In some cases, you may wish to go beyond a due diligence search and continue trying to find a missing heir. Perhaps the inheritance is very valuable, or perhaps you may stand to earn a commission if the person is found. Whatever the reason, every case is going to have a different level of difficulty, depending on how much information you know at the start. The more bits of information that you can collect at the beginning, the easier the rest of your search is going to be. Some examples of helpful, or necessary, information include the following items:Vital records (birth certificate, death certificate, marriage license)
Obituaries of family members
Real estate and cemetery records
Credit records
Employment records
Education records
Family correspondence

, The place to begin your search is with known family members of the decedent. Ask for any leads they may have for the missing heir. Try to jog their memory with direct questions:”When was the last time you saw John Doe (the missing person)?”
”Where was John Doe living when you last heard from him?”
”Do you know what kind of work John Doe was doing?”
”Do you know if John Doe ... got married? ... was attending college? ... had any children?”

, After you exhaust the known relatives, try meeting with friends and colleagues of the decedent. Their memory of a missing heir is likely to be even less than that of family members, but it is always worth asking., As you meet with people, you should keep a written record of your efforts. Keep notes, either by handwriting in a notebook or keeping a spreadsheet on a computer, of everyone you meet, the date and time of your conversation, and the list of questions and answers. You will be able to use this record as proof of your search efforts when you report back to the executor of the estate or if you need to prove to a court that you have conducted a thorough search., With the widespread access to social media, locating individuals has become easier in recent years. Use such tools as Google, Facebook, or Twitter to search for the missing heir. There are several things to keep in mind when searching for someone online:Use a very wide range of spellings and name combinations.
Try including a middle initial, or leaving it out.
Use a variety of spellings for the last name, if it is commonly misspelled.
Try searching under nicknames, if you know that he or she used one.
 It is sometimes easier to put out notices that you are looking for a person, and then let that person come to you. If you are trying to find a missing heir to an inheritance, post information about the inheritance and include a way for anyone with information to reply to you.Create a Facebook page, identifying the name of the person you are looking for or the name of the deceased
Send out information on Twitter or some other social media.
Post a "Looking for..." ad on Craigslist.
Gather as much information as you know.
Contact other relatives of the deceased person.
Contact friends of the deceased person.
Keep a notebook or search journal.
Search social media and other online sources.
Post information online.
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