Is it common in the U.S to have Cherokee or Choctaw heritage?

Question

I am wondering ,I took a DNA test that showed 12%-20%
Native American. I feel like this has to be choctaw or cherokee
since my family origionally came to Oklahoma from Tennessee.
The thing is I really dont look that much Native American
and I cannot find any concrete evidence of this after
looking at paper trails.
Should I question this test?

Answer 1

Supposedly there is Choctaw on my mother's side, but I don't really know anything about it. So yes, lots of people have it.

Because I think they are both part of the "Five Civilized Tribes" that cooperated with and picked up white ways pretty easy, no doubt their genes also easily spread to plenty of other families too.

That said, it may well not be either of those two. We've generally always been on the east coast, but we have D/Lakota (dad's side) that got in there because a (great great?) grandfather had gone west for railroad work. And well, plenty of young folks find love when off on such an adventure.

Answer 2

Well first of all a DNA test CANNOT tell you that you have a certain percentage of Native American blood. All the DNA test can tell you is that you have a number of "markers" in common with their supposed sampling of Native Americans. And even if you have those markers in common it DOES NOT mean you have Native American ancestry for sure. And none of the Federally Recognized Nations or Tribes will accept DNA testing as proof of Native Ancestry

Now if you could trace your family coming to this continent say back before 1800 then you would have a good chance of having Native American ancestry back there somewhere.

Answer 3

I have been unable to find anything concrete; however, if any one is an AMERICAN (as opposed to some one who has recently acquired American citizenship), there is someone in their lineage that is Native American. Many of them are of Cherokee ancestry.
Don't expect to find a solid paper trail; not only was there a genuine hatred of whites towards all "coloreds" (including Natives) but official records to TODAY are not all that accurate. I was born at home; all my siblings were born at home. Going back in time, so much of records were kept ONLY in family Bibles or in church records.
One of my ancestors married an Indian woman; I have no idea if she was a Cherokee or what! I have her full name, but nothing more, other than date/place of birth/death/marriage.
As far as I am aware, DNA will not provide the tribe of an ancestor, for the simple reason that many tribes intermarried, even when at war.
Good luck.

Answer 4

No, you shouldn't question the test....you should question your research. DNA is incontrovertible.

Cherokee and Choctaw are not the only tribes in the southeast. Creek, Seminole, Kickapoo, and others.

"Looking at paper trails" isn't going to do it. Tracing your genealogy is an extremely time-consuming thing to do. You will be checking through the non-Indian ancestery. White men kept records, Indian's didn't.

You need to know the names of your grandparents, great grandparents and their parents, including the maiden names of the women. You need to find marriage licenses, birth and death certificates. You need to find the dates they were married and where.

It's not something that can be accomplished in a coupla days. My mother worked on it 25 years and I am still working on it.

Check family records, bibles, journal's, diaries, etc.

Good luck.

Answer 5

yes if your family is from the south east andpast down the traditional ways of these non concord tribes you will know at a very young age weather your indian or not you should not have to fine a paper trail it is insteeld for live not hunting ansestory rod

Answer 6

12-20% isn't really that much so that's why you don't look like it. That's about the same % Native American I am and I'm not that dark.

Answer 7

well the cherokee nation was HUGE, as well as the choctaw, so to answer your question, yes. but know matter how common it is, be proud of your native american herritage. and what indigo said. she is intitled to her opinyon but thats not what i would say, the tribes who coroperated with the whites i would call the five savage tribes, all the rest, freedom fighters, and good people.

Answer 8

I am 1/8 Cherokee (12.5 %), do I look dark?