Great Lakes

United States – Great Lakes

The Great Lakes region is one of the richest areas in North American Indigenous genealogy. Research can cross Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, as well as neighboring regions in Canada. Families may appear under different historical names, spellings and jurisdictions, making location-based research especially important.

Tribes & Nations States Records Archives Digital Resources Research Workflow

Tribes & Native Nations of the Great Lakes

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Anishinaabe / Ojibwe / Chippewa

Anishinaabe-related communities are central to Great Lakes research. Historical records may use Ojibwe, Chippewa or other spellings and descriptions.

Odawa / Ottawa

Potawatomi

Wisconsin Native Nations

Minnesota Native Nations

Other Great Lakes Peoples

Menominee
Ho-Chunk
Miami
Wyandot
Shawnee
Kickapoo
Illinois peoples
Oneida
Stockbridge-Munsee

Historical communities and modern tribal governments do not always occupy the same geographic areas. Migration and relocation are essential parts of Great Lakes research.

National Archives – Great Lakes Native Communities

NARA provides a dedicated Great Lakes Native Communities research guide covering historic and modern Native communities and research strategies for the region.

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Genealogy Records & Record Types

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BIA Agency Records

Important Great Lakes Records

Indian census rolls
Tribal enrollment records
Durant and other historical rolls
BIA agency correspondence
Allotment records
Reservation records
Land surveys and maps
Indian school records
Church and mission records
Military records
Probate and estate records
Newspapers

Census & Rolls

Schools & Education

School records can be particularly important when a family member lived on or near a reservation.

Great Lakes BIA Agency Examples

NARA Chicago identifies numerous Record Group 75 holdings connected to the Great Lakes, including Bad River, Great Lakes, Green Bay, Keshena/Menominee, Lac du Flambeau, Leech Lake, Mackinac, Michigan, Oneida, Red Cliff, Tomah and White Earth agencies.

Explore NARA Chicago Finding Aids

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Archives, Libraries & Research Centers

National Archives and Records Administration NARA Catalog National Archives at Chicago NARA Chicago Finding Aids Library of Congress – Indigenous Peoples Resources Library of Michigan Wisconsin Historical Society Minnesota Historical Society Illinois State Archives Indiana State Library Ohio History Connection WorldCat

Digital Genealogy & Historical Resources

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Genealogy Databases

Books & Newspapers

Maps & Visual Sources

Tribal Websites

Tribal websites should be checked directly for current government information, historical material, enrollment information, cultural resources and community contacts.

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Research Workflow for Great Lakes Native American Genealogy

Begin with a documented ancestor, location and approximate date.
Determine which Great Lakes state and county or reservation was involved.
Identify historical names for the tribe, band, reservation or agency.
Search NARA's Great Lakes Native Communities guide and Record Group 75.
Check Indian census rolls and other enrollment-related records.
Search land, allotment, probate and estate records.
Investigate church, mission and school records.
Use newspapers to identify relationships, residences and community connections.
Check modern tribal sources for historical and community context.
Follow migration into neighboring Great Lakes states, Canada, Oklahoma and other U.S. regions.
Record every variant spelling of surnames, personal names, place names and tribal terminology.

Continue Your Research

Great Lakes families frequently connect with the Northeast, Great Plains, Southeast and Canadian First Nations through migration, treaty history, removal and intermarriage.

Back to United States Northeast Southeast

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