I have a brother I have never met, and I don’t know if he even knows I’m out here. (Or cares to.) I need to find him just to put my mind at ease. I know there are services, but is there any way to search for free, that will get me somewhere?

zabasearch.com, in the USA.

This is a general hint: Even though you go in through YA Canada, YA Australia, YA UK or YA USA, all of the questions go into one big "pot" and get read by everyone in the world who speaks English. Most of the people here are in the UK and USA, but you sometimes get questions and answers from people who worry about kangaroos eating their roses. So – put a nation, or, better yet, if you are asking about a specific individual, a nation and a state / province, in all of your questions. It will help people help you.