Searching for Living Relatives



100-year-olds-karsten-thormaehlen-3A family researcher spends a great deal of time looking for primary vital documents to learn about those relatives who have passed away.  However, one of the aspects of looking for those who have died, are also finding living relatives. By learning of a cousin or an aunt, previously unknown to the researcher and who could still be alive is just as much a thrill of discovery as finding the birth record of a great grandfather.

One online database has placed 25 million names of living individuals in an alphabetical listing. This collection of names represents some 700,000 different surnames.  There are individuals from across the United States and every portion of Canada.  Outside of North America there are a scattering of individuals in other locations.

On the free site Locate Family the alphabetical sections break down all the different surname variations.  You can start with the letter “R” and then there will be 20 sub-divisions of R’bibo to Rubel.  Click on ’Roy to Ruegsegger if you’re searching for the surname ’Rue’. The last inner section would have Rudzroga to Ruegsegger where the Rue surname could be located.

Finding the desired surname, such as ‘Rue’ produces 104 different Rue individuals ranging from Kenner, Louisiana to Trenton, N. J. to Red Deer and Calgary, Alberta, Canada to New Port Richey, FL.  Once you locate a given name and surname that matches a location you believe a relative may live in, a special message form is provided to help be in contact with the person.  You place your information and a brief message and it is forward to that person by Locate Family site.

There might a couple individuals with the same name, but you are unsure of where they live. Sending the message, providing what information you know of, such a parents will give them the information to know if there is a tie-in or match to the family.  This same search method works if you are searching for a non-relative like a former neighbor or childhood friend. Not all living individuals’ names are on these lists. The collection is primarily from public listings of people from phone books, so someone you are seeking may not be there.

It takes a few minutes to see if there is any listing for someone you are looking for.  The end result might be a family reunion or connection you never imagined could occur.

Photo Credit:  coopbrandpartners

< Return To Blog I keep getting emails from FamilyTree on my Yahoo email address saying that I have 4 possible family searches as I am tryn to find my nephew for years now but I dont know how to get to my message being sent to me here on FamilyTree.The message FamilyTree sends to me also says that the message being sent has a portion of html information and that I need to contact the emailer as how to view the message.I dont understand the message.I dont own a pc computer nor does my cellphone have Javascript.Is there another possible way to send me my email messages to where I can link to my messages and be able to read them on my cellphone?
Teresa Gonzales Pinon 1/07/11


Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wetnad to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I'll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.
Satish 1/07/11




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