You have been thinking about your lost relative and wanting to resume contact with her. You want to find out what made her decide to break contact with your family so you can try to help heal any emotional wounds, but you don't know where to start. You can utilize several resources readily available to you, both at home and in your community. Remember to think like a person who wants to disappear. Think of strategies your relative might have used when she vanished.
Step 1
Compile as much information as you have available about your family member. Include full name, maiden name and married name, date of birth, Social Security number and possible name combinations, such as middle-first-last.
Step 2
Log in to different search engines like Google, or MSN Search. Sign up for online registries like Reunion.com that allow you to search for your lost family member. Enter the information you have already compiled into the search engine so you can start looking for possible matches. When you do this, start a conversation on the forums for these search services, and explain who you are looking for.
Step 3
Visit your community library and look through as many phone books as you can, using all the name combinations you thought of. Ask the reference librarian for access to library books from other communities so you can expand your search.
Step 4
Write an ad stating you are looking for a relative, and place it in all your local papers. Do the same with papers in nearby communities or communities throughout your state.
Step 5
Find Internet message boards and post as much information as you have available. Someone who reads these message boards might know your relative and could help you get in touch with this person.
Step 6
Check the Social Security Death Index. This means you think your family member may be dead, but you need to explore every possibility.
Tips and Warnings
- Don't forget to look for your family member by using his middle name or last name as his first name. Use your relative's interests and hobbies to help you narrow your search.
- Be prepared for your relative to rebuff your overtures. She broke contact with your family for a reason, and she may not be ready to resume contact yet.
Things You'll Need
- Internet access
- Phone books from other communities
