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 Sand Hill (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 Sand Hill. 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 Sand Hill ...
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.
Another variation: Sandhill.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Sand Hill. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Sand Hill.
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 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.
Sand Hill is located in Contra Costa 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 Contra Costa County: Alameda, Marin, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Joaquin & Solano.
Below are the counties that are near Sand Hill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Sand Hill:
- Contra Costa County (The home county of Sand Hill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Hill, with the one closest to Sand Hill listed first.
- Knightsen
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Oakley
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Brentwood
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Bethel Island
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bixler
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bixler is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bixler
- Antioch
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Empire ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Empire is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Empire
- Byron
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Discovery Bay
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Marsh Creek Springs
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Marsh Creek Springs is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marsh Creek Springs
- Pittsburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Clayton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- West Pittsburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- West Pittsburg is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Pittsburg
- Alameda County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Hill, with the one closest to Sand Hill listed first.
- Altamont
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Altamont is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamont
- Laddville ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Laddville is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laddville
- Livermore
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Komandorski Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Komandorski Village is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komandorski Village
- San Ramon Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- San Ramon Village is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Ramon Village
- Dublin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tesla ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Tesla is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tesla
- Pleasanton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Canyon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Scotts Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Scotts Corner is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Corner
- Sunol
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Castro Valley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Sacramento County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Hill, with the one closest to Sand Hill listed first.
- Isleton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Ryde
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Locke
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Locke is located in Sacramento County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locke
- Walnut Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Vorden
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Vorden is located in Sacramento County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vorden
- Courtland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Hood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Galt
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Galt is located in Sacramento County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,551 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Galt <1>
- Franklin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Franklin is located in Sacramento County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
- San Joaquin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Hill, with the one closest to Sand Hill listed first.
- Holt
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Terminous
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Terminous is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terminous
- Country Club
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Country Club is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Club
- Lincoln Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Lincoln Village is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Village
- Stockton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Ellis ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ellis is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
- Tracy
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Tracy is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 95,025 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tracy <1>
- Taft Mosswood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Taft Mosswood is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taft Mosswood
- Henderson Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Henderson Village is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson Village
- Taison
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Taison is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taison
- Thornton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wainwright Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wainwright Village is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wainwright Village
- August
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- August is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for August
- Solano County
- The following are listed by their distance from Sand Hill, with the one closest to Sand Hill listed first.
- Rio Vista
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Birds Landing
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Solano City ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Solano City is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solano City
- Denverton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Denverton is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denverton
- Oxford
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Oxford is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
- Travis Field
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Travis Field is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Travis Field
- Benicia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Cannon ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cannon is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon
- Fairfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Suisun City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Suisun City is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suisun City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 29,305 people
- Suisun City has also been known as:
- Suisun
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Suisun City <1>
- Elmira
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Leisure Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Leisure Town is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure Town
- Vacaville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Yolo County
- Greendale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Greendale is located in Yolo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greendale
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Sand Hill, see our County-by-County Page for Sand Hill.
Cemeteries Near Sand Hill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sand Hill.
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 Sand Hill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Sand Hill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sand Hill, with the one closest to Sand Hill listed first.
- Holy Cross Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy Cross Cemetery
- The Holy Cross Cemetery has also been known as:
- Holly Cross Cemetery
- Oak View Memorial Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- New Holy Cross Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Byron Brentwood Knightson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Union Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Union Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Brentwood.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #188400 <2>
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Live Oak Cemetery
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Memory Gardens Cemetery
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- St. Stephen Cemetery
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Roselawn Cemetery
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- St. Michaels Cemetery
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Oak Knoll Cemetery
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (48 more) ...
- Lafayette Cemetery
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Tracy Public Cemetery
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hebrew Cemetery
(22 miles [35.4 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 Sand Hill in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Sand Hill.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Sand Hill, with the one closest to Sand Hill listed first.
- Brentwood
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Antioch
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Byron
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Stewartville ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Stewartville is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartville
- Somersville ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Somersville is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somersville
- Cornwall
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Cornwall is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornwall
- Nortonville ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Nortonville is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nortonville
- Collinsville ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Collinsville is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collinsville
- Rio Vista
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Isleton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Clayton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Birds Landing
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Bay Point
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- McAvoy
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- McAvoy is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McAvoy
- Concord
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Sand Hill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Sand Hill.
Newspapers Published in Sand Hill ...
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 122 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sand Hill.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sand Hill, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sand Hill.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Sand Hill:
- Websites specific to California
- Pages specific to Contra Costa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alameda County
- Sacramento County
- San Joaquin County
- Solano County
- Yolo County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for California
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 Sand Hill, 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- Sand Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |