
Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
Whether it's Johnny Depp or the president of the United States, you won't know which of your distant relatives are famous until you do a little research. Fortunately, the Internet provides a number of new methods that, when combined with offline genealogical resources, will help you discover whether you have any actors, singers or even kings in your family.
Online Resources
Several online genealogical resources will help you find out if you're related to anyone famous. Most of these sites require a monthly or yearly fee, but they give you access to large databases of individuals to whom you are related, as well as official records, photographs and other documents. If you're related to anyone famous, this is an easy way to find out. Many of these resources even have special tabs that will reveal famous relatives when clicked.
Detectives
If you don't have the time to conduct research yourself, you can hire a private investigator to trace your family tree and search for any celebrity connections. One of the advantages of this method is that you can ask the detective to search for connections to a particular person, if you suspect a link. However, this method is also the most costly, especially if it takes the investigator a long time to track down a connection.
DNA Testing
Another new method for tracing relations to famous people is utilizing DNA technology. This method is most useful for tracing your relation to historical figures that a company has records of, but it's also one of the most reliable methods for confirming a relation. After paying the company's fee, you will receive a throat swab. Swab the back of your throat, place it back in the container and mail it to the company to obtain your results.
Archives
Archives contain a wealth of resources for chasing genealogy. Birth, death and marriage records are all reliable methods for looking up a relation to a famous person. This method is the most time-consuming, and you may need to make several trips to the archive. If you don't have easy access to the archive that you need to visit, contact the archive by phone or email and arrange to have photocopies of the documents sent to you for a small fee. Ensure that you know the real name of the person whom you are trying to track, as many celebrities change their names.
Related Articles

How to Locate People Overseas

How to Find Lost Friends by Photo

How to Map German Surnames

How to Find an Old Friend in Canada

How to Find Cuban Relatives in Cuba

How to Locate a Family Relative in New ...

How to Trace Your Family Tree for Free

How to Find a Friend in the USA

How to Find Someone's Relatives

How to Find People Free of Charge With ...
How to Find a Japanese Penpal

How to Find Someone's New Address Once ...

How to Download Free Genealogy ...
How to Find Someone With Their Old ...

How to Find a Person in Canada

How to Find Out When Someone Died

How do I Find Deceased Relatives for ...

How to Find Someone's Address for Free

How to Trace the History of a Name
Alternative Lifestyle Dating Sites
References
Resources
Writer Bio
James Stuart began his professional writing career in 2010. He traveled through Asia, Europe, and North America, and has recently returned from Japan, where he worked as a freelance editor for several English language publications. He looks forward to using his travel experience in his writing. Stuart holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and philosophy from the University of Toronto.
Photo Credits
Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images