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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 Santa Rita (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 Santa Rita. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Santa Rita is located in Alameda 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 Alameda County: Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara & Stanislaus.

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

  • Alameda County     (The home county of Santa Rita)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Santa Rita, with the one closest to Santa Rita listed first.
    • Pleasanton
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Komandorski Village
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Komandorski Village is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komandorski Village
    • Dublin
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • San Ramon Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • San Ramon Village is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Ramon Village
    • Laddville ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Laddville is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laddville
    • Livermore
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Sunol
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Scotts Corner
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Scotts Corner is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Corner
    • Fairview
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Fairview is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
    • Altamont
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Altamont is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamont
    • Fremont
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Fremont is located in Alameda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fremont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 234,569 people
      • Former names for Fremont:
      • Centerville
      • Irvington
      • Mission San Jose
      • Niles
      • Warm Springs
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fremont <1>
    • Castro Valley
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Hayward
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Contra Costa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Santa Rita, with the one closest to Santa Rita listed first.
    • Tassajara
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Tassajara is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tassajara
    • Blackhawk - Camino Tassajara
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • San Ramon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Blackhawk
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Blackhawk is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackhawk
    • Rock City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Rock City is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
    • Danville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Danville is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 44,883 people
      • Former name for Danville:
      • Inmanville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danville <1>
    • Diablo
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Marsh Creek Springs
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Marsh Creek Springs is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marsh Creek Springs
    • Alamo
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Clayton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Clayton is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,527 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clayton <1>
    • Byron
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Moraga
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Moraga is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moraga
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,967 people
      • Former name for Moraga:
      • Willow Springs
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moraga <1>
    • Brentwood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
  • San Francisco County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Santa Rita, with the one closest to Santa Rita listed first.
    • Chinatown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Chinatown is located in San Francisco County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinatown
    • Sydney Town ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Sydney Town is located in San Francisco County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sydney Town
  • San Joaquin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Santa Rita, with the one closest to Santa Rita listed first.
    • Carnegie ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Carnegie is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carnegie
    • Ellis ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Ellis is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
    • Tracy
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • 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>
    • Wainwright Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Wainwright Village is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wainwright Village
    • Banta
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Lyoth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Lyoth is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyoth
    • Holt
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • San Mateo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Santa Rita, with the one closest to Santa Rita listed first.
    • East Palo Alto
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • The Willows
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • The Willows is located in San Mateo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Willows
    • North Fair Oaks
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • North Fair Oaks is located in San Mateo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fair Oaks
    • Atherton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Menlo Park
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Foster City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Redwood City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • San Carlos
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Belmont
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Laurel
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Laurel is located in San Mateo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
    • West Menlo Park
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Emerald Lake Hills
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Emerald Lake Hills is located in San Mateo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerald Lake Hills
    • Burlingame
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
  • Santa Clara County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Santa Rita, with the one closest to Santa Rita listed first.
    • Milpitas
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Alviso
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Agnew
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Agnew is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnew
    • East Foothills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • East Foothills is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Foothills
    • Alum Rock
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Alum Rock is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum Rock
    • Santa Clara
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Palo Alto
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • San Jose
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • San Jose is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Jose
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,013,616 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for San Jose <1>
    • Castro City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Castro City is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castro City
    • Escondido Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Escondido Village is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Escondido Village
    • Mountain View
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Stanford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Sunnyvale
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
  • Solano County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Santa Rita, with the one closest to Santa Rita listed first.
    • Benicia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Birds Landing
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Santa Rita ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Santa Rita.

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 Santa Rita - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Pleasanton Memorial Gardens Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Oak Knoll Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Roselawn Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Dublin Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • St. Michaels Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Chapel of the Chimes Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Chapel of the Chimes Memorial Park
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Lone Tree Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Ohlone Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Ohlones Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Mission San Jose Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (48 more) ...
    • All Saints Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Presbyterian Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Irvington Memorial Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)

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

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

  • Pleasanton
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Livermore
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Sunol
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • San Ramon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Danville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Danville is located in Contra Costa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 44,883 people
    • Former name for Danville:
    • Inmanville
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danville <1>
  • Alvarado ‑ Historic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Alvarado is located in Alameda County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvarado
  • Mount Eden
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Alamo
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • San Lorenzo
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Newark
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Midway
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Midway is located in Alameda County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
  • San Leandro
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Clayton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Clayton is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,527 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clayton <1>
    • Byron
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Stewartville ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Stewartville is located in Contra Costa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartville

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

Newspapers Published in Santa Rita ...

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 49 newspapers that have been published in the area around Santa Rita.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Santa Rita, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Santa Rita.

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 Santa Rita:

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 Santa Rita, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Santa Rita) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.