You’ve got a name scribbled on a piece of paper, maybe a faded memory of someone who mattered, and that nagging feeling you need to find them. Perhaps it’s an old school friend you lost touch with, a relative who vanished after a family disagreement, or maybe you’re handling an estate and need to locate a beneficiary. Whatever the reason, starting a search for a person in the UK can feel overwhelming when all you’ve got is a name.

The good news? People leave digital footprints everywhere these days, and there are more ways than ever to track down someone legally and ethically. I’ve helped friends reconnect with long lost relatives and seen solicitors successfully locate missing heirs using nothing more than basic detective work and patience.

Let me walk you through ten practical methods that work, starting with the simplest approaches and building up to the more sophisticated options.

Start With What You Know

Before you dive into complex searches, take a step back. Grab a notepad & write down everything you remember about this person, no matter how trivial it seems. Their full name (obviously), but also any nicknames, maiden names, or alternative spellings you might have heard.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people search for “Catherine” when the person actually goes by “Kate” or uses the Welsh spelling “Catrin”. Names get mangled over time, especially if you heard them spoken rather than written.

Think about ages, approximate dates of birth, places they lived, schools they attended, jobs they had. Former addresses are pure gold, even if they’re decades old. Did they have siblings? What were their parents’ names? Any hobbies or interests that might show up in club memberships or local newspaper mentions?

This groundwork isn’t glamorous, but it’s the foundation everything else builds on.

Social Media Smart Searches

Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter – these platforms have transformed how we find someone by name. But here’s the thing most people get wrong: they search once with the obvious spelling and give up.

Try variations. Search with quotes around the full name, then try first name plus last name separately. Look for the name combined with locations you know they lived in. Facebook’s search function is particularly useful because it shows mutual friends, which can provide valuable clues even if the person’s profile is private.

LinkedIn works brilliantly for professional searches. Even people who avoid other social media often maintain a LinkedIn presence for work reasons. You can search by name, company, or industry without needing a premium account.

Don’t forget the smaller platforms either. Nextdoor shows neighbourhood connections, while specialist networks like Mumsnet or hobby forums might reveal someone who’s otherwise invisible online.

Electoral Rolls and Public Records

The electoral register is probably the most underused resource for finding people in the UK. Every adult registered to vote appears on these records, which are updated annually and available for public inspection at local libraries and council offices.

You can search both current and historical electoral rolls. The historical ones are particularly useful because they show previous addresses, helping you trace someone’s movements over time. Some libraries have digital archives going back decades.

There’s a catch though. Since 2002, people can opt out of the publicly available version of the electoral roll, so not everyone appears. But many people don’t bother opting out, especially older residents who’ve been registered at the same address for years.

Birth, marriage, and death records are another goldmine, though they require more patience to search through. The General Register Office holds these records, and you can order copies if you have enough identifying information.

Tap Into Mutual Contacts

Sometimes the most effective approach is the most obvious one. Who else might know this person?

Start with your own contacts. Check your email address books, old Christmas card lists, phone contacts you haven’t looked at in years. Someone might have their details or know someone who does.

School and university alumni networks can be incredibly helpful. Many institutions maintain alumni databases and will forward messages to former students. Even if they won’t release contact details directly, they’ll often pass on your information.

Professional associations work similarly. If you know what industry they worked in, relevant trade bodies or professional organisations might be able to help. The Law Society, medical councils, teaching unions – these groups often maintain lifetime membership records.

Don’t overlook neighbourhood connections either. If you know where they used to live, local residents’ associations or community groups might remember them.

People Finder Databases

When free methods hit a wall, paid people can find services that can fill the gaps. These databases aggregate information from multiple sources – electoral rolls, phone directories, company records, property transactions.

Services like 192.com and FindMyPast offer detailed search options for a few pounds. You can search by name, age range, location, or even relatives’ names. The results often include current and previous addresses, phone numbers, and associated family members.

Be realistic about what these services can deliver though. They’re excellent for finding people who live conventional lives – homeowners, voters, people with landline phones. They’re less effective for tracking down someone who’s deliberately staying off the grid or frequently moves addresses.

I’d recommend trying the free versions first to see what kind of results you get before committing to paid subscriptions.

Property and Business Records

Property ownership creates a paper trail that’s surprisingly easy to follow. The Land Registry holds records of every property transaction in England & Wales, and you can search these for a small fee.

If you suspect someone owns property, you can search by their name to see what they own or have owned. Conversely, if you know an address where they lived, you can check who owned it and when. This works for both residential and commercial property.

Companies House is another treasure trove. Anyone who’s been a company director appears in their records, along with service addresses and other directors. These records go back years and include dissolved companies, so even if someone’s business closed down, the paperwork remains.

Professional licensing bodies keep similar records. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, estate agents – most professions require registration that creates searchable public records.

Local Newspapers and Archives

People appear in local newspapers more often than you might expect. Wedding announcements, obituaries, school prize lists, sports club results, charity fundraisers – the local press documents community life in ways that national media misses.

Many local newspapers have digitized their archives, making them searchable online. The British Newspaper Archive is particularly comprehensive, covering thousands of local papers from across the UK.

Don’t just search for the person’s name though. Look for family members, schools they attended, clubs they belonged to. Sometimes you’ll find indirect references that provide clues about where they moved or what they’re doing now.

Parish magazines and school newsletters can be goldmines too, especially for older generations who were more involved in local community activities.

Professional Networking Sites

LinkedIn dominates professional networking, but it’s not the only game in town. Industry specific networks, alumni sites, and even hobby forums can reveal someone’s current activities and connections.

The key is thinking broadly about how someone might present themselves professionally. Teachers appear on school websites, artists show work in gallery listings, tradespeople advertise in local business directories.

Google the person’s name along with their profession or qualifications. A plumber might appear in reviews on Checkatrade, a consultant might be quoted in industry publications, a retired teacher might be mentioned in school anniversary materials.

Professional accreditation bodies often maintain public registers too – particularly useful for regulated professions like healthcare, law, or financial services.

When to Use Formal Channels

Sometimes you need official intervention. If you’re dealing with legal matters – serving court papers, administering an estate, resolving a dispute – formal channels might be your only option.

Solicitors can instruct process servers who specialize in locating people for legal purposes. They have access to resources and databases that aren’t available to the general public, and they know how to conduct searches properly for legal proceedings.

The courts themselves can sometimes help. If you’re pursuing a legitimate legal claim, the court can authorize disclosure of information that would otherwise remain private. This isn’t a casual option though – you need genuine legal grounds.

Government agencies occasionally assist with tracing, particularly for matters involving child support, tax disputes, or criminal proceedings. Again, this requires legitimate official business rather than personal curiosity.

When to Call in Professionals

If you’ve tried online searches, mutual contacts and public records with no luck, hiring a private investigator can quickly tie together disparate leads. Professional investigators have access to commercial databases, surveillance techniques, and industry contacts that make them far more effective than amateur sleuthing.

A good PI will start with the same basic searches you’ve probably already tried, but they’ll know how to interpret the results and follow up on subtle clues that might escape an untrained searcher. They also understand the legal boundaries around information gathering and can advise you on what’s permissible.

Expect to pay anywhere from £200 to £500 for a basic trace, depending on the complexity and how much initial information you can provide. Most investigators will give you an honest assessment of your chances before you commit to paying them.

Just remember to choose someone reputable and licensed. The Security Industry Authority regulates private investigators in the UK, so check their credentials before hiring anyone.

The Bottom Line

Finding someone with just their name requires patience, creativity, and sometimes a bit of luck. Start with the free, obvious methods before spending money on databases or professionals. Most importantly, respect boundaries and privacy.

Remember that not everyone wants to be found. If someone has deliberately disappeared from public records or doesn’t respond to your initial attempts at contact, that might be your answer. The goal should always be reconnection or legitimate business, never harassment or intrusion.

I’ve seen people reunited with long lost family members and old friends successfully located for happy reunions. But I’ve also seen searches that needed to be abandoned when it became clear the person wanted to remain private. Sometimes the kindest thing is knowing when to stop looking.