Searching all of Mexico for someone

I sometimes receive email with the simple request to find someone "in Mexico". The blunt answer to this request is, "It's not going to happen." In the U.S. we have the luxury of being able to access numerous telephone web sites, enter a last name of someone we want to find and get a list of everyone with that last name living in the U.S. No, actually that's not true either. In fact, most web sites, including family genealogy web sites, require a city and state before they will function and produce any results.

This same technology applies to searching internationally including searching for someone in Mexico. And Mexico is not a small country with a few inhabitants where you can find just one book or directory containing all residential listings. Mexico has a population of over 107,000,000 people. It is three times the size of Texas or more than the size of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas combined. It's a big place with lots of people.

So when someone asks to find the Garcia family in Mexico, they are making a wish that will go unfulfilled. This is where family genealogy research is needed to find clues and facts to narrow the search to a point where it's possible or probable that the person or persons can be located.

This blog and the ezine you can subscribe to (see below) focus exclusively on helping you find someone who is living in Mexico. This information is critical to those who want to do their Mexico family genealogy but first have to reconnect with a relative presently living in Mexico. You have to do your part, though, and provide facts such as the city and state where you want to search.

Don't give up. If your Mexico family genealogy research has stalled, hang in there. There are always new ideas and methods being created to increase the possibility of finding someone. However, in almost all cases, you're going to have to specify an area smaller than an entire country.

Good luck.

Richard Villasana
Mexico Family History Expert

Want to have information on finding someone in Mexico and Mexico family genealogy come directly to your In box? Subscribe now at Find Relatives In Mexico.

Starting Your Mexico Genealogy Search - Nicknames Can Hurt You

People send me the name of someone they are trying to find in Mexico. Sometimes I find the name is actually a nickname. Something to keep in mind is that with databases and listings, names are always in a formal format. Nicknames are not used. If you use a nickname, this decreases tremendously your chances of receiving any helpful feedback.

If you are doing a family genealogy search, you don't want to be using nicknames. It's sometimes confusing enough with misspelling on important documents such as birth and death certificates. You don't want to confuse people who could possibly help you with your family genealogy search by using nicknames instead of the person's proper name.

This also applies to cities. Sometimes people will ask for help, but they will reference the name the locals have for a city. It's very difficult to locate a city using a name known mostly to the indigenous people of a Mexican village.

When trying to find someone whether in the U.S., Mexico or abroad, always use the person's and the city's formal name. This will help ensure you get the help you are looking for.

Saludos,


Richard Villasana

Richard Villasana
The Mexico Guru
Find Relatives In Mexico

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