# How would you look for a fomer classmate? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 17, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844 "2012-01-17T23:39:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/1 "2012-01-17T23:39:33Z")
I would like to find one of my former classmates from middle school. I know the approximate spelling of her last name and that in the late 80’s she moved from Toms River NJ to Wilkes-Barre Pa. I’ve tried just searching on [google.com](http://google.com) and also [whitepages.com](http://whitepages.com) for her last name in Wilkes-Barre Pa but both came up negative. I’m not sure of the exact spelling of her last name anymore and I know her approximate age. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/2 "2012-01-17T23:42:45Z")
One word - Facebook. Does your school have an alumni association? ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/3 "2012-01-17T23:43:35Z")
> **[Popular Name Searches | Zabasearch](https://www.zabasearch.com/)** > > Find people, addresses & phone numbers for free using ZabaSearch's database of public information. Use our reverse phone lookup to find out who's calling you. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/4 "2012-01-17T23:59:50Z")
Facebook was made for this kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/5 "2012-01-18T00:43:52Z")
Not sure why no one has mentioned Facebook yet. That’s where I’d start. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/6 "2012-01-18T00:56:15Z")
As a female, her name might have changed from what it used to be. That makes it harder to find so maybe you can see if you remember the last name of the guy she was dating? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/7 "2012-01-18T01:19:34Z")
Actually, I found Facebook useful for this. There, I’ve found high-school friends, cousins and other long-lost relatives, that girl I really should have asked out in university, people I’ve worked with, people in my job-search support group… I read just recently that they think Facebook will have a billion members by the end of the (northern) summer. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/8 "2012-01-18T01:21:06Z")
Or you could try “Rio” by Duran Duran. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/9 "2012-01-18T01:25:14Z")
I do lots of searches for people and this is always tough for a female without the proper spelling. The name, age and area are helpful starters though. If this is really important and serious, you might start at the school itself if it exists. A parochial school might let you come there and search their files for your own record and this could lead to finding the correct spelling of the classmate if you smooshz the clerk appropriately. Schools often keep these records even after schools close. Yea, check Facebook too, but that is hard when so many profiles are hidden now. You probably need another lead such as a girl scout troop, church attendance and so forth. A street name plus the rough name spelling could lead somewhere using a reverse address search with wild cards for the house number. On the other hand, if it’s not to important, I’d say hunt for some new cheese or hope she tracks you down. Put your name and info out there on Facebook so you can be found. Personally, I like to remain in the witness protection plan and move forward. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/10 "2012-01-18T01:26:01Z")
[www.pipl.com](http://www.pipl.com) has never failed me even with iffy memories. It may not be instant if your facts are off but start with what you know and work from there. The most it has ever taken me is 10 minutes. Do you know exactly where they lived, a parent’s first name, and/or an approximate age? You should be able to find where they went from when you last knew them. Use other social networking sites with your new found info to contact them if you want to. It just takes basic research skills to build up your known facts and then work from there. ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/11 "2012-01-18T02:38:50Z")
Thanks for all the replies. Facebook was no good. I tried there. I never heard of Pipl but it also was a failure. Back in 8th grade she wasn’t dating anyone. I remember she had some problems with her parents and had to move in with relatives in Wilkes-Barrie. It was a public school and I know it had to be 87 or 88. I’m really only interested in reaching her to apologize for some things that I could have done differently and to see if she is doing ok. She has been in the back of my mind for many years. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/12 "2012-01-18T02:50:52Z")
> [@MannyL](#): > > Thanks for all the replies. > > Facebook was no good. I tried there. I never heard of Pipl but it also was a failure. Back in 8th grade she wasn’t dating anyone. > > I remember she had some problems with her parents and had to move in with relatives in Wilkes-Barrie. It was a public school and I know it had to be 87 or 88. > > I’m really only interested in reaching her to apologize for some things that I could have done differently and to see if she is doing ok. She has been in the back of my mind for many years. I can’t speak to the wisdom of contacting someone after so many years but I don’t think you are doing the research right. It is really easy if you know how to. Think of just about any relevant fact and use that as a clue and work from there. I have never failed to find someone in a few minutes and some of them probably don’t even own a computer. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/13 "2012-01-18T03:01:41Z")
I found an elementary classmate 30 years later using [classmates.com](http://classmates.com) plus Facebook. Used the free version of classmates to figure out her current name, and then searched on FB. Cheap, simple, and maybe worth a try? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/14 "2012-01-18T05:46:22Z")
If you think the spelling of her last name is the roadblock, are there any classmates you can contact who might know the correct spelling? Or school records, like a yearbook? There was one guy we couldn’t locate (to invite to a class reunion). Searching on his name worked but only because he was listed as a “survived by” in his dad’s obituary. We couldn’t find anything else with his name. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/15 "2012-01-18T05:58:41Z")
> [@MannyL](#): > > I’m really only interested in reaching her to apologize for some things that I could have done differently and to see if she is doing ok. She has been in the back of my mind for many years. I decided to find someone to whom I needed to apologise for certain things that happened in 1997 - things were beyond my control but I could have handled it better. Instead I found a memorial page for her on Facebook: she killed herself last August. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-look-for-a-fomer-classmate/609844/16 "2012-01-19T23:32:50Z")
N/M.