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Tracing your ethnic heritage may be one of the most difficult or one of the easiest tasks you'll ever undertake. Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Native Americans, Blacks, and Jewish origins are some of the more difficult to trace. As with any family history, your ethnic heritage begins with you, your parents, grandparents, etc. Do not think that since your ancestors were slaves, or indentured servants, or religious prisoners, that you can not find information. Years ago that would have been the case, but, not now, many records and books exist pertaining to ethnic heritage.
Beginning with the Native American, there are records available in Washington, D.C., such as the 1830's Census of the Creek and Cherokee Nation. You may also write the:
Bureau of Indian Affairs
1951 Constitution Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20245
Other sources of information may come from within your local Bureau of Indian Affairs.
For Cubans, most of the records are located with the Civil Registry of an individual town. These records may consist of census records, military records, birth, and marriage and death records. You will want to contact the specific city or town officials and give them detailed information as to why you are looking for this information. You will most likely also have to prove who you are and relationship to the person you have queried.
For Puerto Ricans, records were kept by the different parish priests or within the Archbishop's Archive. The National Archives at San Juan, Puerto Rico is perhaps your best avenue for records. Send them a detailed letter explaining why you want the information and your possible relationship to the person you are requesting information on.
Mexicans may find records at their National Archives, at Palacio Nacional, Mexico. Items such as, baptisms, wills, deaths, land records, marriages, etc. can be found at the archives. The Mexican government will give this information out sometimes at a small fee other times freely. You must write a letter requesting the information also explaining why.
Jewish ancestry has been aided by the publication of, The Unbroken Chain: Biographical Sketches and the Genealogy of Illustrious Jewish Families from the 15th-20th Century, by Neil Rosenstein; Finding Our Fathers: A Guidebook to Jewish Genealogy, by Dan Rottenberg; and a book entitled, First American Jewish Families. 600 Genealogies, 1654-1977, by Rabbi Malcolm H. Stern. The American Jewish Archives in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Genealogical Society of Utah, and the Central Archives for Jewish people located in Jerusalem. You may also contact the American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati OH 45220. . Any one of these resources will start you well on your way to tracing your Jewish ancestry.
Black Americans have been helped extensively through the efforts of Alex Haley; but most black Americans are still faced with the question of where do I start? A book entitled Black Genesis, by James Rose and Alice Eichholz and Alex Haley's book Roots are two main sources for the researcher of African Heritage. The book, Black Genesis, gives reference to collections in New York City and the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Located in the National Archives in Washington D.C. is a publication called, List of Free Black Heads of Families in the First Census of the United States, 1790. Carter G. Woodson, a noted black historian, has written two books that also are very helpful to the black researcher--Free Negro Owners of Slaves in the United States in 1830, and Free Negro Heads of Families in the United States in 1830. There are also records available in the archives in Africa; and many blacks fought for the United States in several wars. There are books covering this area of research also, one such title is The Negro in the Military Service of the United States, 1639-1886.
Remember that tracing any family's roots is a difficult task and some more than others. But diligence and desire usually pays off with great reward. Never give up, keep looking, keep smiling, and stay proud. Do not be afraid to ask questions and send letters requesting information.
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