or great-grandmother would not show up on the |
| births, deaths, and parentage. Though other | | | | Cherokee genealogy. This is a strange but very |
| nations certainly kept track of such things, the | | | | true fact of life for those who know they are |
| Cherokee actually put their genealogy down on | | | | descendents of Native Americans, but cannot |
| paper, allowing later generations to trace their | | | | figure out anything past one name. |
| lineage. Thus, Cherokee genealogy is the most | | | | However, for those who are Cherokee and know |
| complete of all the Native American nations. | | | | it, and can find the proper names for their |
| However, just because it is the easiest lineage to | | | | ancestors, Cherokee genealogy is very complete. |
| trace does not mean that it is actually easy. The | | | | There are many books, papers, and websites |
| record is not entirely complete, after all, and there | | | | that are dedicated to showing family trees. If you |
| are many other problems involved. Not least | | | | can trace the names properly, you will be able to |
| among this is the fact that many Native | | | | go back quite a ways into the past and find many |
| Americans used two names in their dealings with | | | | of your ancestors. For those who can manage it, |
| other people. One was the name to the tribe. The | | | | Cherokee genealogy is a rich mine of information |
| other was an Anglicized name that included a | | | | about the names and places where your |
| surname. It is very difficult to trace one particular | | | | ancestors were born, lived, and died. |
| person, just because one name might show up on | | | | If you have the time and the energy and the |
| one document, and the other name on another | | | | knowledge that you need, you can trace your |
| document. Unless a person knows both names | | | | ancestry back to men and women living as |
| that the person went by, this habit could chop off | | | | natives on the shores of the New World. So give |
| the family tree at a person whose Anglicized | | | | Cherokee genealogy a try figure out that much |
| name shows up as a parent, but whose birth | | | | more about your family. |
| certificate cannot be found, simply because the | | | | |