- 1). Find out to which tribe or tribes your ancestor belonged. You can petition each tribe for their records or assistance in finding Native relatives.
- 2). Investigate state records for genealogy information if you know where your ancestors lived. Historical societies often have information pertaining to Native American records.
- 3). Get a copy of the Dawes Rolls, a comprehensive list of Natives from major tribes during the 19th and 20th centuries, to see if your last name is on the rolls. You can access the Rolls online through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. You can get copies online or have them mailed to your home.
- 4). Look for your ancestors on the Rolls to see their tribal affiliation. If you can't find their names, try different spellings, since sometimes census takers or relatives spelled names differently. Record the Rolls number assigned to each Native relative. With that number, you can investigate their heritage, age and gender.
- 5). Search the list of denied applicants if you can't find your Native ancestors on the Dawes Rolls. Sometimes applications for inclusion on the Rolls are denied, but they save all records of these at accessgenealogy.com.
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