When you come across a website and want to know who owns it, whether for business, security, or curiosity, the good news is that this information is usually just a few clicks away.
Understanding how to check who owns a domain can help you make informed decisions when purchasing a domain, protecting your brand, or investigating a competitor.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how domain ownership works, what a WHOIS lookup is, and how you can use tools like 1-grid’s WHOIS domain lookup to quickly find the details you’re after.
Understanding the Difference Between a Domain and a Website
Before diving in, it’s important to clarify the difference between a domain and a website:
- A domain is the web address you type into your browser; for example, 1-grid.co.za. It’s your online identity, registered through a domain registrar.
- A website, on the other hand, is what people see when they visit that domain. It’s made up of files, code, and content stored on a hosting server.
In other words, a domain name points users to where your website is hosted. You can own a domain without having a live website, and you can also move a website between hosting companies while keeping the same domain name.
What Is WHOIS?
WHOIS (pronounced “who is”) is a public directory that contains detailed information about every registered domain name on the internet. Whenever someone registers a domain ( like yourbusinessname.co.za) key details about that registration are stored in the global WHOIS database.
The system is managed at a technical level by the Registry responsible for each specific domain extension. For example, ZARC manages the .co.za namespace. Registries maintain the authoritative database of domain records, while registrars like 1-grid facilitate the registration process on behalf of customers. The entire ecosystem is overseen by ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), which sets the policies and standards for domain management worldwide.
Essentially, a WHOIS lookup allows you to search this database and access publicly available information about a domain. This promotes transparency, helps verify ownership, and supports accountability across the web.
Here’s what you can typically find in a WHOIS record:
- Registrant’s name or organisation: indicates who a domain is registered to. This could be an individual, a company, or an organisation. Understanding who the registrant is can help you verify the legitimacy of a website or contact the responsible party if you’re interested in discussing the domain’s future availability
- Contact information: the WHOIS record may include the registrant’s email address, phone number, and physical address. However, some owners enable privacy protection to hide this information for security reasons.
- Domain registrar: this identifies the company responsible for registering the domain (for example, 1-grid). The registrar manages the domain’s records and renewals and serves as a point of contact for updates or transfers.
- Registration and expiry dates: these dates show when the domain was first registered and when it’s set to expire. If you’re eyeing a domain that’s already taken, checking the expiry date can give you an idea of when it might become available again.
- Nameservers: nameservers indicate where the domain is hosted and help connect the domain name to the website’s files. While WHOIS won’t always reveal the exact hosting company, nameserver information can offer useful technical clues about the website’s hosting setup.
How to Do a WHOIS Lookup
Doing a WHOIS lookup is simple. You can use tools like 1-grid’s WHOIS Domain Lookup to instantly find domain ownership details.
Here’s how it works:
- Visit 1-grid’s WHOIS lookup tool by clicking here.
- Enter the domain name you want to check (e.g., example.com).
- Click Search.
- Review the WHOIS results. Once you’ve performed the search you’ll see whether the domain is registered, who owns it, and when it’s due to expire.
How to Check a Website’s Hosting Company
In addition to finding out who owns a domain, you might also want to know which company hosts a website. This information can be useful if you’re troubleshooting performance issues, exploring different hosting options, or planning to move your own website to a new provider.
A website hosting checker is a type of online tool that helps identify the hosting company associated with a particular website. It analyses the website’s server information and IP address to determine where the site’s files are stored and how they’re being served to visitors.
Here is how the process works:
- You enter the website’s URL into a hosting checker tool.
- The tool scans the domain’s DNS and server data.
- It then displays technical details such as the hosting provider, server location, and sometimes even the IP address and nameservers used.
Understanding who hosts a website can be helpful for several reasons; from diagnosing website issues and improving security to researching competitors or comparing hosting performance. It’s part of maintaining a clear picture of a website’s overall setup and infrastructure.
Why It’s Useful to Know Who Owns a Domain
There are several reasons you might want to check who owns a website or who the owner of a domain is:
- To buy a domain: you can contact the owner directly to make an offer if the domain you want is already registered.
- For security: identifying suspicious or fraudulent websites helps protect your personal information.
- For business: understanding domain ownership can support market research or competitor analysis.
- For legal and compliance reasons: WHOIS transparency ensures accountability online.
What If the Information Is Private?
Under modern data-protection laws such as POPIA and GDPR, a registrant’s personal information (including their name, email address, phone number, or physical address) is never displayed in a public WHOIS record.
Instead of personal details, WHOIS records display limited technical information, such as the registrar, nameservers, and registration dates. This approach protects registrant privacy while still allowing the public to access essential domain-related data.
If you need to reach the registrant for legitimate reasons, you can still do so by contacting the registrar listed in the WHOIS record, who can relay messages or provide the appropriate procedure for enquiries.
Simplify Domain Management with 1-grid
Whether you’re performing a WHOIS lookup, finding out who owns a domain, or managing your own website and hosting, 1-grid makes it easy and secure.
As a trusted South African domain registrar and web hosting provider, 1-grid offers everything you need to manage your online presence; from domain registration and AI domain name generation to transferring domains and hosting your website securely.
With 1-grid, you can:
- Instantly find out who owns a domain.
- Check domain availability before registering.
- Register your domain.
- Secure your business online with reliable hosting and SSL protection.
- Design and build your website.
- Get expert local support every step of the way
Get in touch with 1-grid today to build your online future with confidence.