So here’s the situation my cousin’s been trying to find her dad, who she hasn’t been in contact with him since she was 12. She asked me to help out, and I assumed there’d be plenty of people search free sites out there to try. But most of the ones I found were either super limited or just showing to be free, then asking for payment to unlock anything useful.
Has anyone actually had luck with a legit free people search tool? Even basic stuff like previous locations or known relatives would be helpful. We’re not trying to invade anyone’s privacy just trying to help her get some closure. Would love any advice if you’ve been through something similar.
I’ve been in a similar situation trying to help a friend reconnect with an estranged parent. We started with free databases like FamilySearch and some state court record sites. They’re a bit clunky but can give leads like past residences or family names without needing payment upfront.
A lot of those free people search sites lure you in with basic info, then throw a paywall at you when you want anything meaningful it’s frustrating what worked best for us was piecing together public records manually and using social media to confirm connections.
Just keep in mind that people sometimes disconnect for personal reasons that are complex or painful even if you find him it’s okay if the outcome isn’t perfect but what matters is that she feels supported in trying
Focus on free tools first then consider paying if it feels right
If you suspect he might’ve changed his name or goes by a middle name now try running searches with variations that tripped me up in the past when someone had switched from their legal name to a nickname for years
It’s definitely an emotional process trying to track down a lost parent be sure to check in with her emotionally along the way especially if you hit a wall or come across something unexpected in your search
Check if your cousin still has any documents from her childhood that mention him even something like an old address on a birthday card or medical record might be enough to trace a trail online
One option that helped me was using old yearbooks or alumni websites sometimes people leave behind clues like where they went to school or what city they were in during a certain year which can narrow down your search a lot
Another route that worked for someone i know was reaching out to mutual relatives even if they had not spoken in years sometimes a cousin or aunt might have an old address or phone number they forgot they had
i think even a small clue like a middle name can change your results
I tried helping someone track down an old family connection and we ran into the same thing most tools looked free but didn’t show anything useful unless you paid we ended up having better luck using clues from old family papers and reaching out to people who might have known him years ago.
Sometimes it’s not about one big tool but checking lots of small sources anything that lists people publicly can potentially offer a clue especially if your cousin remembers even small things like where he worked
In a case like this looking through public records in general areas where he might’ve lived could help things like address histories or local mentions sometimes show up in unexpected places
You might find success just by being patient and persistent this kind of search doesn’t always move fast, but every piece of info builds on the last eventually something will connect
