Public Information Databases: Everything You Need to Know

Cindy Ellis - August 18, 2023

Information has never been more readily available. In fact, global leaders are calling the period we live in the Information Era. While information is abundant, finding it is starting to get difficult again. Search engines like Google are flooded with web pages, and public record databases are held hostage behind paywalls that can cost you thousands. Furthermore, you might have to bounce around several databases to find the information you need.

The good news is that there’s no need to go through this trouble. There are a handful of tools you can leverage to view public record databases without wasting your time or money.

Read on to learn how below.

What Is a Public Records Database?

Public record databases are databases that contain someone’s public records. Records are available about someone’s crimes, family members, credit history, and anything else that’s available to the public. This also includes social media accounts, phone numbers, email addresses, and contact information. Therefore, you can find some or all of this information depending on the database that you visit.

That said, not everything is a public record. For example, you might need approval to get someone’s death records, and some states might not share criminal records without a signed letter from the state. These are only some examples, so it’s important to read up about the information you’re searching for to see if it’s publicly available.

What Are the Types of Public Records Databases?

Several types of public records databases are available. Each type contains different records, and some are more specific than others. You may find some local databases that contain information about people who live in a town or national databases that collect census data about the entire United States. Government databases may also contain records about criminal records, secret clearances, and general information about state and local zoning laws.

Ultimately, there are thousands of databases you can look through, and many contain niche information. This is why we always recommend using a public records search tool that’s designed to comb through these databases and present you with the information you’re looking for in one specific place. Hence, our public records search tool.

What Can You Find in Public Record Databases?

Public record databases contain a lot of information about people. You can find a lot of information when you visit each type of database, or you can find everything all at once with online database search engines.

For example, you can find the following public records when you search with Information.com:

• Full name
• Addresses
• Social media accounts
• Phone records
• Email address
• Dating profiles
• Criminal records
• Jail sentences
• Court records
• Sex offender status

These are only some of the records you can find when you look through public records databases. Ultimately, the type of information available depends on the person and their history.

How to Access Public Records Databases

There are billions of databases around the world. Private companies have them, the federal government has them, and even other countries have unique databases. Accessing all of these databases can take more than a lifetime, so it’s important to leverage the right tools.

We take you through some of our public record search tools and some other popular choices below.

Information.com’s Public Records Search Tool

One of the best ways to assess a public records database is to use our public records search tool. Information.com offers a public records search tool that contains information from billions of public record databases across the United States. Within these databases, you can find anything that’s public record. You can search for yourself or others and even run background checks on individuals if you plan on hiring them.

When using our public records search tool, all you need to get started is some information about the person you’re looking for. You’ll need someone’s first and last name, state, and city of residence. This will narrow down the results and help you find who you’re looking for, but you can start with just their name. Also, you may be prompted to provide additional information to further tune the results.

When using our public records search tool, you can find the following information all in one place:

• Criminal records
• Court records
• Marriage records
• Email accounts
• Social media profiles
• Phone records
• Current or past address
• Sex offender status
• Known associates

These are only some of the records you can find. In short, you can find anything that’s available publicly with our search tool.

Address Lookup

Another tool that we offer is our address lookup tool. When looking for public records about a specific address, this tool is the best way to go. Using our address lookup tool will provide you with in-depth information about any address you enter. You just need the address, city, and state to get started.

When using this tool, you’ll find the following information about an address:

• Current residents
• Past residents
• Property taxes
• Property sales
• Zoning (residential or commercial)

Depending on the address, your results may vary. That said, Information.com’s address lookup tool is the fastest way to find this information.

Phone Lookup

Some phone records are public records. While you might not be able to see someone’s call history or discover their provider, you can usually find the owner of a phone number and where they’re located. This can help expose a scammer, spoofer, or any other malicious person trying to call you. Plus, you can stop robocalls with the right tools at your disposal.

When you want to get started, use our phone number lookup tool. It’s the best way to discover who’s calling you, and you only need to enter someone’s phone number. You can also search your phone number if you’re unsure about the possible results to get an idea of what you’ll find with our search tools.

This is one of the best ways to view public phone records aside from getting in contact with a phone provider. Even then, good luck getting anything useful, as this information is usually kept private.

Government Databases

Government databases are another option if you want to find someone’s public records or learn about a property. In fact, government databases contain tons of information and can help you find just about anything. Therefore, if it’s available, you can find it in a government database.

While these databases are effective, you may have to pay a small fee. For instance, some states may charge a $95 fee to have you comb through a specific database. Also, you have to visit each individual database to find information. So, for example, if you’re looking for information about someone’s criminal history and jail sentence, you’d have to visit two different databases.

Aside from using online versions of government databases, you can also visit courthouses and the county clerk in person. When you’re there, they can pull the records you’re looking for, but it does usually cost a small fee. While speed and efficiency are lacking, it’s the best way to get accurate records.

For these reasons, we always recommend using one of Information.com’s public records search tools instead. All of the information you can find in most government databases is available in one place.

Other Online Resources

Online resources are limitless as we navigate through the Information Age. Now, dozens of online resources will help you find information about people. We’ll provide you with some additional options to mess around with if you’re having trouble with other database search tools.

These tools can also help you expand on what you find with a public records search tool. For example, if you’re looking for current images, your best bet is using social media or running a Google search.

Some great examples include:

• Google Search: Even a basic Google search can pull a lot of records about someone. Works best if they’re famous.
• Whitepages: Whitepages is one of the best resources for finding names, phone numbers, and addresses. Anything deeper, and you’re out of luck.
• Social Media: Check someone’s social media profile to see what they’re up to. This reveals some public information about their personal lives and families (in most cases).

These are only a handful of examples you can try. Depending on what you’re looking for, they can be helpful.

These are the best ways to view public records without spending too much money or wasting too much of your time.

Find Public Records Today

A public record database will help you find anything you’re looking for as long as it’s available. While you can visit official government databases or use online tools, we always recommend starting with Information.com. Our collection of people search engines and public record database tools are perfect for finding records fast.

When you use Information.com, you also have access to everything all in one convenient place. From criminal records to phone records, we have you covered. Get started today and find the records you need with efficiency you won’t find elsewhere.