How to Find a Home Telephone Number

By Pilar Ethridge

Phone books are still the most efficient way to search for home phone numbers.
i Book image by Fenia from Fotolia.com

In a time when many people choose to keep their contact details private, searching for personal information can seem like a full-blown investigation. But if you're looking to find a home telephone number for someone you know, it's quite doable. With a few clues, such as the person's first and last names, you can successfully perform a phone number search.

If you know the person's full name, flip through your locally distributed phone book to locate a home telephone number. Phone numbers are listed by last name, in alphabetical order. Phone books will list only people in your area.

If you are unsure of the person's location, search an online phone number database such as Switchboard.com. This will require the person's first and last names; the search often returns multiple listings for the same name. You can filter a long list if you know the person's whereabouts. The more details you have, the better.

Consult phone company websites if you know the person's service provider. This resource can help narrow down the number of search returns for one person.

Gather any remaining details about the person and use this to your advantage if you have trouble finding his home phone number. For example, you could search the website of a company or organization with which the person is affiliated; his personal contact information might be listed there.

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