Find Living Relatives

Why on earth have genes done away with all the second names, now if you put in a search with the full name, it says 0 found, if you just put the first names there are too many to choose from a second name helps one separate one person from another; ludicrous if you ask me. WHY GENES REUNITED have you done this, its absolute madness.

Posting like this everywhere won't get you anywhere. Other members can't tell you why Genes have done something - if it is on Genes that you are searching.

Why not contact Genes themselves and give them a chance to reply. Contact them here:-

[email protected]

Kath. x

Kathleen Bell I posted in several places in hope that someone might have asked Genes the question previously, hence 'other members will be able to tell me what they had been told' maybe you haven't but others might have, you cant know that.

Of coarse I have contacted genes support but as yet have had no reply.

Does it cause problems "Posting like this everywhere", if so I apolagise to all I have upset, I just wanted to reach people in several different search areas.

No you haven't upset anyone, just we usually say one post is enough as most members look on all boards, and I didn't want you wasting your time.

Genes do not work weekends so you won't get a reply before Monday.

Most members wouldn't recommend doing your research on GenesReunited, even though it's a good site for getting help from other members, Most of us use Findmypast or Ancestry or other genealogy websites for actual research.

Kath. x

I am sure you haven’t upset anyone but it is easier to follow what is being said by other members if all the answers are on one thread.

I assume you are talking about doing a search of members’ trees where you are told to use just first and last names. I would guess - and it is just a guess - that you could miss connections with other trees if you rely on middle names. Some people don’t have them, some “acquire” them in later life, and some members may enter a person on their tree without a full set of middle names.

If you are talking about searching all records you can put in full names. It is true lots of records come up but the ones that match with the relevant middle names will be at the top of the list so you don’t have to plough through them all.

I experimented using my deceased parents’ names. Both had common first and last names and both had two other middle names and what I have put above is how it worked for me.

I hope you get a satisfactory answer from Genes.

There are really only a relatively few members who actually use these boards (hundreds out of millions).

Genes will reply, but as I posted on your message on the Suggestions Board, it will take them at least 3-5 business days. They work ca 8 or 8:30 am to ca 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, no-one in the office over the weekend or on Stat Holidays.


As for searching ................ I would in fact search ONLY with first and last names! Others have told you the reasons.

You can sort the chaff from the wheat by adding other information ......... change the date range to 2 or 3 years before and after your ancestor's (just in case the wrong year has been used in a tree or record), ensuring you use the county, etc etc etc