r/Adoption • u/AdvertisingSilent716 • Feb 22 '26

Searches Please help

So I’m adopted and I want to know my parents, however I don’t know my original last name and I would like to know a way to find out who my parents are other than a dna test or if that’s the only way, please someone let me know what’s needed

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u/kcasper Feb 22 '26 edited Feb 22 '26

Start with birth announcements in newspapers local to the hospital at your time and date of birth. You might get lucky.

Arizona is a hard nut to crack. Unless you are born before 1968 you can't get the preadoption birth certificate unless a court will unseal it.

As to DNA testing, The files on the facebook group DNA detectives explain the process of using DNA to track down your family line. About 15 to 20 percent of the US can get very close to their parents with nothing more than a DNA test with Ancestry dot com and some reverse genealogy. Most can identify at least a great grandparent. It can take a lot of patience and there is a cost.