Before you start looking for estranged relatives online, you should try to remember some details about them. Think about their hobbies, interests, jobs, or education. The more information you have about your search target, the easier it will be to find them.
Use a People Finder
Once you have gathered as many details as you can, you can use a people finder to look for your missing relative. People search sites to check blogs, social networks, and other sites for your relative’s name. You might also have to go through a list of common names, so if there are any peculiarities where spelling is concerned, it’s imperative to be aware of them (e.g., Jane vs. Jayne). To help narrow down your search, it helps to have information about their location and place of birth, at the very least. Armed with all this information, you can find people online at CheckPeople.com or by using a similar site.
Search Social Media
Search Facebook, Twitter, and other popular social networking sites using different variations of their full name, as well as any nicknames you can remember. Searching for social media platforms is one of the best ways to find people for free online. In addition, you can use information such as their city and state in your search. You have this option on Facebook. If their name is common, this will significantly narrow down the results – as long as they have a profile containing this information. If you find someone who might be them, you can send them a direct message. However, you should avoid rushing to add them as a contact.
You can also look for your estranged relative on LinkedIn. If you know what they did for a living and/or what their last job title was, you can add these details to the search. LinkedIn is surprisingly underused as a source of information, and finding business contacts is far from its only function.
Try Family Links
The Family Links Network, which operates with the support of the International Red Cross, helps people look for lost relatives. This service helps people to located relatives with whom they’ve lost touch due to armed conflict, migration, natural disasters, and other cases of humanitarian need. The network employs professionals who turn special attention to relatives of vulnerable people, such as separated or unaccompanied minors or disabled persons.
Your search with Family Links will start with filling out a tracing request form. It should contain as much information about your relative as possible and your contact details.
First, the organization tries to match the data gathered from the form with other collected data, such as data information government agencies and other institutions have shared. It can include lists of people who are injured, deceased, or in captivity. Information about people who are safe and well can be included in the results, too.
Give BRB Publications a Shot
BRB Publications is the biggest publisher of sites and references used to find public records in the country. Their electronic products and books include access to almost 30,000 state agencies and 3,500 public record vendors who can search for, maintain, or retrieve publicly available information. This organization is also the most accurate and comprehensive resource of vendor and government sites and sources used to find public records in the country. Its data is a rich source of valuable information going above and beyond any search engine. If you need thorough information, their advanced search tools can prove indispensable.
Finally, the fact that you’re looking for an estranged relative doesn’t have to mean they’re looking for you, too. Having a face-to-face meeting after some time has passed might be awkward and disappointing. When you find them, you will need to make an action plan to ensure the best possible outcome for your meeting.
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