RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of California >> Orange County >> Brea Chem >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Brea Chem (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 Brea Chem. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.

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 north 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.

Brea Chem is located in Orange County.

To see how the shape of California's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Orange County: Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino & San Diego.

Below are the counties that are near Brea Chem. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brea Chem:

  • Orange County     (The home county of Brea Chem)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brea Chem, with the one closest to Brea Chem listed first.
    • Brea
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Brea is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brea
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 44,484 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Brea <1>
    • Placentia
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Yorba Linda
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Atwood
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Fullerton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • La Habra
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Olive
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Olive is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olive
    • Anaheim
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Marlboro
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Marlboro is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlboro
    • Wanda ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Wanda is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wanda
    • Anaheim Hills
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Villa Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Buena Park
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Los Angeles County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brea Chem, with the one closest to Brea Chem listed first.
    • La Habra Heights
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • La Habra Heights is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Habra Heights
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,212 people
    • Rowland Heights
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • South San Jose Hills
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • South San Jose Hills is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South San Jose Hills
    • East La Mirada
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • East La Mirada is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East La Mirada
    • Walnut
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Walnut is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 29,324 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Walnut <1>
    • Woodside Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Woodside Village is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodside Village
    • Hacienda Heights
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Diamond Bar
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • City of Industry
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • La Puente
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • La Mirada
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Valinda
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Valinda is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valinda
    • Avocado Heights
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Avocado Heights is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avocado Heights
  • Riverside County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brea Chem, with the one closest to Brea Chem listed first.
    • Corona
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Corona is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corona
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 170,996 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Corona <1>
    • Eastvale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Norco
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Norco is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norco
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 27,892 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Norco <1>
    • Porphyry ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Porphyry is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porphyry
    • El Cerrito
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • El Cerrito is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Cerrito
    • Home Gardens
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Home Gardens is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home Gardens
    • Mira Loma
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Glen Avon
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Glen Avon is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Avon
    • Pedley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Pedley is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pedley
    • Jurupa Valley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Jurupa Valley is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jurupa Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109,745 people
    • Arlington
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Arlington is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
    • De Anza Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • De Anza Village is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Anza Village
    • Temescal
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Temescal is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temescal
  • San Bernardino County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brea Chem, with the one closest to Brea Chem listed first.
    • Chino Hills
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Los Serranos
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Los Serranos is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Los Serranos
    • Chino
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Chino is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chino
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 92,290 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Chino <1>
    • Montclair
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Montclair is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montclair
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 40,600 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Montclair <1>
    • Ontario
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Ontario is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 183,393 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ontario <1>
    • Racimo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Racimo is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Racimo
    • Upland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Upland is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 77,850 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Upland <1>
    • Guasti
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • San Antonio Heights
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • San Antonio Heights is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Antonio Heights
    • Alta Loma
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Rancho Cucamonga
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Southridge Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Southridge Village is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southridge Village
    • Rochester
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Rochester is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brea Chem, see our County-by-County Page for Brea Chem.

Cemeteries Near Brea Chem ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brea Chem.

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 Brea Chem - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brea Chem covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brea Chem, with the one closest to Brea Chem listed first.

  • Loma Vista Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Memory Garden Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Anaheim Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Queen of Heaven Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Yorba Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Holy Cross Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Melrose Abbey Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Cemetery of the Holy Sepulchre
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Fairhaven Memorial Park
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the St. John's Lutheran Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Santa Ana.
    • The St. John's Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
    • New St. John Lutheran Cemetery
    • New St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
    • St. Johns Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #8324 <2>
  • Santa Ana Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Ana Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Santa Ana Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Santa Ana.
    • The Santa Ana Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #8351 <2>
  • Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Pomona.
    • The Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Holy Cross Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #8036 <2>
  • Continue List   (78 more) ...
    • Spadra Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Forest Lawn Memorial Park - Covina Hills
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Lawn Memorial Park - Covina Hills
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Forest Lawn Memorial Park - Covina Hills is a very large cemetery that is located in Covina.
      • The Forest Lawn Memorial Park - Covina Hills has also been known as:
      • Covina Hills Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery
      • Covina Hills Forest Lawn Memorial Park
      • Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery
      • Forest Lawn Memorial Park
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #7973 <2>
    • Olive Grove Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)

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 Brea Chem in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Brea Chem.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Brea Chem, with the one closest to Brea Chem listed first.

  • Fullerton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Yorba
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Yorba is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorba
  • Olive
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Olive is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olive
  • Anaheim
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Northam ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Northam is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northam
  • Almond
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Almond is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almond
  • Brookhurst
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Brookhurst is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookhurst
  • Miraflores
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Miraflores is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miraflores
  • Marlboro
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Marlboro is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlboro
  • Wanda ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Wanda is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wanda
  • Villa Park
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Buena Park
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Orange
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • McPherson
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • McPherson is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McPherson
    • El Modena
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • El Modena is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Modena

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brea Chem. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brea Chem.

Newspapers Published in Brea Chem ...

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 121 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brea Chem.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brea Chem, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brea Chem.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful websites 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 Brea Chem:

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 Brea Chem, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Brea Chem) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.