As genealogists, we're often asked to research the likelihood and details of a client's Native American heritage.
The Cherokee are currently the largest federally-recognized native tribe in the United States. Although they originally lived in the Southeastern United States, they were among the people forcibly relocated by the policies of President Andrew Jackson in the 1830s via the Trail of Tears. Today, many of their descendants are headquartered in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. They were known as one of the “Five Civilized Tribes,” and were known to have closely interacted and assimilated with the settlers in their areas. They even started becoming U.S. citizens as early as the 1810s and 1820s.
The Cherokee are particularly known for having the first written language of any North American native group, developed by a man named Sequoyah in the early 19th century. As a result, the literacy rate for the Cherokee was quite high – better even than that of the Southern white settlers.
The strategy used in researching a person's Cherokee ancestry can be quite different than researching other ancestry.
Unlike European tradition, the Cherokee family is matrilineal. This means that families are traced maternally, and that a person is considered a Cherokee if his or her mother was Cherokee, not necessarily the father. The Cherokee people are divided into clans, named as follows:
- Anigilohi (Long Hair)
- Aniwodi (Paint)
- Anitsisqua (Bird)
- Aniwaya (Wolf)
- Anigodagewi (Wild Potato)
- Aniawi (Deer)
- Anisahoni (Blue)
A person’s clan membership was considered private and personal. Though not secret, they were also never formally recorded by the tribes. Unfortunately, if the clan name was not passed down through the generations, there is no way to determine it today.
The Cherokee concept of surnames was more fluid, and there are no surnames associated directly with membership in a clan. For example, the children of a famous Cherokee leader may have borne their father’s surname (in the European tradition), but they were actually members of their mother’s clan, which was different.
Although determining Cherokee heritage can be difficult, many helpful rolls and enumerations were kept by various government entities beginning in the early 1800s. Some were created before the removal and others afterward, but all can be valuable resources. Native Americans were also recorded in regular historical documents, such as federal censuses and vital records, and the more intermarriage that occurred, the more they may be found in government records.
If you want to determine whether you have Native American ancestry, here are some suggestions:
- Do regular genealogy research. Just searching your ancestry can help point you in the right direction as far as whether your ancestors could have been Native American. For example, we've had clients come to us with the belief that an ancestor was Native American, only to learn that the ancestor's parents were born in Europe.
- Find your ancestor in all available U.S. censuses and check the race recorded (but keep in mind that most Native Americans at the time preferred to “pass for white” and reported themselves as white or mulatto to census takers rather than claiming Native American status). In addition to regular federal censuses, a database of Indian census rolls from 1885-1940 is available at Ancestry.com.
- Get a DNA test. A test can give you an estimate of the various origins of your ancestry and can be a great starting place. Also, after some research has been performed a DNA test at that point can be extremely helpful because you'll have a specific goal in mind and information to work off of.
- Search histories – colonial, state, and local.
- Check Cherokee rolls. There are a number of records which list individuals who were Cherokee between about 1810 and 1925. These were often related to land allotments and relocations. The Dawes Roll, one of the more famous Cherokee lists, can be searched here.
Finally, it’s always helpful to dispel some common myths about Cherokee ancestry:
- The “Cherokee princess” – according to the official website of the Cherokee nation, this concept of royalty never existed. Most people use this term when referring to the daughter of a chief, but to do so would be inaccurate.
- If you have certain physical characteristics, you must be part Native – we’ve heard it commonly claimed that because a person has dark hair, brown eyes, high cheekbones, or an olive complexion that they believe they have Native American ancestry. While this certainly could be the case, using a phenotypic description solely to make claims about one’s heritage has a high likelihood of being incorrect. There are many other ethnic groups throughout the world which also possess those physical characteristics. Either way, a DNA test is a very helpful route to take to know for sure, and we can help in selecting and analyzing that test.
Though sometimes trickier than researching other groups, finding a Native American ancestor can be extremely rewarding when done correctly. Like any other form of genealogy, it requires a case built of strong evidence.
Legacy Tree Genealogists has experts trained to know where and how to look for your elusive ancestors. We also have agents worldwide who can help obtain records not available online. Contact us today to let us know how we can help you learn more about your heritage.
This. Article. On. The. Indians is. Very. Interesting I. No. My. Family. Have. Irish. German. An. English. Lots. Of. Family. Came. From. Ohio. God. Bless. You
My great grandfathers last name was Blue. All my mother tells me is that he was “Chief Blue Sky” of the Cherokee tribe. If you have any more information on this for me please contact me at [email protected]. thank you -Maria
Hi Maria! We would be happy to try to find information for you. You can learn more about our services at https://www.legacytree.com/services.
My Grandfather Bruce also. I have Cherokee. SAUKS & Foxes. Pawnee. And some Chippewa. My Grandma told me that her Father was John Ross? Chief of the Cherokee. Who lead the Cherokee and other Tribes through the Trail of tears. Julia Sullivan Tucker??????❤️
Hi I am looking for more information on the white,paden, and Stewart family line. My great grandfather name was frank white his father jim or james white. We are related some way.
Hi Shekita,
We’ve helped many people in your situation. Our researchers can provide the next steps to help you learn more about your family. Please contact us by filling out the form on our Get in Touch page to request a free quote, and a member of our Client Solutions team will reach out to you.
There were about 7 Cherokee clans, and one was Blue.
sou neta Antun Hasenfratz, sou do Brasil e queria muito saber a origem do meu pai Stejepan Hasenfratz e do meu avô, sei somente que são da antiga yoguslavia, queria saber se meu pai é parente Frank Hasenfratz que hoje mora nos Estados Unidos
Oi Ana. Nós gostaríamos de ajudá-la e responderemos por email.
My name is Linda C. Knepshield and I`m looking into my family genealogy into the Cherokee back ground my gr-grandfather Nim Rod Pack and my gr-grandmother Johanna Livingston I think was a part the Cherokee tribe can you help me by looking into this on a list in the books in the tribe?
Linda C. Knepshield
Hi Linda! Contact us by email at [email protected] and we’d love to talk about what we can do for you!
Oh everyone and their dog is apparently Cherokee. As someone who has studied aboriginal tribes throughout the Americas – south, central, America & Canada – I always get a laugh out of this “Cherokee” s.c.a.m.
Apparently it was the ONLY tribe that ever existed. Despite how MANY tribes are known to have integrated with settlers and/or as the on going claim is about Cherokee, steal white women get them pregnant and send them back.
James, we totally understand that. We chose to post this article because we get so many queries from people who have heard that they have Cherokee ancestry, specifically. It’s always helpful to shed a little light on who the Cherokee actually were and what we can and cannot learn about them from a genealogical perspective. We appreciate your concern for accuracy!
The reason so many people have cherokee blood is that they and the other civilized tribes (Creek,Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole) intermarried with whites MUCH MORE than the other tribes. White families were not likely to let their daughters or Sons marry into a tribe that was not Christian. Many in the Cherokee and Civilized Tribes were Christian and that’s why white people were willing to intermarry with them.. they were called civilized because they became Christian on a massive scale and because they took up white man’s ways farming staying put and living in a house and refraining from massacring people. You don’t hear about huge numbers of white women marrying into the Iroquois tribe or the Sioux Tribe or the Crow tribe and that is because they were not Christian.
Right you are, thanks for sharing that information.
Thank you for that explanation. I was always told my maternal grandparents were Cherokee. My grandmother said she was born on a reservation, but I never asked which one. Could you tell me what other reservations were near southeast Kansas besides Okalahoma in the 1890s? Thank you.
Actually the Cherokee were one of the first tribes to assimilate. Descriptions by explorers and first frontiersmen describe them as tall, athletic and good looking. This would account for many traders and settlers taking Cherokee wives. Also, white men would take a Cherokee wife even though they had a white family someplace else. If a Cherokee man did take a white women, early 1800s, they usually went with his family. Cherokees have strong matrilineal ties in that a man goes with the woman’s family. They were smart in that they had to marry outside their own clan. Yes, many people claim to be Cherokee but, as in my family it was heavily documented. Tribal roles, census, land sales and also theft of their land as well as the Trail of Tears help account for that. Also, we have documentation of land my grandfather and his brother and mother received in Indian Territory. Cherokees can have a drop of Indian blood and it still counts if they can prove lineage, and have direct descendent on roles. Right before the Cherokee were herded out of Georgia, Chief Charles Hicks said, “No amount of white blood can take away the Cherokee in them. Someday the Cherokee people will rise again in the light eyes of my grandchildren.” I have but a little amount of Cherokee blood but I am one of his grandchildren. Cherokee is one, if not the largest tribe. Maybe marrying whites early-protected them or gave them immunities to the diseases that wiped out other tribes.
Thank you for your insight Diane!
Thanks Diane.
Thanks for this, I’m sharing it with family members who I know have Cherokee lineage. That just one branch. I was wondering how I might discover if I have Choctaw heritage. I don’t know much about them but suspect my first name is derived from their language. Can you suggest where I might seek more info online?
Dee
Hi Dee,
Great questions. The best way we’d recommend to determining if you have Native heritage from any tribe is simply to do your genealogy, starting with yourself and working backwards, letting the facts lead where they do. Don’t forget to take into account history, and whether having a Native American ancestor actually makes sense based on where your family lived and in what time period. Pay attention to racial designations on historical records. We find that for most people, stories of Indian heritage (particularly several generations back) are just legends. This is certainly not to say that it’s impossible, only that it’s far less common to have it than is popularly supposed.
An autosomal DNA test would also be likely to tell you if you have Native American ancestry within the last 6-8 generations (though it would not be able to tell you which tribe).
As for name etymology, that’s a branch of study we don’t claim to be experts in, but you might try websites like BehindtheName.com as a starting place if you’re curious about where yours might have come from.
Either way, we’d be happy to help you sort the questions out. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] for a free consultation.
I recently had a DNA test to determine which tribe I came from since I knew I was part NA…it was determined that I had DNA markers similar to the Cherokee and Comanche people who had submitted DNA. I’m from Northern New York and my family came to the US from Canada in the 1860s…as you’ve mentioned my ancestors are all selecting White as their ethnicity but I know they aren’t. Also the census of Canada doesn’t require ethnicity in the early 1800s….I’ve checked the rolls but my family, for the most part, stayed on the NY/Canadian border. Anything you can suggest that I’m missing?
Hi Anita! It sounds like you’ve done a lot of work into this already. First thing that might be helpful to know is which DNA test you took. As far as we are aware, there is currently no DNA test on the market which can narrow down the tribe from which you descend – tests can only show whether or not you have Native ancestry. It seems based on the heritage that you’ve described that you’re right in thinking that they’re probably from a First Nations tribe in Canada earlier on. If you haven’t, check church records there. Particularly if your family was Catholic, many of the early parish records made racial notations relating to the individuals being married or baptized. Land records might also contain that information. Finally, spend some time looking into what tribes historically lived in the area of Canada from whence your ancestors came. This will at least help you narrow it down. It’s difficult to make specific suggestions without knowing more about your family. We’d be happy to help you out in conducting the research if you’re interested. Email [email protected] for a free consultation.
I Submitted My DNA to Viaguard Accu-Metrics to determine my tribal afficilation…this is just a small sample of the documentation I received.
Each step is important in order to achieve a reliable DNA test result. Step 1 and 2 requires a proper chain of custody to insure that the sample belongs to the correct individual and that there was no tampering that could alter the results. Step 3 is the laboratory work that relies on proven scientific technology to determine the DNA polymorphisms that are unique to Native American members. DNA polymorphisms simply stands for a unique DNA marker that is mainly found in Native American individuals. There are numerous markers that are found in different ethnic groups and the contribution of all markers can determine a persons ancestral origin. As an example, by looking at Person A’s DNA, there can be many DNA markers that belong to various ethnic groups and by determining the percentage of each marker, it is now possible to figure Native American ancestry and non-Native American Ancestry. This is first done by characterizing the markers then using a computer program to statistically calculate an individuals Native American ancestry.
My only problem with researching the Droin Collection is that it’s in French and I don’t read French, unfortunately.
Several years back, I had autosomal and mtDNA run. Totality says I am 1/20th American Indian. I have several family traditions of Cherokee, Comanche, Apache lines, with no documented proof.
However, part of my family was from east Tennessee, and may connect to Isaac Thomas, Revolutionary War hero and Indian Trader. His “white” family, per a book by Charlotte Bailey Wynn, says he never took a Cherokee wife, but I beg to differ. He lived among the Cherokee for 40 years BEFORE he took his white wife. Standing tradition at the time, and later a law, said a trader had to have a Cherokee wife so he could be tracked through the Nation as he went (had to stay with relatives of his wife in each town). For the genealogy researcher – check the laws and customs of the people you are investigating for clues as to how certain behaviors are regulated in the particular Nation.
Lisa, thanks for your comment. That last line is crucial! Historical and legal context are so very important when doing genealogical research. Best of luck with your family!
Concerning the racial designation on documents: I have researched a family of Mexican and Apache heritage. I personally know them. Documents concerning the family list them variable as white, Mexican, Indian, and back and forth. It depends on how racist the recording clerk was in heart. If not racist, white, Indian, or Mexican. If racist, Mexican, or even black, before Indian. In The case I researched, one of the recording clerks of the county was associated by marriage to another family I researched. That clerk had written a book which lined out in detail how very racist he was in heart. That is how I figured this out. So race marked on a “white/government” document doesn’t truly reflect the genuine race. Keep this in mind.
Lisa, thanks. Those are very good points, and we have encountered the same when researching Southwestern families of Mexican/Apache/other local native heritage. Personally, I’ve found in my own research that it’s similar in Cajun Louisiana where the different ethnic groups intermixed so frequently – you’ll find the same family enumerated as white, Indian, and even mulatto on censuses. This is why knowing historical and cultural context is so important, and you make that point well.
That said, we still advocate caution where claims of Native ancestry are concerned – particularly as it relates to the “Five Civilized Tribes” like the Cherokee. There is a lot of historical illiteracy out there about the geographic area in which Cherokee lived, the dates in which they lived there, and whether it’s even possible for someone’s grandparent or great-grandparent to be a full member of one of those tribes.
My husbands grandmother was full blood Indian on his mothers side. When we got DNA results back for my husband it showed no Indian in him. Why is that? Thanks for your help.
Hi Angela! That’s a great question and one that we deal with frequently. The first thing I would suggest would be to go back and analyze the evidence you have from historical records that your husband’s grandmother actually was Native American. We find that many of our clients have this family story and that it’s seldom true – or at least, not in the place or to the degree they thought it might be! Find her on censuses, birth or death records, and other such documents and pay close attention to the race designated on them. If his grandmother was full Native American, there is really not a reason why your husband would have zero percent listed on his DNA results. It’s possible that she was not Native American, or was only partially so, and he did not inherit those specific genes from her. Without knowing more about your husband’s family – where they’re from, years, etc. – it’s hard to say for certain. Those DNA results are important, though!
Hi. Which type of DNA did you have done? Y DNA is only male line, Mtdna is only female line. As males don’t inherit the mother’s Mtdna. And females don’t get the Y DNA from the father, you need to run Autosomal DNA. It picks up the DNA inherited from the people of either sex inherited by the subject. Hope this helps.
Sorry, I forgot to say that while an ancestor might actually have no Indian blood, they could have been adopted into a Nation. And thus considered a part of the Nation by the Nations people, but turned away from enrollment by the BIA because they were another race.
Hello, I just found this blog on Pinterest!
I have an account with FamilySearch and it recently showed that there was a Kunochatutloah, Crane, born 1750 in my lineage through my mother. I did an independent “search” which showed him to be Cherokee. I found an article which claimed his name to be Chief Whooping Crane….while I am not convinced that all you read on the internet is true and I’ve heard that this “Chief” was fictitious. I’m told that FamilySearch works with official documentation but how do I know if this “Chief” story is real. Thank you!
Family search has information that ranges from cold hard facts to our fixing, so look at the sources to determine if it’s true or not.
How must will it cost to have you do ancestry for me
I am just like most our faimly said we have Cherokee but I am not to sure about that
My granmother die before I was born and My granfather die in1960 and I was 3 year old
Hi Charles. We would be happy to research an accurate family history for you! You may request a free consultation by completing the form here.
Hi Charles, you may request a free consultation here.
Ok so I have an issue. I was adopted at 2 months old. I only know my dad’s side back to my grandma and grandpa, and my mom’a side I only know mom, one aunt, and an uncle…. I am trying to find out our lineage for my children (I have 6) which is the best DNA place to go for the most adequate results? I hear all the time of ancestry, 23&me, all those things but which are adequate????
Hi Christi. DNA can be a great tool to assist in extending your family tree. We work with all the major DNA testing companies to help our clients learn more about their heritage. For an overview of the different testing options, we suggest this article: https://www.legacytree.com/blog/dna-testing-for-genealogical-research.
We are still waiting on the results of my mothers DNA test but we had a cousin from the same (supposedly Indian) line and her DNA test didn’t show any Native American. Is this common? I have managed to trace via ancestry back to our Indian ancestors and she would be a decedent. Why does her test not reflect that?
Hi Roxanne, it’s important to keep in mind that ethnicity estimates are just that–estimates. Check out this article on our blog that addresses this common question: https://www.legacytree.com/blog/going-beyond-ethnicity-estimates-in-dna-testing
I’m looking to find out if my Cherokee heritage is legitimate. My grandmother (paternal) is said to be half Cherokee. Her name was Betty Knight I believe (I was adopted, and don’t have much info.) I know my sister had 6 wisdom teeth(another native indication). We both have high cheek bones and she has the black hair. I ended up blonde bc if our Irish/German heritage, but I’d like to find out just how much Cherokee I am. I’ve always felt a strong tribal connection.
We have helped many clients with Native American research. Proving Native American connections can be difficult, as many of our Native American ancestors did not leave a record of their tribal connections and often even tried to hide them. We have found that researching and establishing an extended family tree before checking the Native American rolls greatly increases chances for success. Often an extended family member (aunt, cousin, etc.) will be found on the rolls instead of a direct-line ancestor. In spite of the difficulties and complexities of Native American research, our experts in Native American genealogy can trace your family’s history to determine if and where Native American ancestry was introduced. If you’d like to request a free quote, please complete this form.
I found out that I get my cherokee from my great grandparents side so I am so very lucky to find that out so I was so happy to find that out.
My mother b 1925 was told by her grandmother a SEABOLT that they were 1/4 cherokee. I found 3 Seabolt brothers, Jacob, Lewis, and Henry (I think) from Germany assisted the Old Settlers to Arkansas and Oklahoma prior to the Trail of Tears. There is a Sallie Seabolt on the Indian Census and also a Jacob Seabolt on another census I found. I believe he is my 4 x grandfather Jacob Seabolt b. 1804 son of Lewis Seabolt of Germany. My mothers DNA nor Mine, my Sisters or Brother shows any NA DNA, however through Gedmatch my uploaded raw data may appear to show traces. How can I determine if these are in fact my same Seabolts. Also my 2x grandfather Jacob Seabolt and his wife Sarah Jane Carnes went to Springdale Washington Co. AR where she died and is buried. That is in the heart of Indian territory. But if I’m not showing DNA and people in the Census are shown as white, what more can I do?
Tracing ancestors in the early South can be difficult, with or without the possibility of indigenous heritage! Your first step should be to focus on making sure you’ve got the lineage traced accurately first. With ancestors pre-1850, this usually means getting beyond censuses and digging into deeds and probate records (such as wills). This is crucial for differentiating between people with similar names living in the same area, as it sounds like you’ve got going on. Without more information, it’s difficult to give you precise next steps, but those are the best principles. Keep in mind, too, that lots of white settlers ended up in Indian Territory without being indigenous themselves given their desire for land, though it’s certainly always worth further investigation. We would be happy to dig further into this for you. Get started by requesting your free quote here.
I have done DNA testing with Ancestry and 23andme. Ancestry said no Native American. 23andme said i have about 2% Native American. I am seeing a 2nd/3rd cousin on 23andme that has proof his Grandmother was on the Indian Dawes Roll. He shows only 2% also.
Very few people unless they have latino/mexican ancestry will show NA DNA because they aren’t testing. They KNOW who they are. According to a Cherokee FB page I belong to – who won’t even discuss DNA, The Cherokee are very well documented and and accounted for and they are willing to help people by searching the records. Your ancestors either are on the lists or they aren’t. 90% of male Englishmen who married into the tribes went to live with the tribes. They are very maternal. Out of a group of let’s say 3,000 people who family folklore has said they were native american, probably 10 of those people truly are. That’s how bad the “stories” are. The problem is even when they tell people their ancestors are not listed on the rolls, they are not believed. People do not want to accept that they aren’t
I have been told by cousins who are MORMON and big into genealogy that the technology and database and samples of Native Americans are not good/plenteous enough yet to definitively tell you if you’re NA. They say to wait a few years and the technology will improve. And more Native Americans will do DNA testing to compare to.
Sandra
I have been DNA tested with Ancestry and 23andme. 23andme says I have about 2% NA. Ancestry shows 0%. My ancestors, Great Great Grandparents show about 3/4 NA. on Ancestry. I am thinking I should show more NA.
Mention should be made of the Cherokee Freedmen, which adds complexity to the search for ancestors and the larger history of enslavement among the Five Civilized Tribes. This is a suppressed history that should be better known. Descendants of Freedmen are able to enroll and become citizens of the Cherokee Nation. [link edited]
Thank you for your comment, Ellen!
I am enrolled Cherokee, and have been fortunate to dig up genealogy records going back many generations.
My main question is this: is it possible to figure out my Clan, and if so, how do I go about it?
Hi Guin. Unfortunately, a person’s clan membership was considered private and personal. Though not secret, they were also never formally recorded by the tribes. Unfortunately, if the clan name was not passed down through the generations, there is no way to determine that today. Perhaps consider reaching out to other family members to determine if this information was shared somewhere through the generations. Good luck!
Thank you for your recommendation. I still have some family back in Oklahoma, so I’ll reach out to them and see if they know.
The walker tribe I think he was called chief walker and theirs abook been written years ago is their a tribe of that name around today?
Thank you for reaching out. Please consider filling out the form on our Get in Touch page to provide more information. You may be able to learn something from a short consultation with one of our Client Solutions Specialists.
I was wondering about researching Cherokee Freedmen? From what I understand, they were automatically left off the Dawes Rolls if they had any African-American features regardless if they could prove their blood quantum. I am looking for a family member that might have proved their blood quantum. My mother’s DNA test shows she has native American blood.
Carol, we have researchers who specialize in Native American and African American research. They can find the best services to use to make good use of the DNA test. Please contact us for a free estimate on a research package.
My father has always said that we had Cherokee in our blood, I”m really wanting to put the money in to find out if it’s true. From a child I’ve always been proud of my dark eyes and high cheekbones because of what he told me and I’m terrified to find out otherwise.
Hi Bailey,
We’ve helped a lot of clients with Native American ancestry. Our DNA researchers can provide the steps to help you learn more about your family history. Please contact us by filling out the form on our Get in Touch page. We can point you in the right direction and give you a free estimate if research is needed.
I highly recommend 23andme for DNA testing to find proof of NA.
Hi Charlotte,
Our DNA researchers can help you take your information about family history to the next level. We can help you navigate those results and start on a path to trace your lineage or solve a family mystery. If you’re interested in next steps, please contact us by filling out the form on our Get in Touch page. We can give you a free estimate if research is needed.
There were seven Cherokee Clans. They are: LONG HAIR (A Ni Gi Lo Hi), BIRD (A Ni TSI S KWA), BLUE (A NI SA HO NI), PAINT (A NI WO DI), WILD POTATO (A NI GA TO GE WI), WOLF (A NI WA YAH) and DEER (A NI KA WI). I believe I have traced my ancestry back to the Wild Potato Clan and the Blue Clan.
Thank you for sharing this, Beverly! What a great heritage to have.
Can you post what Mt Halpogroup Cherokee would have?
Hi Sherri! Native American mitochondrial DNA consists of five base haplogroups, A, B, C, D and X. Within those five major haplogroups are found many Native as well as non-Native sub-haplogroups.
Source:https://dna-explained.com/2017/03/02/new-native-american-mitochondrial-dna-haplogroups/amp/
A person who was part of the Cherokee nation could have any mtDna haplogroup however, (Native, European, African etc). MtDna only indicates the deep ancestral origins of one specific line in your family tree (direct maternal line) and the Cherokee nation, like other native tribes, mixed with Europeans, Africans, etc. MtDna alone cannot serve as proof for or against tribal affiliation since it only provides insights into the deep (thousands of years ago) origins of your direct maternal line. It does not tell you what your ancestor’s cultural identity hundreds of years ago was, though it can offer possible clues for your research.
Hope this helps!
I know for a fact my grandmother was 100 percent Cherokee Indian, and her parents unfortunately they had to Americanize their names so made it hard to prove ancestry as my mom was half Cherokee from my grandmother so I am definitely a quarter of my mom’s half. Indian name was Spurgeon. Like in the bird not 100 percent on name spelling but American white name was for Cox and Griffin changed to…another piece is that history was removed from history books that one of our Cherokee ancestors was married to Andrew Jackson and I remember seeing photos of her in history books in the 80’s but it been removed out of history was on google in the 90’s but its now removed on that fact. Seams a lot of American history is hidden or hard to find but I need to prove ancestry as my mother before she died was trying to do.
Hi Maria! Yes, this kind of research can be so very complex. If you’d like more help with your research, you can schedule a consultation here: https://www.legacytree.com/genealogy-consultation
Thats funny you mention this. My maiden name is Griffin and on my moms side my grandmother German/Indian use to tell us stories about how we were related to Andrew Jackson. Now just the other week my dad threw a shocker at me. Through his mom my 4x great grandfather was a Cherokee medicine man. Which my dad was taught that knowledge, and he’s been teaching me recently. Plus my entire life it was no secret the original family surname was not Griffin, and that my great great grandfather was made to change it. Plus I grew up around a family whose surname is Cox.
Wow, Kelly! What a wonderful heritage to inherit and discover. Thank you for sharing a bit of your story here with us!
My name is Toni Thompson my great grandmothers last name was Dobbs. I was wondering if there is any information on that last name as I was told she was Cherokee.
Hi, Toni! This would be a great question for and conversation with one of our professional genealogists who specializes in Cherokee genealogy. You could schedule a 45-minute consultation to see how far that gets you: http://www.LegacyTree.com/genealogy-consultation
I am 91 years old was told we were part indian out of georgia, we do have other nationallties in our DNA