RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Illinois >> Cook County >> Elk Grove Village >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Elk Grove Village (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 Elk Grove Village. 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 Elk Grove Village ...

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.

Another variation: Elk Grove.

  • A typical abbreviation for Elk Grove Village: Elk Grv. Vlg. (in Canada, 'Vlge.' is the more common abbreviation.)

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

Elk Grove Village is primarily located in Cook County. A portion of Elk Grove Village extends into DuPage County.

To see how the shape of Illinois' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Cook County: DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, Lake (IN) & Berrien (MI).

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

  • Cook County     (The home county of Elk Grove Village)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Grove Village, with the one closest to Elk Grove Village listed first.
    • Norma
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Norma is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norma
    • Schaumburg
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Arlington Heights
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Fairfax Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Fairfax Village is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfax Village
    • Rolling Meadows
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Des Plaines
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Mount Prospect
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Winthrop Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Winthrop Village is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winthrop Village
    • Rosemont
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Plum Grove Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Plum Grove Village is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove Village
    • Franklin Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Northlake
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Hanover Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • DuPage County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Grove Village, with the one closest to Elk Grove Village listed first.
    • Wood Dale
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Itasca
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Medinah
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Bensenville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Roselle
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Addison
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Bloomingdale
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Elmhurst
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Cloverdale
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Cloverdale is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
    • Glendale Heights
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Keeneyville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Keeneyville is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneyville
    • Villa Park
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Villa Park is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,291 people
    • Carol Stream
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Kane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Grove Village, with the one closest to Elk Grove Village listed first.
    • East Dundee
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Coleman
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Coleman is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
    • Elgin
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • South Elgin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • South Elgin is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
    • Carpentersville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Charles
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Sleepy Hollow
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Geneva
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Batavia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Gilberts
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • West Dundee
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Bonnie
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Bonnie is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie
      • Bonnie has also been known as:
      • Bonnie Valley
    • Bowes Bend
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Bowes Bend is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowes Bend
  • Kendall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Grove Village, with the one closest to Elk Grove Village listed first.
    • Boulder Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
    • Montgomery
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Oswego
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Grove Village, with the one closest to Elk Grove Village listed first.
    • Buffalo Grove
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Aptakisic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Aptakisic is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
    • Kildeer
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Riverwoods
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Deer Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Zurich
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Lincolnshire
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Long Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Prairie View
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Prairie View is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
    • Deerfield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Forest Lake
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Forest Lake is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Lake
    • Bannockburn
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Braeside
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Braeside is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
  • McHenry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Grove Village, with the one closest to Elk Grove Village listed first.
    • Fox River Grove
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Algonquin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Trout Valley
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Trout Valley is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trout Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 508 people
    • Cary
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Cary is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cary
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,929 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cary <1>
    • Lake-in-the-Hills
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Oakwood Hills
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Oakwood Hills is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,011 people
    • Island Lake
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Island Lake is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,951 people
    • Barreville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Barreville is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
    • Crystal Lake
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Holiday Hills
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Holiday Hills is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holiday Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 574 people
    • Prairie Grove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Prairie Grove is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,920 people
    • Lakewood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Terra Cotta
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Terra Cotta is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terra Cotta
  • Will County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Elk Grove Village, with the one closest to Elk Grove Village listed first.
    • Winston Village
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Winston Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
    • Bolingbrook
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Colonial Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Colonial Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
    • Bloomfield Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
    • Romeoville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Goodings Grove
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Goodings Grove is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
    • Normantown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Normantown is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
    • Homer Glen
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Homer Glen is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer Glen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 24,281 people
      • Homer Glen has also been known as:
      • Homer Glen village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Homer Glen <1>
    • Lockport
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Walker
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Walker is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
    • Plainfield
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Elk Grove Village ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Elk Grove Village.

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 Elk Grove Village - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Elk Grove Village had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Elk Grove Village had a population of 31,831 people.

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

  • Itasca
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Roselle
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Bensenville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Schaumburg
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Bloomingdale
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Addison
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Des Plaines
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Mount Prospect
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Arlington Heights
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • South Addison
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • South Addison is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Addison
  • Cloverdale
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Cloverdale is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
  • Palatine
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (21 more) ...
    • Elmhurst
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Franklin Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Park Ridge
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Elk Grove Village ...

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 121 newspapers that have been published in the area around Elk Grove Village.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Elk Grove Village. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Elk Grove Village and those printed in the larger area surrounding Elk Grove Village.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4> of Elk Grove Village.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Elk Grove Village:

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 Elk Grove Village, 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- Elk Grove Village) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.