Whether you have a large family that’s spread out over time or you’ve realized that there is a family member around who you’ve never met, you may be wondering how to locate your relatives with ease. Fortunately, in today’s world, there is plenty of online information about current existing family members that you may not have contact with.
Our article gives you details on how to find a family member you have never met and learn details about their lives, in addition to potentially reaching out and connecting with your distant relatives.
Why Search for a Family Member You Have Never Met?
Searching for a family member you’ve never met can be a very rewarding process as it allows you to connect with your personal history and your family’s legacy. Parts of your family may have grown distant or moved to separate areas, and you may want to reconnect with them; you may also be interested in learning more about one side of your family or making connections with relatives who might have a lot to offer in terms of life experience.
Another very common reason to search for family members you have never met is due to the process of making a family tree. You may be interested in your ancestry and starting to conduct genealogical research to determine who you are and where your family members are located today.
Is It Possible to Find People You Have Never Met?
Even if you have never met someone, it’s totally possible to find them. This is thanks to the wealth of online information available today and the multiple methods of searching for someone.
If you don’t know someone’s appearance or full name, this search can take more time to ensure you are reaching out to the right person. However, with patience and dedication to your research, you can find whichever family member you are interested in reconnecting with.
How to Find a Family Member You Have Never Met: Top Methods
The following methods are some of our top recommendations for finding a family member you have never met.
People Search Tools
People search tools are some of the most helpful tools to use when it comes to finding family members and distant relatives. With a people search tool, you can start your search by looking up the name of a person you already know. For example, you may put in your father’s name and location; when you run the search, you will be given a report about that person that includes details about their known relatives.
You can then research each of the relatives to find more information about family members on that side of your family and eventually trace the line back to the family members you have never met.
Genealogy Websites
Genealogy websites allow you to map your family trees and find relatives or ancestors that you have never met before. The most popular website for family tree research is Ancestry.com, but there are plenty of others you can utilize to search for distant family members for free.
If you are very committed to genealogical research, you could also use a service that tests your DNA to connect you with family members you may not be aware of. However, you should be aware of data and privacy concerns when it comes to submitting your DNA information online to a genealogical website.
Public Records
Public records are very helpful when it comes to looking for a family member you’ve never met, especially if you already have the family member’s name and general location. You can look through the public records in a certain area by visiting the online county records office or by contacting the state vital records office.
You will need to research the exact process in the area where your distant family member lives to figure out the best way to access the public records you need.
Social Media
In today’s world, social media is a popular way for family members to keep up with each other. If you have never met a family member, there is still a high chance that they have a social media profile that is connected to the family members you do know. You can search through the profiles of family members or search websites like Facebook and Instagram by name to see if you can find the contact information for a family member you haven’t met, but would like to.
Searching Online to Find Your Family
Finding family members you have never met can seem like a challenging task, and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to begin. We recommend utilizing social media and people search tools first to try and determine the location and exact names of family members you have not met.
From there, you can conduct further research to find contact information and eventually reach out to relatives you would like to know.
