A bit of American history
 

Welcome to our Native American Archive. Have fun browsing!

 

Article #11: Cherokee Genealogy

(Browse for more articles)

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






1- A- B- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29- 30- 31- 32- 33- 34- 35- 36- 37- 38- 39- 40- 41- 42- 43- 44- 45- 46- 47- 48- 49- 50-