Kirsty Gray
Professional People Finder, Genealogist & Heir Tracing Expert
Introduction:
Kirsty Gray transforms lives by solving mysteries that have remained hidden for decades. As CEO of Family Wise, one of the UK’s leading probate research and genealogy firms, she specialises in finding people who don’t know they’re being looked for – reuniting families, solving inheritance puzzles, and uncovering secrets buried in time. Her work spans from tracing missing beneficiaries for £millions in unclaimed estates to helping adoptees discover their biological families through cutting-edge DNA analysis. With a team of over thirty experts across six continents, Kirsty has revolutionised the ancient art of people finding for the digital age.
Expertise & Impact:
From her High Street office in Wiltshire, Kirsty leads investigations that read like detective novels. Her team has reunited siblings separated across continents, discovered living relatives for people who thought they were alone in the world, and solved inheritance cases dating back generations. Clients consistently praise the team’s professionalism, with one noting: “They were highly professional and sensitive in their handling of certain unusual aspects of the case.” Using a unique combination of traditional genealogical research, modern DNA technology, and global resources, Family Wise tackles cases that others consider impossible, including tracing beneficiaries from the government’s mysterious ‘Bona Vacantia’ list of ownerless goods.
Speaking Style:
Kirsty captivates audiences with real-life stories that blur the line between fact and fiction. Her presentations reveal the human drama behind professional people finding and family history – the emotional reunions, the unexpected discoveries, and the detective work that connects past and present. She brings together the technical aspects of DNA analysis with the deeply personal stories of families transformed by her work.
Signature Topics:
- The Mystery of Missing People: How professional people finders solve seemingly impossible cases
- The Unclaimed Inheritance Hunt: Inside the world of probate research and heir tracing
- Family Secrets Revealed: What happens when the past catches up with the present
- How I Built a Business of Global Networking to Find People: Building a global network of family history experts
- Digital Genealogy: How technology is revolutionising family history research
Additional Expertise:
- Heir Tracing and Beneficiary Location
- Probate Research and Estate Resolution
- International People Finding
- Genealogical Research Methodologies
- Cross-Border Estate Resolution
- Historical Records Analysis
- Family Tree Reconstruction
- Missing Persons Investigation Techniques
Perfect for:
- Legal and Professional Services Conferences
- Genealogy and Family History Events
- Entrepreneurship Forums
- Heritage and Cultural Organisations
- Estate Planning and Probate Seminars
Career Highlights:
- Built Family Wise from a ‘tiny acorn’ into one of the UK’s leading probate and intestacy companies
- Successfully traced missing beneficiaries across 50+ countries and 6 continents
- Pioneered ethical approaches to heir tracing with transparent, percentage-based fees
- Created comprehensive services spanning heir tracing, adoption research, and estate resolution
- Established the only High Street family history research company of its kind
Key Message:
“Every person has a story waiting to be discovered, and every family mystery can be solved with the right combination of determination, technology, and human insight.”
Impact Story:
“Out of the blue I received a letter from Family Wise concerning the estate of an uncle that no-one had heard from since the 1950s. I was naturally suspicious so checked everything I could think of, even looked up their office on Google street view. Every thing seemed ok so I went ahead and today received a cheque and a copy of our family tree. Great service and I now have a significant amount of money that would otherwise have gone who knows where. Well done!”
– Robert Hicks