You can find a first name, surname, or even a place — people just have to try and think a bit more broadly.
Diane L. Richard: I try to remind people not to get caught up on there being a certain way to spell a name. Nowadays, we have IDs with our names, or somebody will ask to spell our names, but they didn’t ask those questions back then. You would’ve been talking to a clerk, who would have written down what they thought they heard. You can find a first name, surname, or even a place — people just have to try and think a bit more broadly. Also, there’s often some interest in having Native American ancestry — many approach me about it, and one of my first questions is always, “Where did your ancestors live?” If your family spent 200 years living in Duplin County, you’re not going to find Cherokee heritage. It’s just recognizing what you started with and understanding the history component of where people lived.