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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 Richfields (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 Richfields. 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.

Name Variations for Richfields ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

While the name of this community is Richfields, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Richfields may originally have been Richfield's.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Richfields 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 Richfields. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Richfields:

  • Orange County     (The home county of Richfields)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Richfields, with the one closest to Richfields listed first.
    • Atwood
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Yorba Linda
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Olive
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Olive is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olive
    • Placentia
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Villa Park
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Wanda ‑ Historic
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Wanda is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wanda
    • Anaheim Hills
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Marlboro
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Marlboro is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlboro
    • Brea
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • 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 <2>
    • Orange
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Anaheim
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Fullerton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Cowan Heights
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cowan Heights is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowan Heights
  • Los Angeles County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Richfields, with the one closest to Richfields listed first.
    • La Habra Heights
      (9 miles [14.5 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
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Walnut
      (10 miles [16.1 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 <2>
    • East La Mirada
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • East La Mirada is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East La Mirada
    • Diamond Bar
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Woodside Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Woodside Village is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodside Village
    • South San Jose Hills
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • South San Jose Hills is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South San Jose Hills
    • La Mirada
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Spadra
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Spadra is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spadra
    • City of Industry
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Hacienda Heights
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • La Puente
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Carmenita
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Carmenita is located in Los Angeles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmenita
  • Riverside County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Richfields, with the one closest to Richfields listed first.
    • Corona
      (14 miles [22.5 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 <2>
    • Norco
      (16 miles [25.7 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 <2>
    • Porphyry ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Porphyry is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porphyry
    • Eastvale
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • El Cerrito
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • El Cerrito is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Cerrito
    • Home Gardens
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Home Gardens is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home Gardens
    • Mira Loma
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Temescal
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Temescal is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temescal
    • Pedley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Pedley is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pedley
    • Glen Avon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Glen Avon is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Avon
    • Arlington
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Arlington is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
    • De Anza Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • De Anza Village is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Anza Village
    • Jurupa Valley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Jurupa Valley is located in Riverside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jurupa Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109,745 people
  • San Bernardino County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Richfields, with the one closest to Richfields listed first.
    • Los Serranos
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Los Serranos is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Los Serranos
    • Chino Hills
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • 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 <2>
    • Montclair
      (16 miles [25.7 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 <2>
    • Ontario
      (16 miles [25.7 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 <2>
    • Racimo
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Racimo is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Racimo
    • Upland
      (18 miles [29 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 <2>
    • Guasti
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Rancho Cucamonga
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Alta Loma
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Rochester
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Rochester is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
    • San Antonio Heights
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • San Antonio Heights is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Antonio Heights
    • Southridge Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Southridge Village is located in San Bernardino County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southridge Village

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

Cemeteries Near Richfields ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Richfields.

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 Richfields - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Yorba Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Anaheim Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Cemetery of the Holy Sepulchre
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Loma Vista Memorial Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Melrose Abbey Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Fairhaven Memorial Park
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 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 <3>
  • Santa Ana Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 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 <3>
  • Memory Garden Memorial Park
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Holy Cross Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Queen of Heaven Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Magnolia Memorial Park
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (76 more) ...
    • Westminster Memorial Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Holy Cross Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy Cross Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Holy Cross Cemetery is located in Pomona.
    • Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • 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 <3>

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.<4>

While we didn't find Richfields in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Richfields.

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

  • Yorba
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Yorba is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorba
  • Olive
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Olive is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olive
  • Wanda ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Wanda is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wanda
  • Villa Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Marlboro
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Marlboro is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlboro
  • Anaheim
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Miraflores
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Miraflores is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miraflores
  • Orange
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • McPherson
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • McPherson is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McPherson
  • El Modena
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • El Modena is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Modena
  • Fullerton
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Brookhurst
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Brookhurst is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookhurst
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Santa Ana
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Garden Grove
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Northam ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Northam is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northam

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

Newspapers Published in Richfields ...

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 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Richfields.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Richfields, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Richfields.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Richfields:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>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.
<4>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 Richfields, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<5>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Richfields) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.