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Birth Parents Lookup: Top 3 Search Methods
A birth parents lookup shouldn't be a problem if birth or adoption records are
open or have been unsealed in the state you were born in.
Here are the top 3 ways you can easily look up your birth parents in any U.S.
state.
Seven American states currently allow access to original birth records, but
usually only to triad parties (adopted person, birth parent, adoptive parent). If the state you were born in
still has sealed birth records, then it will likely take a whole lot more time
and effort to conduct a birth parents lookup that will give you results.
The following
are three of the most effective methods for a birth parents lookup.
Birth Parents
Lookup: When You Know a Name
One of the easiest ways to find
a birth parent is to ask your adoptive parents for a name. Adoptive parents
don't always know the name of the birth parents; but when they do, it can make
your birth parents lookup reach results much faster.
1. Type in the
name in a public records index search of the town or county where you were born,
which you can find through any search engine (Type: town/county name + vital
records index).
2. Check tax
records for an address.
3. Order a local
phone book of the area once you've narrowed it down.
4. Place a
classifieds/personals ad in a local newspaper, along with your contact info.
5. Participate
in a local online forum and leave a notice with your contact info there.
Birth Parents
Lookup: When You Don't Know a Name
Don't let not knowing a birth
parent's name discourage you. You have, at least, two options in this situation.
1. If your
adoptive parents used an adoption agency, check if they have a voluntary
registry.
2. If not, sign
up for membership in a statewide passive registry.
Note that even if the state you
were born in doesn't have an open records policy, it may still have a
government-run adoption registry.
One example is Texas. The Texas
Central Adoption Registry can be reached
here.
Such a registry is sort of a
compromise between a situation where you have to get a court order and an
outright open records policy, which some parties in an adoption still feel
violates their right to privacy.
In 1983, state legislators
mandated the Texas registry, which is voluntary, and requires mutual consent
(i.e., passive). An adult adopted person/birth parent/sibling simply registers
to find his or her family members who are also registry members.
Without needing a court order,
the registry can, with the parties' mutual consent, open sealed/confidential
birth records. The registry can then verify the match between biologically
related individuals.
Birth Parents Lookup: When You
Don't Know the Location
Perhaps the best way to conduct
a birth parents lookup is to hire an active reunion registry. Based in the US or
internationally, these registries will actually do all the work connected with a
birth parents lookup for a fee.
A state run registry will
probably cost you less that a privately maintained one. There are also support
groups that run active searches, although fees vary.
There aren't very many
statistics comparing success rates between passive and active registries, but
those existing show lower success rates for passive ones.
A study from some years back
showed 5% or less success for passive, state run registries. Only a couple of
states reached success rates in double digits.
The
RecordsSiteReview’s
People Search section may be able to enlighten you further in looking up
your birth parents. Browse the site now.
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