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 Maria (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 Maria. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors 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.
Santa Maria is located in Santa Rosa County.
To see how the shape of Florida's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Santa Rosa County: Escambia (AL), Escambia & Okaloosa.
Below are the counties that are near Santa Maria. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Santa Maria:
- Santa Rosa County (The home county of Santa Maria)
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Belandville ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Belandville is located in Santa Rosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belandville
- Jay
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Jay is located in Santa Rosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 653 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jay <1>
- Harold
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Milton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bagdad
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Galt City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Galt City is located in Santa Rosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galt City
- Pace
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Escambia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Century
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Byrneville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Byrneville is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byrneville
- McDavid
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- McDavid is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDavid
- Okaloosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Otahite ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Otahite is located in Okaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otahite
- Cannon Town
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cannon Town is located in Okaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon Town
- Baker
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Holt
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Milligan
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Garden City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Garden City is located in Okaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Crestview
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Laurel Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Svea
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Svea is located in Okaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Svea
- Conecuh County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Brooklyn
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Brooklyn is located in Conecuh County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
- Johnsonville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Johnsonville is located in Conecuh County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonville
- Paul
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Paul is located in Conecuh County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paul
- Castleberry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Castleberry is located in Conecuh County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castleberry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Nymph
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Nymph is located in Conecuh County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nymph
- Jay Villa ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Jay Villa is located in Conecuh County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay Villa
- Sparta ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Sparta is located in Conecuh County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparta
- Sparta has also been known as:
- Old Sparta
- Mount Union
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Mount Union is located in Conecuh County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Union
- Covington County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Falco
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Falco is located in Covington County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falco
- Wing
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wing is located in Covington County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wing
- Red Oak
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Red Oak is located in Covington County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
- Carolina
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Carolina is located in Covington County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carolina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 294 people
- Lockhart
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lockhart is located in Covington County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockhart
- Population from the 2020 Census: 497 people
- Florala
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Libertyville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Libertyville is located in Covington County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Libertyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 110 people
- Escambia County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Bradley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bradley is located in Escambia County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Roberts
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Roberts is located in Escambia County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roberts
- Riverview
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Riverview is located in Escambia County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- East Brewton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Brewton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Pollard
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Pollard is located in Escambia County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pollard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 132 people
- Hammac
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hammac is located in Escambia County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammac
- Flomaton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Santa Maria, see our County-by-County Page for Santa Maria.
Cemeteries Near Santa Maria ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Santa Maria.
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 Maria - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Santa Maria covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Hobbs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Black Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Creek Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Creek Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- McLellan Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Otahite Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Sellersville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Concord Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Ates Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Union Hill Church Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Blackwater Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bradley Church Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (136 more) ...
- Bethel Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fuqua Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Old Bradley Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Santa Maria in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Santa Maria.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Otahite ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Otahite is located in Okaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otahite
- Roberts
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Roberts is located in Escambia County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roberts
- Berrydale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Berrydale is located in Santa Rosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berrydale
- Boykin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Boykin is located in Escambia County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boykin
- Beda
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Beda is located in Covington County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beda
- Rome
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rome is located in Covington County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rome
- Brewton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kirkland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kirkland is located in Escambia County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
- Pollard
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Pollard is located in Escambia County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pollard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 132 people
- Brooklyn
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Brooklyn is located in Conecuh County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
- Fairfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Fairfield is located in Covington County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield
- Milton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (12 more) ...
- Hammac
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hammac is located in Escambia County (AL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammac
- Flomaton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Chumuckla
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Chumuckla is located in Santa Rosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chumuckla
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Santa Maria. See our List of 1890's Communities around Santa Maria.
Newspapers Published in Santa Maria ...
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 64 newspapers that have been published in the area around Santa Maria.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Santa Maria, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Santa Maria.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Maria:
- Websites specific to Florida
- Pages specific to Santa Rosa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Escambia County
- Okaloosa County
- Conecuh County
- Covington County
- Escambia County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Florida
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> | 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 Maria, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Santa Maria) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |