Search Resources
Some adoptees have the desire to search for information about birth family members. Minnesota Adoption Resource Network offers a fact sheet on how to get started with a search in Minnesota. We recommend that you read the fact sheet if you’re thinking about taking this step.
Minnesota Resources
Minnesota Department of Health – http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/osr/adoption.html
Minnesota Search Resources – http://minnesota.reunion.adoption.com/
Minnesota Adoption Registry – http://www.adopteeconnect.com/p/a/1025/
Minnesota Birth Father Registry – http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/registry/srhinst.htm
Minnesota Genealogy & Adoption Search Resources –http://www.genealogybranches.com/minnesota.html
Reuniting Minnesota, an interactive e-mail group providing support, advice and, in situations where adoptees no longer live in Minnesota or near the area of their birth or adoption, assistance to adoptees in searching for birth family
Website: Reuniting Minnesota
Contact: ReunitingMinnesota@yahoo.com
National Search Resources
The following database was originally created by Marylin Mendenhall Waugh, Topeka, KS.
Phone/Address Databases
http://www.switchboard.com – Phone/address listings; search by state or nationally
http://www.anywho.com – Phone/address listings; search by name and zip code; unlike most other listings, will often list name of phone # owner
http://www.infobel.com/world/default.asp – International telephone directory
Name/Contact Information Databases
http://www.google.com – Excellent name search engine; try putting name in “quotes”
http://www.dogpile.com – Another excellent name search engine
http://www.whitepages.com – Phone/address information; check all phone sites and compare
http://www.pipl.com – Enter name, age and/or state and the site does a ‘deep web’ search that uses several search engines.
http://www.whoulookingfor.com – Database that displays names, relatives, cities/state for free. Pay to use other services.
http://www.beenverified.com
http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com – Social Security Death List; can enter a date of death, city and state with no names and obtain a list of all who died on that date in that city
http://www5.genealogy.com/gen_ssdisearch.html – Membership required for this but a trial version is available
http://www.privateeye.com – Enter first name, middle initial and birth date (with NO last name) and obtain a state-by-state or national listing; lists family members together, including deceased members, and place of employment. Many sections are free but, in order to search by first name, middle initial and birth date (no last name), you need to purchase a report.
http://www.veromi.com – Same database as privateeye.com but is free. Note: If you have account at privateeye.com, your sign-in info will also work at this site as well.
http://www.zabasearch.com – Enter a name for a list of people by state or country ; most have birth years (some with birth month)http://www.intelius.com – A good database of people and information; must pay for some information
http://www.spock.com – Use the ‘advanced search’ option; similar to pipl.com
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp – Enter a partial address and the correct complete address and zipcode will appear, including apartment number
http://www.birthdatabase.com – A database of 120 million names and birth dates; enter first and last name and estimated age of person for birth date and city/state.
http: www.alumni.net – Free membership allows you to search for high school, college, and military alumni http://www.peoplelookup.com – Do a single ’instant people lookup’ ($2.95 sale) or obtain a 24-hour pass for ‘unlimited people lookup’ with name or address ($14.95)
http://www.zoominfo.com – Search by three categories people, company, job
http://www.searchbug.com – Search for people
http://www.familysearch.org/ – Family search for Church of Latter-Day Saints
http://www.ancestry.com/ – Search for a fee; use for free at most public libraries
http://www.theultimates.com – Fill out a form that can be used at several search sites
Public Access/Limited Access Records
http://www.publicrecordsources.com
http://www.publicrecordspro.com – Unlimited access for $2.95 per month
http://www.searchsystems.net – Charges a nominal fee; interfaces with peoplefinders.com
http://www.vitalrec.com/birth.html – Vital records information, birth certificates; how and where to obtain copies in U.S.
http://www.vitalrec.com/divorce.html – Vital records information, divorce Ddcree; how and where to obtain copies in U.S.
http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/deathcertificates/– Online death certificates for Missouri from 1955 to very early 1900’s
http://www.genealogy.com/genealogy/11_mrgdt.html – Find a marriage date; membership required but free trial is available
Search Registries
http://www.findme.org
http://www.birthquest.org
http://www.maidennameregistry.com – Register your name.
Social Networking Sites
http://www.myspace.com – Blog type site that anyone can access.
http://www.facebook.com – A social networking site used by many collstudents and younger adults
http://www.twitter.com – Another social networking site; posts are limited to 140 characters.
http://en.netlog.com – Social network in Europe
General Lists
http://www.ama-assn.org/ – Listing of doctors nationwide
http://www.martindale.com – Listing of lawyers nationwide
http://www.ancestorhunt.com/prison_search.htm – Search for incarcerated individuals by state
http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&LastName=Byrne&Middle=&FirstName=richard&Race=U&Sex=M&Age=&x=20&y=21 Search for incarcerated individuals in the federal prison system
http://www.archives.gov – A directory of individuals who died in the Korean War
http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/ – Search for schools, libraries and colleges
Genealogy Resources
http://www.usgenweb.org/ – Good resource for genealogy info by area in U.S.
http:/www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_mail.html
Miscellaneous Resources
http://cyndislist.com/adoption.htm#general – Cyndi’s List
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/9606/states/florida.html#top – Tina’s Florida Page
http://adoption.about.com/library/states/blpro_ny.htm – Adoption in New York
http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ – New York State Unified Court
http://www.americanadoptioncongress.org – American Adoption Congress; search tips and FAQs are helpful.
DNA testing info/locations
http://catalog.loc.gov/ – Helpful for locating materials on Interlibrary Loan
