How to Find Long Lost Siblings That Were Adopted

Do you know family name he was adopted by? Have you tried to google his original name and adopted name? Google every combination of what you know. John Adams, John Adams adopt, John Adams Allen Texas, John Adams 1968, etc. I am assuming he is an adult by now. You can try www.zabasearch.com. You can do a search and then an advanced search by entering as much information as you have. Try dexknows.com, it will provide you with the name you enter and relatives. Try to google his name and the school you think he went to.

If you think you have a hit, pick up the phone and call. They will just tell you have the wrong number or ask who you are.

Everyone else gave some good tips as well.

Best wishes.

Why not start by looking on Facebook, etc?

Can you contact the agency?

I would try to find out through the state if they are the ones who put you up for adoption. Your brother may not even know he was adopted. My grand kids that were adopted out changed their certificates too I think. I am not sure though.

I feel for you. I have 7 grandchildren and 3 of them have been adopted. One by my ex and his wife. The other 2 by their foster family, it's an open adoption so we see them but not nearly as often as I would like.

I would start by registering on an adoption registry website.Or a few of them. You can contact the agency that did the adoption but odds are you won't get any information. Do you have any paperwork- such as the adoption decree? You can do a search in the county the orders were filed. You may be able to get your hands on the orignal paperwork without all the blackouts. You can look up his orignal birth certificate- I knew someone who was looking for a birth sibling that had also been adopted and when she requested the original birth certificate she got lucky and they sent her the amended one (with the adopted parents names).
Be prepared for a long search. Sometimes it can happen quickly, but it can also take a really long time. Be prepared for what you may find. There's lots of possiblities- he may have been looking for you and you will be able to reunite with no issues, he may not know he's adopted and it be a complete shock to him, he may not want to be found or want to know his biological family, he may not be living anymore, or you may not be able to find him at all. You also need to prepare yourself so you can deal with your feelings as you go through this and at the end of it. When there's a resolution- regardless of what it is- you are going to feel a whole bunch of things- feelings that you didn't think you'd feel- make sure you have a support system in place when you begin to search.
I'm not saying these things to discourage you. I just want you to be prepared. Searching is very emotional and takes alot of work. I know from experience. I am an adoptee and I searched for my biological family. I found my biological mother after spending some years seaching and then after a couple of more years I found the man that was said to be my biological father. I wasn't aware of how many emotions and work and roadblocks I would go through when I started- hopefully my experience will help inform someone else starting their journey. If you have any other questions or would like a sounding board, please pm me.
Good luck with your search!

It may be harder to find him if you don't know his adopted last name.

With my son being adopted by my ex his last name is changed and he was issued a new birth certificate. I lost the paper the judge signed so I could get his SS card changed to his new name. I had to go back to court in front of a judge and explain why I needed his file opened and had to give his birth date, original name, adopted name, my name, dad's name, both parents birth dates and date of adoption. I didn't know the exact date but knew the year. It was hard just for me ( his mom) to get the judge open it and sign a new release form.

If it was a closed adoption it might be harder to find this information out. Hopefully if you can get on some adoption sights and put his name and info that you have...hopefully he is also looking for you and you can find him! Good luck, I truly do hope you can find him!!

Don't know the name of them but I know there are websites out there you can list your name and search...and if they come looking too you can reconnect that way as well.

What a great question! I have a half sister that I would love to locate too!

I'm trying to locate missing alumni for a high school reunion and came across an adoption registry a few nights ago. (I read every single entry for California in the hopes i would be able to help someone.) There were people who had been adopted, given their child up for adoption, and people like you looking for siblings. Basically they listed as much information as they had as possible: name at birth, date of birth, city or hospital of birth, (even on adoptions that took place after birth as he may have that information) birth parents names, ages and where they were from, adoptive parents information and personal information such as their reason for searching (to give or get medical information, longing to be reunited, etc.)

If you know where and when he was born you should be able to obtain a copy of his birth certificate, unless it was amended due to the adoption. Contact the county of his birth for the cost and they will mail it to you if you can't go in to pick it up. If you know the name of the family he was adopted by you can try searching for them online. Since you know his name at birth and date of birth search Ancestry.com, I am working on my family tree and have found information through public records there on people my family hasn't seen in decades. Obtain as much information as you can from relatives or friends, whomever has any knowledge of particulars of the adoption, you never know what will help. Go online to look for Adoption Registries for the state he was adopted in (even if you believe the family moved out of the state afterwards) and enter everything you have, he may be looking, too. Use as many registries as are pertinent, he or someone else who knows of him may use one but not all. If you know or find out his adoptive name do internet searches whenever you think of it, I have found info that wasn't there the day before : ) Hospitals won't be of help if he wasn't adopted at birth, and with the HIPAA laws they may not be able to give any info out at all without a court order.

Best wishes to you, i hope you find him ~ but be prepared in the event he does not feel the same way you do and desire a reunion, it happens that way sometimes.

I used http://www.almasociety.org/ Adoptee Liberty Movement Association. They teach you how to search and have great resources and suggestions. I found my mom. As others say the risk exists that he may not know or not be accepting....but you have a 50/50 chance that it will be wonderful....if you don't try, you have a 0% chance. Going through the process empowers and heals you. Best wishes on your journey. Go for it! It seems probable that it could be the same agency that placed you if you have your information.

There are websites and Private Investigators that do this exact thing.

Have you tried ancestry.com?

An aunt who gave her son up for adoption in 1966 found him a few years ago with http://registry.adoption.com/. You can search it for your brother and also add your info and who you are looking for.

Good luck!

Could you go to the hospital where he was born and research in their archives? You may find the first family (or association/institution) who got him first and go from there...good luck, I think it's great you want some closure on your past history!
PS. Could you go on a local tv show? Just an idea...

We adopted our son through foster care, and his birth certificate was reissued when the adoption was finalized. The birth certificate actually lists my husband and I as his father and mother at birth. Still it's worth a try for you, as are the adoption registries that people have mentioned. Good luck!