How to Find a Family Member Online
When you are looking for someone, whether it is a friend or family member, the Internet is the place to start. At some point, you may have lost contact with a family member and have tried unsuccessfully to locate that person. Most times, all that it takes is a few quick clicks of the mouse, and you can find your family member online. Many online resources have been created to give people the opportunity to find and connect with long-lost friends and family members.
1
Find a family member online by doing a search on Facebook. As of 2011, Facebook is one of the largest social networking sites. Most people create a profile that includes their name, school and/or place of employment. Search using your family member's name, email address or other pertinent phrases to increase your chances of finding the person.
2
Type the name of your family member into Google using quotations --- for example, "Jane Smith." This will narrow the list of names to matches of your family member. Google allows users to create a profile that is visible to anyone searching for them using the Google search engine.
3
Search for your family member online by using Myspace, which is a social networking website. Type the person's first and last name into the search box, and press the "Enter" key. A profile of anyone with that name will appear. Use specifics such as age and even their friends to narrow your search.
4
Use public records, such as the website Census Finder, to locate your family member. This is a free database where you can find census records. Type in the first and last name of your family member, as well as the state that she lives in, if you know it. Click "Search" to find the person's name in the census records.