The Cherokee Princess Myth
Why family stories, DNA kits, and questions of identity are more complicated than you think
No princesses: Cherokee society never had royalty. The “princess” story is a myth projected by outsiders.
DNA ≠ Native identity: There is no such thing as “Native American DNA.” At-home tests can’t prove tribal membership or specific ancestry.
Why so many claims? Cherokee ancestry became a popular story due to history of intermarriage, slavery, and romanticized myths after the Trail of Tears.
Sovereignty matters: Only tribes, not DNA companies, decide who their citizens are. DNA results used in courts or for benefits threaten that sovereignty.
What to do instead: Rely on genealogy, historical records, and community connections. Respect tribal sovereignty.
If you’ve ever looked into your family tree, you may have heard it: the tale of a great-great-grandmother who was a “Cherokee princess.” She’s usually described with long black hair, high cheekbones, a mysterious past, and, somehow, a royal title. The story is so common it’s practically a joke in genealogy circles.
But here’s the catch: Cherokee people never had princesses. And with the rise of at-home DNA tests, more and more Americans are trying to prove those stories true, only to discover the results don’t work the way they think.
Why “Cherokee Princess” Stories Are Everywhere
According to the U.S. Census, more people claim Cherokee ancestry than any other tribe. In 2010, over 800,000 Americans reported it. Yet the combined enrollment of the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes is less than half that number.
So why Cherokee?
Intermarriage: Centuries ago, Cherokee women sometimes married European traders, creating large extended kin networks.
Slavery: Some Cherokee families owned slaves, which still shows up in African American family stories today.
Romantic appeal: After the Trail of Tears, claiming Cherokee ancestry became a way for white Southerners to emphasize independence and “authentic” American roots.
European imagination: The title of “princess” was simply projected onto Cherokee women by outsiders who couldn’t understand a matrilineal clan system without royalty.
The result: a myth that still echoes through thousands of family stories.
The DNA Test Illusion
Spit in a tube, send it off, and a few weeks later your results land in your inbox. Companies promise to “discover who you are.” But when it comes to Native ancestry, the science is more complicated.
Here’s the reality: there is no such thing as a single “Native American gene.” The genetic markers used in these tests also appear in other populations. At best, DNA testing can suggest possible Native ancestry, it cannot prove it, and it certainly can’t tie you to a specific tribe.
As Dakota scholar Kim TallBear says plainly: “There is no DNA test to prove you’re Native American.”
What Tests Can (and Can’t) Tell You
✅ May detect Native ancestry in the last few generations
✅ Can connect you with distant relatives who have documented ancestry
❌ Can’t prove tribal citizenship
❌ Can’t specify tribes like Cherokee
❌ Can’t override tribal sovereignty or enrollment rules
Why Sovereignty Matters
This is more than a genealogy debate. It’s about sovereignty.
The Cherokee Nation, United Keetoowah Band, and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, like all federally recognized tribes, decide their own citizenship. That’s a constitutional right of self-determination, not something a lab report can determine.
When DNA companies imply otherwise, they chip away at hard-won sovereignty. And people have tried to use DNA results in court to claim minority status or tribal benefits, raising alarms in Native communities about how these tests could be weaponized.
Family Stories vs. Real Research
So what if you grew up hearing that you’re part Cherokee?
DNA kits won’t settle the question. Real research means:
Genealogy: tracing your family line with birth, death, and census records
Tribal rolls: such as the Dawes Roll, used for allotment in the late 1800s
Community connection: recognizing that Cherokee identity is about living relationships and culture, not just ancestry
DNA might help confirm a recent ancestor, but it cannot replace the paper trail or the ties of culture and community.
Why the Myth Sticks Around
The persistence of the Cherokee princess story says less about Cherokee people and more about American identity. For many non-Native families, claiming Native ancestry feels like a way to belong more deeply to this land, or to soften uncomfortable truths about colonialism.
But Native identity isn’t a symbol to borrow. It’s a living, breathing reality carried by sovereign nations, languages, and traditions today.
Case in Point: Elizabeth Warren
In 2018, Senator Elizabeth Warren released DNA results showing a distant Native ancestor. But Cherokee Nation officials quickly clarified: DNA can’t prove tribal belonging. Citizenship is a political and cultural relationship, not a percentage on a chart.
The controversy highlighted the gap between how Americans think about ancestry and how Native nations define identity.
How to Approach Family Lore Respectfully
If you’re curious about Native ancestry in your family tree:
Start with genealogy, not DNA kits.
Respect sovereignty. Tribes, not companies, decide membership.
Learn about Native life today. Don’t stop at history, engage with present issues.
Support Native communities. Even if your family stories don’t pan out, you can stand in solidarity.
Avoid appropriation. Don’t adopt titles, practices, or symbols that aren’t yours to claim.
The Bottom Line
The Cherokee princess may be a myth, but the questions it raises are real. DNA kits can be fun for exploring family history, but they can’t answer the deeper questions of belonging, responsibility, and identity.
If your family lore points toward Cherokee heritage, let it spark curiosity, not a claim. The truth is more complicated than a test result, and more meaningful than a myth.