How to Obtain the Paperwork for a Proof of Native American Descent
- 1). Explore your home to find evidence of family vital statistics from resources such as marriage licenses, birth certificates, pictures, military records, newspaper clippings, diaries, baby books and more.
- 2). Ask family members, especially the older ones, for information such as names, dates and locations of birth, marriages and deaths of family members who may have Indian lineage.
- 3). Gain access to a computer with Internet either at home, a friend's house, your local public library or even a community college.
- 4). Search for genealogy sites using an online search engine. You will likely have to pay for the genealogy service. Upon gaining access, use the family information you have gathered to complete the searches, starting with your own information.
- 5). Check with local schools, churches and courthouses to find vital records, property deeds and more if online genealogy searches do not provide enough information. National archives can be accessed by contacting or visiting National Archives and Records Administration (nara.gov).
- 6). Contact the bureau of vital statistics for your state or the state of your family's original residence to find out what information it can provide you with as well. The bureau of vital statistics should have birth records dating as far back as the late 1800s.
- 7). Visit a library to find information about a specific tribe once you have determined what tribe your ancestors may have belonged to. The library should be able to provide information such as tribal territories and migratory paths of a specific tribe that can help you to know where some of your ancestors may have lived.
- 8). Collect all of the information you have found regarding your Indian lineage and contact the office of the tribe for which you descend from. A list of contact information for each tribe can be obtained through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (bia.gov) for further instruction.
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