ObituariesHelp.org
An informative and respected website designed to offer resources for obituaries, funerals and genealogy search
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Conducting an ancestor search for free may require that you contact living relatives whom you may not have seen or heard from in quite some time. There may be a certain awkwardness in contacting them and showing a sudden interest in your family history when you haven’t called or written for ages. Don’t let that discourage you. People are often understanding that life takes up our attention, and many relatives are only to happy to hear from cousins, nieces or nephews they haven’t heard from in awhile. In this article we’ll outline some of the methods you can use to contact distant relatives when conducting an ancestor search free.
Sometimes the simplest things are effective when looking for living relatives. Start with the obvious choice of looking in the local phone book for the area you remember them last living in. You can find most White Pages online these days and many of them allow you to search for free. An ancestor search for free usually requires a large investment of time, so set aside a period to make some calls if you don’t find your relative immediately. You may have to telephone a few people with the same surname, but in doing so you might locate someone who knows your relative and would be happy to pass on a message.
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Even if the relative you’re looking for has re-located, you may be able to trace them through their last known address. It is possible that the current residents of their former habitation have a forwarding address that may enhance the chances of a successful outcome to your ancestor search for free. Otherwise neighbours may have remained in contact with them and can tell you where they have moved to.
If you still can’t find your ancestor, search in free people finders like Yahoo People Search. You may have to pay a small fee to access the information, but at least you will know where they are now located. Type in as much information as you can about them to boost your chances of success. Think about what you know of your relative, and use that info to track them down during your ancestor search for free.
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The media can be extremely effective in finding living relatives. Begin with newspapers from the area of their last known place of residence. Many newspapers feature sections in which people can place an appeal for friends or relatives they have lost touch with. If not, you can place a small add expressing your wish to search an ancestor. Free it may not be, but it’s well worth the price to connect with that long lost family member who might be able to assist you in your ancestor search, for free!
You can also search the archives of many newspapers online which may contain information about your relatives. If they owned a business, they may have had a clearance sale before they moved, or taken out an ad thanking their customers for years of support. Don’t overlook the value of Obituaries in your ancestor search for free. Though it may be news that no one wants to hear, it is possible that your relative or someone in their family may have died.
Some newspapers print thank you notes from the relatives of the deceased thanking friends, family and poll bearers, who are sometimes named. Your relative may have participated in a funeral, or helped a bereaved friend who mentions them in their thank you letter. Leave no stone unturned when looking for living relatives during your ancestor search. Free ancestry records are everywhere; you just need to be imaginative to find them!