The first “official” Cherokee rolls were taken in 1817 and there were two – the Reservation Roll and the Emigration Roll. Subsequently, between 1835 and 1907, twenty-eight documents compiling lists of Cherokee people were created. This is an explanation of … Continue reading →

There are several Rolls which might document your Cherokee ancestry. But how do you know which Roll you need to be searching? Here are some general guides to sort it all out.

Most people have a good understanding of basic relationship words such as “mother,” “father,” “aunt,” “uncle,” “brother,” and “sister.” But what about the relationship terms that we don’t use in everyday speech? Terms like “second cousin” and “first cousin, once … Continue reading →

Rukes is an uncommon surname worldwide. Only 202 people have this surname today.