Native American heritage. Did your grandmother or grandfather
mention that there is "Indian blood" running in the family?
If they did, chances are that the legend is still a dead end.
Because Native Americans intermarried with both European
Americans and African Americans, and Americans are
notoriously a mobile group, definitive ties can be hard to find. But
there are a few places to look!
Location
To find out what group your ancestor belonged to, you first need
to identify where your ancestor was born. Though not always
reliable, location can be important in establishing your kinship.
For example, if you find out that your great grandmother was born
in Florida, and your grandmother says that she was an Indian, she
just might have been a Seminole.
Tribal Headquarters
With a name in hand - ideally, your ancestor's full name - find out
if that name appears on the register of Indians that corresponds
to your ancestor's birth location. For example, if your ancestor
from 1803, who you're told was an Indian, was from Mississippi,
there's a good chance he was either a Choctaw or Cherokee.
Primary Accounts
One major overlooked resource are the primary accounts given
by European explorers in the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
Though men like Athanse de Mezieres, a French trader who
described the Caddo in the 17th century, would not have written
down names, you might discover a lot about your family history
just by knowing their group affiliation.
When doing this kind of primary research, bear in mind that the
names attributed to the tribes do not necessaritly match what
they are today. The Spanish called the Wichita "Nortenos," and
the Caddo were called "Tejas." These first hand accounts are
also hard to come by, making trips to archival libraries necessary.
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Choctaw
Cherokee
Chickasaw
Comanche
Pawnee
Seminole
Though some
groups do not have
their own websites,
the following links
provide an overall
guide:
Indians
Native Americans
Indigenous People
Oklahoma Resource