How to Locate Family Members with an Intelius People Search
Learn how to locate family members with Intelius in a few simple steps. Find contact information, location history, criminal and traffic records, and more!
When you have lost track of a family member, finding a way to locate them can become important. There are many instances when you might need to contact someone in your family tree, yet you may not have the information you need to do so. The Intelius People Search tool could help.
For example, you may have an estranged parent or sibling that you lost contact with years ago. Now that you are older, you might feel ready to reconnect, or you might need to get information from this individual for health or financial reasons. There may even be a will or estate plan that involves them, and you need to contact them to tell them the details. Regardless of the reason, you need a way to find them.
You may also want to use such a tool if you are working on a family history or genealogy research project. The only way to finish the project may be to track down your missing family member. A people finder like the Intelius People Search tool may be able to help you get that contact information, so you can make the call or send the email.
What Is a People Finder?
If you’re wondering what is Intelius, it's a people search tool that allows you to enter the information you know, like the first and last name of the individual, to learn potential details about them. This tool will search public records databases and may find information about them, compiling available info about them into a report that contains that information for you to access.
Because the information in a people finder or people search tool comes from public records, it is not considered a privacy concern. Getting this information is completely legal, and in fact, you could do this research on your own if you had the time and knowledge to tackle it. The tool simply makes it potentially quicker to gather the information that’s already out there, saving you time as you research your missing family member.
You may be able to find a person with Intelius, and get the details you need to make informed decisions.
How to Locate Family Members
If you are ready to try to look up estranged family members, the process is relatively simple. With just three steps, you can use an Intelius People Search to potentially get the information you need to contact your relatives.
Step 1: Gather all the Information You Already Know
What do you know about the person? It may be nothing more than their first and last name, or you may know something like their last known address. Gather the information you already know. Consider things like:
- Past locations they’ve lived
- Maiden name
- Middle name
- Married name or names
- Age
- And more
The more details you have, the more effective the people search will likely be.
Step 2: Ask Friends and Family Members for Help
If you haven’t already, ask your friends and family who also know the person any details they know. They might have information that’s not already on your list to help fill in the gaps. For example, your parents may know that your relative got married, but they never shared this information with you. Those details will help you with your search.
Step 3: Use the Intelius People Search Tool
Once you gather all the information you already know, you are ready to use the Intelius People Search tool. Keep in mind that the only thing you need to start the search is a name, but other details, like city and state, can help narrow down your results. Enter the details you’ve collected into the search bar.
Anyone can run an Intelius people search and find results, but if you want to open the results and read the detailed report, you need a membership with Intelius. An Intelius membership allows you to use the People Search and access unlimited background reports, which is helpful if you have multiple family members you’re searching for. You may also be able to use some additional search tools Intelius offers with your membership, such as:
These tools allow you to search for someone’s name using an address or phone number. While these other search services may not be what you need for your relative search, it may help in the future if you have other information you need to search for and have an address or phone number to start with.
What is in an Intelius Background Report?
If you are looking for a family member, the details you could find in an Intelius Background report may be exactly what you need. While the details will depend on what information is available in the public records, it may include things like:
Full Name and Known Aliases
If the person has other names they have used in the past, that information could help you find them, so it may be in the report. This could include nicknames and maiden names as well as actual aliases.
Contact Information
Phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses that are in the public records may be included in the report. This section could provide the key details you need to help you potentially contact the person.
Location History
Places the person lived may be included in the report. This might help you narrow down if you have the right person, especially if they have a common name, or if your family member has moved since you last were in touch.
Employment and Education History
The search results may show you places where the person worked and where they went to school. This section could provide insight into what your family member has been doing in their life since you last spoke to them. Did they get a degree from a university? What kind of career do they have?
Criminal and Traffic Records
Public criminal and traffic records may be included as well. If you have an estranged family member with a troubled past, access to their criminal record history could be an important factor when considering whether or not to reach out.
Social Media Profiles
If social media profiles are part of the report, you might be able to verify that it is your relative by seeing their picture. You may be able to use social media to reach out to relatives or see what they are up to in their lives.
And More!
The information that may be available in the public records is sometimes extensive, and you may find access to quite a bit of it. Check out a sample Intelius report to get a better picture.
Conclusion
Finding lost or estranged relatives can feel challenging. Tools like the Intelius People Search may make it just a little easier. By tapping into the public records, these tools may make your family research, or curiosity a little easier to manage. Sign up for Intelius today!
