United States Adoption Research Strategies, 1900s-2000s

Assembling Information and Documents

 * '''Adoptive parents knowledge: Discuss the details of the adoption with the adoptive parents or other close relatives.
 * Adoption agency used: Determine the name and contact information of the adoption agency the adoptive parents used.
 * Hospital: See if family members know the hospital where the child was born. They may have received the child at the hospital.
 * Attorney: If the adoption was arranged by an attorney, ask for his name and get his contact information.


 * Documents: Gather any documents the family has about the birth.
 * Amended birth certificate
 * An amended birth certificate, created after an adoption is finished, lists the names of the adoptive parents just as if the child had been born to them originally.
 * Many people will have an amended birth certificate, with no access to the original. About half of the States allow adults to have access to their original birth certificates, thus providing them the names of their birth parents. See Adult Adoptee Access to Original Birth Certificates
 * In other States, an original birth certificate may be obtained through a court petition.
 * Hospital records

Researching Relevant State Laws
Study the laws specific to the State where the adoption took place.
 * State Statutes Search, Child Welfare Information Gateway Select a state from the drop-down menu. Then check the box on a topic under the "Adoption List". Click Search.
 * Access to Adoption Records
 * Providing Adoptive Parents With Information About Adoptees and Their Birth Families
 * Searching for Birth Relatives