Family tells me we have Lakota (Sioux) in our heritage. How do I find out if this is true or not?

Not all Cherokee appear on the Dawes Roll!! The Dawes Roll is what the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma uses as a basis for enrollment - ie: you have to prove you descend from someone on the Dawes Roll. The other Federally Recognized Cherokee Nation is The Eastern Band of Cherokee, they use the Baker Roll as their basis for enrollment. And there are lots and lots of Cherokee out there that don't appear on either of these rolls. If you need more information on the Cherokee and their history to help you to find out about any connection you might consider joining a group that specializes in Native American Genealogy. My wife has such a group, she and I are both of Cherokee ancestry and have been helping people for years. Here's the URL

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Native_American_Gene...

As far as the Lakota and Apache we have people that can help you along those lines too...

I'm guessing he found the family on the Dawes Roll. If that is the case you can contact the local tribal office and see what documentation they have. You will need to find the name on the Dawes Roll and have the registration number.

I would think if you search the Dawes Roll you may find your Dad's side if they were registered.

Until you have the proof from the Dawes Roll and all the documentation that was submitted I would not believe anything anyone has found. Everything has to be documented with birth, death and marriage certificates. Then you must prove your relationship to that person the same way.

It's a long process but the only way to find out anything about your family is to do the research and documents. You have to have the documents or you can't prove a thing.

You will need to be a little more specific about which tribes your ancestors came from. Depending on where in the country they were, when and if they registered with the U S government as being members of the tribe. Many of the records pertaining to tribal members were lost or destroyed. The Dawes Rolls, while sometimes helpful, is not the definative answer. Many native peoples would not or could not register. Keep in mind that they were for the most part nomadic people, sometimes moving with the climate or resources. Then there was the 'assimilation and civilization' campaign. They were assigned new white names, with no affiliation to their families or past. Then in the 1960-70's it became fashionable to claim an Indian heritage ( the whole "my great-grandmother was an Indian Princess" thing)And while the US government recognizes some tribes, there are many tribes that for one reason or another are not recognized and there is no registration.

Here is some information regarding the three Nations you mentioned. Many tribes and sub-tribes have very informative websites and can individually point you in the direction that will help you trace your family...

Sub-tribes made up the Apache nation. They were the Aravaipa Apache,

Chiricahua Apache,

Cibecue Apache,

Jicarilla Apache,

Kiowa Apache,

Lipan Apache,

Membreno-Mescalero Apache,

Tonto Apache,

Ute Apache,

Western Apache

and White Mountain Apache.

The groups spoke seven different languages. The current division of Apachean groups includes the

Navajo,

Western Apache,

Chiricahua,

Mescalero,

Jicarilla,

Lipan, and Plains Apache (formerly Kiowa-Apache).

Apache groups are now in Oklahoma and Texas and on reservations in Arizona and New Mexico. The Navajo reside on a large reservation in the United States.

Here is a link to information on the different recognized and unrecognized tribes of the Cherokee Nation

http://www.native-languages.org/cherokee_culture.h...

Here is another link to a page that has several links regarding Cherokee heritage and genealogy

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/northamerica/...

Lakota reservations recognized by the US government include:

Oglala (Pine Ridge Indian Reservation)

Brulé (Rosebud Indian Reservation)

Hunkpapa (Standing Rock Reservation)

Miniconjou (Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation)

Sans Arcs (Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation)

Siha Sapa (Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation)

Two Kettles (Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation)

Some Lakota also live on other Sioux reservations in eastern South Dakota, Minnesota, and Nebraska:

Santee, in Nebraska

Crow Creek in Central South Dakota

Yankton in Central South Dakota

Flandreau in Eastern South Dakota

Sisseton-Wahpehton in Northeastern South Dakota and Southeastern North Dakota

Lower Sioux in Minnesota

Upper Sioux in Minnesota

Shakopee in Minnesota

Prairie Island in Minnesota

In addition several Lakota live on Wood Mountain Indian Reserve often Wood Mountain First Nation northwest of Wood Mountain Post now a Saskatchewan historic site.

Here is another link regarding tribes in general

http://inkido.indiana.edu/w310work/romac/links.htm

Good luck in your search...

Holly's right, check that out!

Also, perhaps someone from your cousin's household would have that info? Surely he documented the info somewhere.

I would ask my cousin how he found the Cherokee