Native American Genealogy

Labriola Center

The following bibliography lists reference material dealing with Native American genealogy.  These resources include material found in the Labriola National American Indian Data Center in the University Libraries, websites, and other research facilities.  This subject guide is also located on the Labriola Center website at www.asu.edu/lib/archives/labriola.htm

A good place to begin when looking into your family history are introductory texts on genealogy.  The Labriola Center has three such books as well as an instructional video.  Census information may also play a key roll in your search.  The following material may also be obtained from your local library.

  Books

Dawes Roll “Plus” of Cherokee Nation 1898, Blankenship, Bob. Cherokee, NC: Cherokee Roots Publication, 1994.

E99 .C5 D38x 1994 HAYDEN Labriola

Dawes Roll Plus provides all the information included in the original 1898 Dawes Roll plus Guion Miller Roll information.

How to Enroll in an Indian Tribe, Heather Morningstar. Denver:  Arrowstar Publishing, 1993.

E98 .G44 M67x 1993 HAYDEN Labriola

This volume includes information on why and how to enroll in an Indian tribe, including blank copies of forms and copies of correspondence.

Native American Genealogical Sourcebook, Paula Byers, ed. New York: Gale Research, 1995.

E98 .G44 N37 1995 HAYDEN Labriola

Includes general background material for researchers to use before they begin their genealogical research, as well as basic genealogical research methods and their application to Native Americans.

Student’s Guide to Native American Genealogy, E. Barrie Kavasch. Phoenix:  Oryx Press, 1996.

E98 .G44 K39 1996 HAYDEN Labriola

This volume provides information and resources on how to trace your family tree, genealogical records and research, and Native American records and documents

Additionally, the Labriola Center has several books by Jeff Bowen which contain census information and birth and death records for various Native American tribes.

Video

How to Trace Your Native American Heritage, Dallas: Riche-Heape Films, Inc., 1998.

E98 .G44 H68x 1998 Video HAYDEN Labriola

This video will help viewers trace their Native American heritage by discussing how to obtain a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood, how to obtain tribal membership, how and where to research the Dawes Rolls, and provide internet sites to assist in genealogical research.

Additional information can be found though websites and by visiting facilities which keep genealogical records. 

Bureau of Indian Affairs general web page http://www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html

Tracing Indian Ancestry http://www.doi.gov/ancestry.html

Family History Library

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has set up Family History Centers throughout the world to assist in genealogical searches.  The Family History Library suggests you come with a family tree in hand.  Correctly spelled names of ancestors going back before 1920 provide a good foundation to begin research.  The Labriola Center has a complete list of the Family History Centers in the Southwestern States and below is the address of the Family History Library in Mesa, Arizona.

Family History Library
41 S Hobson
Mesa, AZ
85204
(480) 964-1200

National Archives

There are also many records in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. that can be used for researching Native American ancestry.  These records include special censuses, school records, tribal enrollment records, and allotment records.  As a general rule, persons researching their Native American ancestry should begin their research the same way other researcher do: (1) gather as much information as possible from relatives; (2) obtain birth, marriage, and death certificates from appropriate state or county vital records offices; (3) begin census research in the 1920 census and work backward to 1910, 1900 and so forth.  Researchers should also read books on how to do genealogical research. Prechtel-Kluskens, Claire. “American Indian Censuses, 1880-1920.” National Archives and Records Administration, Volume 3:5 (1997): 21-23.

The Labriola Center has a guide to the holdings pertaining to Native Americans in the National Archives entitled American Indians: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications.

Good luck in your search.

Joyce Martin, Labriola National American Indian Data Center                              
September 1999