In June 2005 , the Rocky Mountain News published an article about Churchill 's genealogy and family history . It " turned up no evidence of a single Indian ancestor " among 142 direct ancestors [ of Churchill 's ] identified from records . The News reported that both Churchill 's birth parents were listed as white on the 1930 census , as were all but two of his great @-@ great @-@ grandparents listed on previous census and other official documents . The News found that some of Churchill 's accounts of where his ancestors had lived did not agree with documented records . Numerous members of Churchill 's extended family have longstanding family legends of Indian ancestry among ancestors ; but , none was confirmed among the 142 direct forebears of Churchill who were identified .