Navaho Indians ( pron. Na’-va-ho, from Tewa Navahú, the name referring to a large area of cultivated lands; applied to a former Tewa pueblo, and, by extension, to the Navaho, known to the Spaniards of the 17th century as Apaches de Navajo, who intruded on the Tewa domain or who lived in the vicinity, to distinguish them front other “Apache” bands.Hewett in Am. Anthrop., viii,193,1906. Fray Alonso Benavides, in his Memorial of 1630, gives the earliest translation of the tribal name, in the form Nauajó, ‘sementeras grandes’’great seed-sowings’, or ‘great fields’. Read more about the Navaho History.
Navajo Indian Biographies
Bureau of Indian Affairs
- A Guide to Tracing your Indian Ancestry (PDF)
- Tribal Leaders Directory
- Recognized Indian Entities, 10/2010 Update (PDF)
Navajo Indian Cemeteries
Navajo Indian Census
- Free US Indian Census Rolls 1885-1940
- Indians in the 11th (1890) Census of the United States
- Indian Census Records
- US Indian Census Schedules 1885-1940 – Ancestry.com
- Navajo Census Records 1884-1940, (hosted at Diné (The “People”) Family History of Harrison Lapahie Jr.)
Navajo Indian Clans
Federally Recognized Tribes
- Navajo Nation– Official Website of the Nation
P.O. Box 9000
Willow Rock, AZ 86515
Genealogy Help Pages
- Proving Your Indian Ancestry
- Indian Genealogy
- DNA- Testing for your Native American Ancestry
- How to Write a Genealogical Query
Navajo Indian History
Navajo Indian Home Page Links
- Genealogy of Harrison Lapahie Jr (hosted at Diné (The “People”) Family History of Harrison Lapahie Jr.)
Navajo Indian Land Records
Navajo Indian Language
- Sign Language Among North American Indians
- Navajo Language (hosted at Native Languages)
- Navajo Vocabulary, words in Navajo
Navajo Indian Legends
Mailing Lists
- NA-NEWBIES – A mailing list for anyone new to Native American Research, all Tribes and Nations.
- NATIVEAMERICAN-BURIALGROUNDS – Discussing and sharing of information regarding remaining and lost Native American burial grounds in the United States
- NATIVEAMERICAN-CHIEFS – A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in the chiefs of the Native American tribes/nations in the United States. Stories or history of Chiefs in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean are also welcome.
- INDIAN TRIBES-LOCATION, One for each state. Ask questions to find the location of your ancestors
- INDIAN CEMETERIES, A place to share the location or transcriptions of Indian Cemeteries
- INDIAN ROLL LIST, List for each of the Indian Rolls, discussion on each of the rolls
- NA-NAVAJO-TRIBE, List for research to proving your Navajo Ancestry
Navajo Indian Military
- Navajo Code Talkers (hosted at Diné (The “People”) Family History of Harrison Lapahie Jr.)
- Indian Wars, Conflicts and Disturbances 1614-1893
- Indians Who Served in the War (WWII)
- Navajo Attacks, Surrender and Reservations (hosted at Arizona Genealogy)
- Native American Medal of Honor Recipients (hosted at US Army Center of Military History)
Other Tribes
The list of tribes and organizations below are not federally recognized. Many of them are state recognized organizations only or working towards federal recognition. We do not have the resources to check the validity of each and every organization and expect that you should before attempting to join or send a monetary contribution. We will provide a listing for any Native American organization or tribe. If you would like your organization listed please submit the information here.
Indian Schools
Navajo Indian Treaties
- Indian Treaties, Acts and Agreements
- Signers of Native American Treaties, Indian, Military and Guests
- Indian Affairs, Laws and Treaties, Vol. 2
- As the United States expanded westward from the original thirteen colonies, settlers often confronted the existing owners of the land. As a result the federal government often negotiated treaties with these Native Americans. This collection of official treaties was compiled by the United States and originally printed in 1904. (Subscribers Only) Try Ancestry.com’s Census Images for FREE!!!
Navajo Indian Suggested Reading
Navajo-English Dictionary
In response to a recent surge of interest in Native American history, culture and lore, Hippocrene brings you a concise and straightforward dictionary of the Navajo tongue. The dictionary is designed to aid Navajos learning English as well as English speakers interested in acquiring knowledge of Navajo.
Diné: A History of the Navajos
This comprehensive narrative traces the history of the Navajos from their origins to the beginning of the twenty-first century. Based on extensive archival research, traditional accounts, interviews, historic and contemporary photographs, and firsthand observation, it provides a detailed, up-to-date portrait of the Diné past and present that will be essential for scholars, students, and interested general readers, both Navajo and non-Navajo.
Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII
Although more than 400 Navajos served in the military during World War II as top-secret code talkers, even those fighting shoulder to shoulder with them were not told of their covert function. And, after the war, the Navajos were forbidden to speak of their service until 1968, when the code was finally declassified. Of the original twenty-nine Navajo code talkers, Chester Nez is the only one still alive. The original twenty-nine were the men who first devised the code, then proved it indispensable in combat.
