How can I find my paternal family?

[Knockknockandout]

I'm aged 50, I know who my father is, but he was gone when I was a toddler and think I only met him twice since then. He died an early death 20 years ago but I know I have a big family on his side in Birmingham and I am keen to find them.

He had brothers and a sister who if still alive would be in 70s/80s and I am so keen to learn who my Dad was before people that know him die. The surname is very common, Hughes, in Birmingham. I have joined and done DNA with ancestry but no matches. I have my Dad's birth and death certs which I applied for. I know his parents old address but they will be long passed sadly. I know I have various cousins from his siblings, and one to be called Ian Hughes.... again a very common name.

Any ideas on how I could progress?

You could try doing one of those genetic tests that link you to others that you are related to? I think there's one called 23andme.

Or there is a website ancestry.co.uk that might be able to help?

I did the ancestry.co.uk one - sadly no links to anyone

If you know his parents surname and address you should be able to find the name of the person who registered their deaths (I think it's called an informant). This might be a brother or sister of your Dad.

Did you not get any matches at all on Ancestry? Any distant relatives? Have you looked at the Thru Lines to see if anyone connects with you?. Not necessarily same name but could still be related.

Are there any local Facebook groups/history groups? I'm part of a few FB groups and ancestry groups for my town and regularly people post saying "looking to connect with such and such a family from town x" "does anyone remember so and so". It's very common to try and trace your family history.

There is a Genealogy board on MN, so report your own post and ask them to move it over for you.

Meanwhile you might be able to find your dad's siblings' names on freeBMD by using the search facility, putting in the surname of their mother as well as the father. You can then search for all births in a particular area and time period whose parents have those two surnames.

And also, have a look on Genes Reunited to see if anyone is researching that surname in the locality.

Join local Birmingham Facebook groups and posts who you are and the information you have. Ask for anyone who knows to reach out.

I've seen it on ours. Within 20 mins someone tagged the person they were looking for.

You can upload your raw dna data onto about 4 other genealogy sites. Try thay, you may get some matches.
medium.com/genome-link/product-or-service-you-can-upload-your-dna-data-to-get-additional-analysis-including-free-ones-bd330e1f2af7

Do you factually know he was your dad?

His death is registered by his mother Edith Hughes. He was born in 1938 and not the eldest sibling so I'm sure Edith will have passed.

I presume he is my dad as hes on my birth cert, was married to my mother and I look like him!

Thank you for all other suggestions. I will get working on those :)

Can you search for birth and death records on the Gov.uk site

@Knockknockandout DH has ancestors with that surname in Wolverhampton and MIL has done a load of research, so if you PM me with your dad's mother's maiden name I might be able to rule out some lines for you.

Can you find Edith's death certificate? The informant on her certificate could help you find the rest of the family.

Have you tried freebmd.org.uk? I find it very useful for filling in gaps which ancestry doesn't have.