My Grandma told me that I was related to Native Americans but I can't find any proof.
My (paternal) Grandma told me that either one of her dad's cousins or one of her grandparents cousins on her dad's side was native american. She said that she has long flowing hair but could not recall her name or really any other details besides that.
I looked through most of her paternal family but I cannot find any proof of this. I am beginning to suspect it is one of her cousins spouses, but i have not checked yet. Could someone help me out? It would be really helpful. Thanks.
Answers
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I would takle this as a regular ancestor tree. Start with you and your parents and create the tree with sources. Now "long flowing hair" is not an appoved genealogical source, save this for a fun family conversation. Family stories can point you in a direction, but should not be ranked in the same category as contemporary city,state, or church records.
Carefully push back each generation with sorces from your ancestors lifetime, to give you more accurate details of parentage and family associations.
If the person or near family member is already in the FamilyTree here on FS - share over the Person ID so we all can go look and see if we can help you or give more specific help ideas.
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Many of us have similar stories from our grandparents or great-grandparents. Sometimes the stories have a solid basis; sometimes they are just stories. And, often, any Native American ancestry is so far back in history that there is no paper trail.
Those with Native American roots may not be so recorded in the census or in vital records. Reading the directions to census enumerators for each decade can give insight.
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You’ll need a little more information before anyone can run a meaningful search. Without names, dates, or places, Native American research is a long, difficult road. Still, there are a few places to start.
You might begin with the FamilySearch Wiki pages for Native American Genealogy. They provide a good overview of record types, tribal histories, and the locations of different collections.
Some people also try third‑party DNA testing. DNA can’t confirm a tribe, but it may point to a general region or population group, which can help you know where to begin.
If someone thinks they may have Native American heritage but doesn’t yet have names or a tribe, the best first step is simply building out their family tree. Look at parents, grandparents, and great‑grandparents, then check basic records like birth and marriage certificates and the 1900–1910 U.S. censuses.
Once you have a few names and places, you can check key resources such as the Dawes Rolls, Guion Miller Roll, and the Indian Census Rolls (1885–1940). These are the main record sets used to confirm tribal connections.
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