Trying to find your lost family members can be quite difficult. Looking online is one of the easiest ways to find them. There are many websites you can visit to get some helpful information while searching. If you do not want to use the internet you can hire a professional or do it yourself. This article offers some tips that will help you find lost members of your family. If the ways mentioned above are not enough, Radaris’ article on how to find a long-lost relative is here to help.
Define your search parameters
This is the first thing to do when looking for your lost relatives because it might require you to search far and wide. It is very important to have a clear focus of your search from the available information you have gotten about the missing relative. Make sure you have information such as mutual friends, When did you lose contact with the missing family member? What could have lead to this estrangement from the lost relatives? And do you have the contact information of the lost family member? Where did they live? etc. Finding long-lost family members online or on the ground can be quite tasking so it is necessary to have all this information.
Talk to People
Talk to people who you think might have information about the missing person. Ask them questions that will create a vivid picture in their minds. You can talk to their close friends, other family members, former colleagues or classmates, neighbors, employers or employees, etc. Pictures or memorable dates and events can help bring back memories.
Use the Social Media to Find Your Lost Family Members
Social media is the most effective tool to use when you are trying to find a family member. As of 2019, there were about 3.5 billion social network users globally, with about 2.3 billion users of Facebook. You can search social media platforms like Google search, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn profiles, Instagram, etc. The chance that a lost family member is active on one or more of these social media platforms is high. Although it is very common for people to use pseudo-profiles or fake accounts, there are smart ways to track down lost family members on social media.
Check up resources from Genealogical Websites
A genealogy bank is an incredibly powerful source of important documents that could give some more information about your family’s history. You could also look up the National Archives Resources. Other regional and national-focused genealogical websites to look at Ancestry.com, SearchSystems.net, Genealogy Indexer, Routes to Root Foundation, and others.
Research factual documents
Research is another efficient way to find a lost family member. There are tons of data about different people and their ages in papers. Carrying out research can be quite tasking so you can hire a professional to do it for you. Some sources you can search include electoral records, birth records, marriage records, census records, newspapers, phone number records, and others.
Check DNA test records from websites
To find lost relatives in the USA, there are websites through which DNA records can be traced. This process is quite complex though but it is an effective way to track and reconnect with lost family members. With a DNA test result, you can uncover your genetic roots and find your lost family members in the process. Some of the DNA websites you can visit include NamUS, 23andMe, Living DNA, AncestryDNA, etc. The search can be streamlined on these websites based on the country of interest, the depth of the company’s search engine, and the extensiveness of the company’s DNA analysis.
Check Up Alumni Networks/Yearbooks
Many schools have alumni networks and old boys associations which are ways of promoting bonding. You can use these mediums in tracing your lost relatives like parents, grandparents, and other elderly relatives. You can also check out Archive.org to find a collection of old yearbooks.
Finding family members after a long time is usually a huge relief to their loved ones and that is why Radaris is always ready to help you find your lost family members. Radaris also allows you to find lost family members for free.