Articles & FAQs

Can I Get My Blood Tested To Prove That I Am A Cherokee?
by Christina Berry

This is one of the most commonly asked questions on this site. Unfortunately, the simple answer to this question is, "You can't." It's true that there is a "Native American" genetic markers which can be found using both the Mitochondrial and Y-chromosome testing methods, but these tests only indicate if a has an unbroken male or female Native American line. If, for example your grandfather is half-Cherokee and he received his Cherokee ancestry from his mother, then both the Mitochondrial and Y-chromosome tests will result in a false negative for the Native American genetic marker. Additionally, none of the federally recognized Cherokee tribes accept DNA evidence as proof for enrollment.

However, despite these issues, DNA testing has quite a lot to offer families seeking their origins. Organizations like Brigham Young University and Ancestry.com are working to link individuals together based on these genetic links. Perhaps some day we will all be linked together in one giant genetic tree. When that day comes it might be possible to use DNA to pinpoint our actual ancestors and be extremely specific regarding tribal affiliation. Today, genetic genealogy is in its infancy, but the future is why opening for this burgeoning trend and technology.

Genetic Testing
Ancestry.com DNA Testing - Ancestry now offers DNA testing to link you to distant cousins and give you a full picture of your genetic history.

Genealogy Research
Excerpts from this article appear in the All Things Cherokee Customized Cherokee Rolls Report, which also includes detailed Cherokee enrollment information, as well as a custom surname search of 15 Cherokee rolls, including the Dawes and Baker Rolls.