United States

Indigenous & Native Peoples

United States

A national genealogy hub for researching Indigenous and Native American ancestry in the United States. Start with the region where your family lived, then move into state, tribal, community and record-specific research.

How to use this page: Choose a region below to find more detailed resources. Regional research should then be narrowed to a state, historical community or nation, relevant BIA agency, reservation or other place connected to your family.

Explore the United States by region

Northeast

New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and surrounding historical communities.

Southeast

Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee, Seminole and many other southeastern communities.

Great Lakes

Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.

Great Plains

The central plains and the many nations whose histories cross the region.

Southwest

Arizona, New Mexico and surrounding Indigenous communities and historical territories.

Mountain West

Rocky Mountain states and Indigenous communities across the interior West.

Pacific Northwest

Washington, Oregon, Idaho and neighboring Indigenous communities.

California

California tribes, communities, missions, reservations and historical records.

Alaska Native Peoples

Alaska Native communities, villages, records and historical resources.

Start with the major national archives

National Archives

The National Archives is one of the most important national starting points for American Indian and Alaska Native genealogy.

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress provides historical publications, photographs, maps, newspapers, manuscripts and digital collections.

Federal Indigenous records

Tribal Rolls

Enrollment and historical rolls can provide names, family relationships and community connections.

Explore Tribal Rolls

Indian Census Rolls

Federal Indian census records can help trace households across reservations and agencies.

Explore Indian Census Rolls

Dawes Records

Especially important for Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee and Seminole research.

Explore Dawes Records

Guion Miller Roll

An important resource for people researching Cherokee ancestry and applications connected with the Eastern Cherokee.

Explore Guion Miller Roll

BIA Agencies

Historical BIA agencies can help identify where records for a community may be located.

Explore BIA Record Guides

Indian Affairs

The Bureau of Indian Affairs provides tribal and federal information and directories.

Bureau of Indian Affairs

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Tribes, nations and communities

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Find a federally recognized tribe

Tribal and community research

Research by record type

Census

Land and allotment

Treaties

Schools

Military

Newspapers

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Digital genealogy resources

FamilySearch

Genealogy databases

Historical books and documents

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Photographs, maps and digital collections

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Library of Congress collections

National Archives collections

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Researching names, identity and terminology

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Historical records may use names and spellings that differ considerably from the terminology used by a community today. Search variants, historical spellings, English translations, colonial terminology and older administrative names when working with original records.

DNA and Indigenous genealogy

DNA testing can sometimes help identify genetic relationships and support genealogical hypotheses. It should be used together with documentary evidence such as census records, rolls, land records, church records, family papers and community sources.

Important: DNA results by themselves do not establish tribal citizenship or membership. Tribal nations determine their own citizenship or enrollment requirements.

A practical research workflow

1. Identify the place

Find the state, county, town, reservation, agency or community connected to the ancestor.

2. Identify the community

Determine which nation, tribe, band or Indigenous community is historically connected to the location.

3. Search historical names

Record every spelling and historical terminology used in the documents.

4. Search federal records

Check census rolls, tribal rolls, BIA records, agency records and the NARA Catalog.

5. Search local records

Look for county, state, church, school, court, land, probate and newspaper records.

6. Connect generations

Use multiple independent records to connect each generation rather than relying on one source.

Useful national starting points

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Explore the regional research hubs

Start with the region connected to your family, then move deeper into state, nation, community and individual record collections.

Back to Indigenous & Native Peoples

Continue Your Genealogy Research