diff --git a/src/server/routes/users.ts b/src/server/routes/users.ts
index 9893e03..58328c1 100644
--- a/src/server/routes/users.ts
+++ b/src/server/routes/users.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,112 @@ import express from 'express'
 import { User } from '../db/models'
 import { userFields } from './config'
 
+const USER_FETCH_LIMIT = 100
+
 const usersRouter = express.Router()
 
+const getWhereClauseForOneWordSearch = (search: string) => ({
+  [Op.or]: [
+    {
+      username: {
+        [Op.iLike]: `${search}%`,
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      firstName: {
+        [Op.iLike]: `${search}%`,
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      lastName: {
+        [Op.iLike]: `${search}%`,
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      email: {
+        [Op.iLike]: `${search}%`,
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      studentNumber: {
+        [Op.iLike]: `${search}%`,
+      },
+    },
+  ],
+})
+
+const getWhereClauseForTwoWordSearch = (search: string) => {
+  const [firstName, lastName] = search.split(' ')
+  return {
+    [Op.or]: [
+      // assume that the first word is the first name and the second word is the last name
+      {
+        firstName: {
+          [Op.iLike]: `${firstName}%`,
+        },
+        lastName: {
+          [Op.iLike]: `${lastName}%`,
+        },
+      },
+      // assume that both words are the "first name", this is because
+      // first name includes middle names as well. Thus this allows
+      // for searching with first and middle names
+      {
+        firstName: {
+          [Op.iLike]: `${search}%`,
+        },
+      },
+      // sometimes, users might first type in last name and then first name
+      // so we need to account for that as well
+      {
+        firstName: {
+          [Op.iLike]: `${lastName}%`,
+        },
+        lastName: {
+          [Op.iLike]: `${firstName}%`,
+        },
+      },
+    ],
+  }
+}
+
+const getWhereClauseForManyWordSearch = (search: string) => {
+  const searchedWords = search.split(' ')
+  const [lastName1, ...firstNames1] = searchedWords
+  // treat the last word in searchedWords as lastName2 and
+  // the rest as firstNames2 i.e. equivalent to
+  // const [...firstNames2, lastName2] = searchedWords
+  // if it'd be possible in JS :)
+  const lastName2 = searchedWords[searchedWords.length - 1]
+  const firstNames2 = searchedWords.slice(0, searchedWords.length - 1)
+
+  return {
+    [Op.or]: [
+      {
+        firstName: {
+          [Op.iLike]: `${searchedWords}%`,
+        },
+      },
+      {
+        firstName: {
+          [Op.iLike]: `${firstNames1.join(' ')}%`,
+        },
+        lastName: {
+          [Op.iLike]: `${lastName1}%`,
+        },
+      },
+      {
+        firstName: {
+          [Op.iLike]: `${firstNames2.join(' ')}%`,
+        },
+        lastName: {
+          [Op.iLike]: `${lastName2}%`,
+        },
+      },
+    ],
+  }
+}
+
 interface UserSearchQuery {
   search?: string
   onlyWithStudyRight?: boolean
@@ -47,79 +151,37 @@ usersRouter.get('/', async (req, res) => {
     }
   }
 
-  if (trimmedSearch.split(' ').length === 2) {
-    const [firstName, lastName] = trimmedSearch.split(' ')
+  const searchedWords = trimmedSearch.split(' ')
+
+  if (searchedWords.length === 2) {
+    const users = await User.findAll({
+      attributes: userFields,
+      where: {
+        ...getWhereClauseForTwoWordSearch(trimmedSearch),
+        ...whereClauses,
+      },
+      limit: USER_FETCH_LIMIT,
+    })
+    res.send(users)
+  } else if (searchedWords.length > 2) {
     const users = await User.findAll({
       attributes: userFields,
       where: {
-        [Op.or]: [
-          // assume that the first word is the first name and the second word is the last name
-          {
-            firstName: {
-              [Op.iLike]: `${firstName}%`,
-            },
-            lastName: {
-              [Op.iLike]: `${lastName}%`,
-            },
-          },
-          // assume that both words are the "first name", this is because
-          // first name includes middle names as well. Thus this allows
-          // for searching with first and middle names
-          {
-            firstName: {
-              [Op.iLike]: `${trimmedSearch}%`,
-            },
-          },
-          // sometimes, users might first type in last name and then first name
-          // so we need to account for that as well
-          {
-            firstName: {
-              [Op.iLike]: `${lastName}%`,
-            },
-            lastName: {
-              [Op.iLike]: `${firstName}%`,
-            },
-          },
-        ],
+        ...getWhereClauseForManyWordSearch(trimmedSearch),
         ...whereClauses,
       },
-      limit: 100,
+      limit: USER_FETCH_LIMIT,
     })
     res.send(users)
   } else {
+    // the search consists of only one word
     const users = await User.findAll({
       attributes: userFields,
       where: {
-        [Op.or]: [
-          {
-            username: {
-              [Op.iLike]: `${trimmedSearch}%`,
-            },
-          },
-          {
-            firstName: {
-              [Op.iLike]: `${trimmedSearch}%`,
-            },
-          },
-          {
-            lastName: {
-              [Op.iLike]: `${trimmedSearch}%`,
-            },
-          },
-          {
-            email: {
-              [Op.iLike]: `${trimmedSearch}%`,
-            },
-          },
-          {
-            studentNumber: {
-              [Op.iLike]: `${trimmedSearch}%`,
-            },
-          },
-        ],
+        ...getWhereClauseForOneWordSearch(trimmedSearch),
         ...whereClauses,
       },
-      limit: 100,
+      limit: USER_FETCH_LIMIT,
     })
 
     res.send(users)