Also called reverse WHOIS lookup · reverse WHOIS search
Reverse WHOIS, explained
Commercial providers such as DomainTools and WhoisXML API build reverse WHOIS indexes from years of collected records. Since GDPR-driven redaction began in May 2018, current records for most generic TLDs hide personal contact data, so results lean on historical data and on organizations that still publish their details. Matches can be incomplete or out of date, so confirm anything important another way.
Investors use it to research a buyer before negotiating, to see what else a seller owns, to find owners of similar names for outbound purchase offers, and to check whether a counterparty has a history of disputes. Complainants use it too: a set of names that target trademarks can establish the pattern of conduct that the UDRP lists as evidence of bad faith. Use the data for research and outreach only within privacy and anti-spam rules.
Example. Before replying to an inquiry, a seller runs a reverse WHOIS on the buyer's company email address and finds it already owns several related domains.
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