Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
- We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
- On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.
By learning about Bel Air (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.
As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Bel Air. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.
Neighboring Counties ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived: their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the east contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Bel Air is located in Jefferson County.
To see how the shape of Alabama's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Jefferson County: Bibb, Blount, Saint Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa & Walker.
Below are the counties that are near Bel Air. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bel Air:
- Jefferson County (The home county of Bel Air)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel Air, with the one closest to Bel Air listed first.
- Zion City
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Zion City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion City
- Huffman
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Huffman is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- Gate City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Gate City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gate City
- Marks Village
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Marks Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marks Village
- Tarrant
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Tarrant is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarrant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,081 people
- Tarrant has also been known as:
- Tarrant City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tarrant <1>
- Weems
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Weems is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
- Bartonville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Bartonville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartonville
- Alton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Center Point
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Irondale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Ridge
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Ridge is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Ridge
- East Birmingham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- East Birmingham is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Birmingham
- Blount County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel Air, with the one closest to Bel Air listed first.
- Dale ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dale is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Compton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Compton is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- County Line
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- County Line is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for County Line
- Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
- Warrior
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Selfville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Selfville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfville
- Remlap
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dallas
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Dallas is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
- Adville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Adville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adville
- Hayden
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Locust Fork
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Smoke Rise
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Smoke Rise is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smoke Rise
- Red Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Red Hill is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
- Cullman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel Air, with the one closest to Bel Air listed first.
- Baltimore ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Baltimore is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baltimore
- Black Bottom
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Black Bottom is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Bottom
- Arkadelphia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Arkadelphia is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkadelphia
- Colony
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Colony is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Estimated population in 2015: 273 people
- The Colony
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- The Colony is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Colony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
- Damascus
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Damascus is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Damascus
- Garden City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Garden City is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel Air, with the one closest to Bel Air listed first.
- Woodland Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Woodland Village is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Acmar
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Acmar is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acmar
- Moody
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Moody is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,292 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moody <1>
- Parsons
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Parsons is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsons
- Brompton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Brompton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brompton
- Argo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Argo is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,278 people
- Margaret
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Turnbough Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Turnbough Town is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbough Town
- Cook's Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Cook's Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cook's Springs
- Odenville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Springville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Branchville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Branchville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchville
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel Air, with the one closest to Bel Air listed first.
- Bridgeton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bridgeton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- Lake Purdy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Lake Purdy is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Purdy
- Dunavant
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dunavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunavant
- Dunnavant
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dunnavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnavant
- Shoal Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Shoal Creek is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoal Creek
- Inverness
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Inverness is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inverness
- Meadowbrook
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Meadowbrook is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Vandiver
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Indian Springs Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Indian Springs Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,628 people
- Sterrett
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chelsea
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Pelham
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel Air, with the one closest to Bel Air listed first.
- Logan Martin Dam
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Logan Martin Dam is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan Martin Dam
- East Bend
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- East Bend is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bend
- Childersburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Colony
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Colony is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Windsong Island
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Windsong Island is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsong Island
- Tuscaloosa County
- Tannehill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
- Walker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bel Air, with the one closest to Bel Air listed first.
- Quinton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Twilley Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Twilley Town is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilley Town
- Yerkwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Yerkwood is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yerkwood
- Creel
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Creel is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creel
- Empire
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Empire is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Empire
- Oakahalla
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oakahalla is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakahalla
- Sumiton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Sumiton is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumiton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,330 people
- Former names for Sumiton:
- Commercial
- Democrat
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sumiton <1>
- Burnwell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Burnwell is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnwell
- Wyatt
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Wyatt is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
- Dora
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Reeds Ferry
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Reeds Ferry is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeds Ferry
- Black Warrior Town ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Black Warrior Town is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Warrior Town
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bel Air, see our County-by-County Page for Bel Air.
Cemeteries Near Bel Air ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bel Air.
This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.
Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Bel Air - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bel Air covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bel Air, with the one closest to Bel Air listed first.
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Higgins Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- East Lake Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Greenwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Birmingham.
- The Greenwood Cemetery has also been known as:
- Woodlawn Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #23140 <2>
- Bass Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Inglenook Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Forest Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bush Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Earltown Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Reed Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sheritt Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- McElwain Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Continue List (331 more) ...
- Bass Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Alton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jefferson Memorial Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
Nearby Communities in 1895 ...
We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<3>
While we didn't find Bel Air in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bel Air.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bel Air, with the one closest to Bel Air listed first.
- East Lake
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- East Lake is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lake
- Huffman
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Huffman is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- Gate City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Gate City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gate City
- Ruffner
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Ruffner is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruffner
- Bartonville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Bartonville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartonville
- Woodlawn
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Woodlawn is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn
- Weems
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Weems is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
- Vanderbilt
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Vanderbilt is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanderbilt
- East Birmingham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- East Birmingham is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Birmingham
- Irondale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Ridge
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Ridge is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Ridge
- Lewisburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Lewisburg is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisburg
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Avondale
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Avondale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- New Castle
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- New Castle is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Castle
- North Birmingham
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- North Birmingham is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Birmingham
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bel Air. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bel Air.
Newspapers Published in Bel Air ...
An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).
To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.
Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 189 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bel Air.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bel Air, there are papers which were published within 6 miles [9.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bel Air.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Bel Air:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Jefferson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blount County
- Cullman County
- Saint Clair County
- Shelby County
- Talladega County
- Tuscaloosa County
- Walker County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Alabama
Footnotes ...
| <1> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <2> | The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com. |
| <3> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Bel Air, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Bel Air) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |