Unclaimed Persons

It's a quiet but disturbing epidemic. People are going to their graves with no family to claim them. Medical examiners and coroners' offices—frequently overstretched with burgeoning case loads—are turning to an unexpected resource for help. Over 400 genealogists are now offering their volunteer services to help locate the next of kin for unclaimed persons. And it's working. To date, more than 400 cases have been solved through this unusual partnership.

Curious to learn more? We invite you to watch videos about actual cases and find out how to volunteer, or—if you're a medical examiner, coroner or investigator—gain a better understanding of how our Unclaimed Persons team can help you.


Read the Ancestry January/February 2009 article:
Found! Unclaimed Persons ( PDF)