Pioneer Certificates



Just like you can be part of a lineage organization such as the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) or Colonial Dames or Daughters of the War of 1812– there are special certificates of recognition of a person’s historic heritage offered by different states and or counties.

To learn more do a Google Search for either “pioneer certificates” with the “name of state” or “pioneer certificates” with a specific county name. For example, Champaign County does have pioneer certificates, state of Illinois has Prairie Pioneer certificates, state of Iowa has Pioneer Certificate plus a Century Certificate if an ancestor was in Iowa over 100 years ago and Dakota (North and South) also have Pioneer Certificates.  

For example here are the requirements for the state of Florida pioneer: Florida Pioneer Descendants Certification Program honors descendants of Florida pioneers who settled in the Territory of Florida prior to Florida achieving statehood on March 3, 1845. Individuals must prove they have an ancestor(s) who settled in Florida when the territory was admitted as a state and trace and document an unbroken line of descendants from that ancestor to herself/himself in order to receive a certificate stating they are officially Florida Pioneer Descendants. The state of Florida also has certificates for its counties, those pioneers who settled there.

Each state or county will have their own rules and guidelines that have to be proven before a pioneer certificate is issued. Just imagine how proud your ancestor might have been if they could have known their early achievements such as being a pioneer were recognized decades later.  

Besides Pioneer Certificates, many states have organizations made up of ‘First Families’ of their state. An example, ‘First Families of Maine 1604-1652.


That certificate can be handed down to future generations.

Photos: Indiana Pioneers; First Families of Maryland; Wichita County certificate and Oregon Pioneers.

Related FamilyTree.com Blogs:

What Did Pioneers Eat?

Pioneers of Oklahoma

Mormon Pioneers

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