How to Do a Birth Relative Search

If you are adopted or have family members who were adopted, you may feel the need to find them at some point. Many people are just curious or want to get medical records, while others feel that the need to connect with birth relatives. The search for birth relatives can be frustrating, but many people are rewarded with a successful reunion.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Call or write to the agency that handled your adoption. If your adoption was private, contact the local district court. Ask for non-identifying information. This will usually include any siblings born before you and general information about your birth parents.

2. Give the agency authorization to allow members of your birth family, not just your birth parents, to contact you. Leave your contact information. Remember to update it if you move.

3. Register with the world's largest reunion registry, the International Soundex Reunion Registry. Registration is done by mail only and is free. Donations are encouraged.

4. Join an online search support group to find searching tips, share your progress and get support during your search and reunion.

5. Search the Internet for online reunion registries. Browse through the searchers to see if anyone is looking for you. Register and enter as much information as you have about the birth and adoption. Make sure identifying information is not displayed publicly.

6. Take out a personal ad in local newspapers to let birth relatives know that you are searching for them.

7. Browse local and online telephone directories after you've obtained birth family members' names. Keep in mind that they may have moved and that female relatives may have gotten married and changed their names. View death records from the Social Security Index. Look at marriage records at your local courthouse.

Resources

• International Soundex Reunion Registry