To find a long-lost relative or friend, you don’t need much more than a reliable Internet connection and some free time – more if you don’t plan on using a background check site. After you enter the details you remember about them in a people search service, all that’s left is to click on the links, which will reveal further information. People finders will look for anything containing this person’s information online.

Getting Started

The first step in any people search is collecting as much information as you can about your lost family member. Anything you can remember will be helpful – a business they have worked for, their favorite pastimes, and memberships in any organizations. Of course, basic information such as their place and date of birth is also very important.

It is also important to pace yourself during your search – don’t spend a whole day looking them up and then do nothing for a whole week. And, importantly, don’t give up if you reach a dead end.

Look at Court Records

A background check service will automatically check public court records for you. You can do it yourself by opening the local court’s site or the site of the court in the area where they last lived. On the DMV’s website, there is a useful tool that can help you in your search. This tool searches court records in the respective state. When you enter the person’s name, you’ll get a list of data on people with that name. Then, you can select the right person from the list.

Social Media

Social networks can be a rich source of relevant information. You can look for your relative and other people simply using their names. You might also learn what they’ve been up to through their friends or partner.

Genealogy Services

Many people have found success in finding a lost relative using online genealogy sites. Platforms such as ancestry.com and FamilySearch.com have vast databases of information. To verify your findings, some people also choose to undergo DNA testing. These services can help reunite siblings, as well as children with their parents.

Check Bing and Yahoo

Don’t limit your searches to Google – Yahoo and Bing can be just as useful, if not more. As they’re smaller, they’ll deliver more targeted results. Any information about your relative can help. Apart from their name, try their year of birth, their last job, and where they last lived.

Trade Organization Databases

You might not know or remember your long-lost relative’s last job, but you must have at least an idea of what they do or last did for a living. By checking relevant trade organization databases, you might narrow their location down to a city or state, and perhaps, you can even see where they work these days.

Missing Persons Platforms

NAMUS or the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System is a state-sponsored site that lets representatives of law enforcement, as well as individuals, add cases on missing persons. You can register and add a case on the platform. Upload any pictures you have of your relative, even if you’re sure they’re far from current. The more details you can add, the easier it will be for someone to ultimately identify them.

Federal Bureau of Prisons

Do you know or have a hunch that the person you are looking for has been through the system? Checking the website of the Federal Prison Bureau is worth a shot – there’s a special locator tool to search for inmates.

This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2021.