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 Shinn (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 Shinn. 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.
Shinn 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 Shinn. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shinn:
- Alameda County (The home county of Shinn)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shinn, with the one closest to Shinn listed first.
- Fremont
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- 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>
- Union City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Union City is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74,501 people
- Former name for Union City:
- Decoto
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Union City <1>
- Albrae ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Albrae is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albrae
- Larkins Landing ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Larkins Landing is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larkins Landing
- Newark
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sunol
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Alvarado ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Alvarado is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvarado
- Scotts Corner
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Scotts Corner is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Corner
- Drawbridge ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Drawbridge is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drawbridge
- Former name for Drawbridge:
- Saline City
- Pleasanton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Fairview
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fairview is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Hayward
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Eden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Contra Costa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shinn, with the one closest to Shinn listed first.
- San Ramon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Blackhawk - Camino Tassajara
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Danville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- 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>
- Tassajara
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Tassajara is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tassajara
- Blackhawk
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Blackhawk is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackhawk
- Diablo
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Alamo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Rock City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Rock City is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Moraga
(20 miles [32.2 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>
- Lafayette
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Marsh Creek Springs
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Marsh Creek Springs is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marsh Creek Springs
- Walnut Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Orinda
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- San Francisco County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shinn, with the one closest to Shinn listed first.
- Mission District
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mission District is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission District
- San Francisco
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sydney Town ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sydney Town is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sydney Town
- Amanico Ergina Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Amanico Ergina Village is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amanico Ergina Village
- Chinatown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chinatown is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinatown
- Friendship Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Friendship Village is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship Village
- Golden Gate Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Golden Gate Heights is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden Gate Heights
- Stonestown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Stonestown is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonestown
- Doelger City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Doelger City is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doelger City
- San Joaquin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shinn, with the one closest to Shinn listed first.
- Carnegie ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Carnegie is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carnegie
- Ellis ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Ellis is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
- San Mateo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shinn, with the one closest to Shinn listed first.
- East Palo Alto
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- The Willows
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- The Willows is located in San Mateo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Willows
- Atherton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Menlo Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- North Fair Oaks
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- North Fair Oaks is located in San Mateo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fair Oaks
- Redwood City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- West Menlo Park
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Foster City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- San Carlos
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Ladera
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ladera is located in San Mateo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ladera
- Emerald Lake Hills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Emerald Lake Hills is located in San Mateo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerald Lake Hills
- Belmont
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Laurel
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Laurel is located in San Mateo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
- Santa Clara County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shinn, with the one closest to Shinn listed first.
- Alviso
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Milpitas
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Agnew
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Agnew is located in Santa Clara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnew
- Palo Alto
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sunnyvale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Castro City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Castro City is located in Santa Clara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castro City
- Escondido Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Escondido Village is located in Santa Clara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Escondido Village
- Mountain View
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Stanford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Ventura
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Ventura is located in Santa Clara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ventura
- Santa Clara
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Los Altos
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- East Foothills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- East Foothills is located in Santa Clara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Foothills
- Santa Cruz County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shinn, with the one closest to Shinn listed first.
- Alma ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Alma is located in Santa Cruz County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Summit
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Summit is located in Santa Cruz County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
- Summit has also been known as:
- Loma Prieta
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shinn, see our County-by-County Page for Shinn.
Cemeteries Near Shinn ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shinn.
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 Shinn - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shinn covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shinn, with the one closest to Shinn listed first.
- Presbyterian Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Holy Ghost Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Irvington Memorial Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ohlone Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ohlone Cemetery
- The Ohlone Cemetery has also been known as:
- Ohlone Indian Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #8228 <2>
- Ohlones Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chapel of the Chimes Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Chapel of the Chimes Memorial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mission San Jose Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Lawn Memorial Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lawn Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Cedar Lawn Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located in Fremont.
- The Cedar Lawn Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Cedar Lawn Memorial Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #7892 <2>
- Pleasanton Memorial Gardens Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (67 more) ...
- Lone Tree Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- All Saints Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Eden Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
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 Shinn in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shinn.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shinn, with the one closest to Shinn listed first.
- Newark
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sunol
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Alvarado ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Alvarado is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvarado
- Pleasanton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Eden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Alviso
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Milpitas
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Agnew
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Agnew is located in Santa Clara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnew
- San Lorenzo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Palo Alto
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Fair Oaks
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fair Oaks is located in San Mateo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fair Oaks
- Menlo Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Mayfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mayfield is located in Santa Clara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Mountain View
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lawrence
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Lawrence is located in Santa Clara County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shinn. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shinn.
Newspapers Published in Shinn ...
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 54 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shinn.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shinn, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Shinn.
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 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 Shinn:
- Websites specific to California
- Pages specific to Alameda County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Contra Costa County
- San Francisco County
- San Joaquin County
- San Mateo County
- Santa Clara County
- Santa Cruz 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 Shinn, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Shinn) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |