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