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 Fox Lake (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 Fox Lake. 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 Fox Lake ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Fox Lake: Fox Lk.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Fox Lake. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Fox Lake.
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 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.
Fox Lake is primarily located in Lake County. A portion of Fox Lake extends into McHenry 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 Lake County: Cook, McHenry, Allegan (MI), Berrien (MI), Van Buren (MI) & Kenosha (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Fox Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Fox Lake:
- Lake County (The home county of Fox Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fox Lake, with the one closest to Fox Lake listed first.
- Fox Lake Hills
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fox Lake Hills is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Lake Hills
- Ingleside
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Channel Lake
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Channel Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Channel Lake
- Lake Catherine
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Catherine is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Catherine
- Long Lake
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Long Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Lake
- Monaville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Monaville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monaville
- Round Lake Heights
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Villa
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Lake Villa is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Villa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,525 people
- Venetian Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Venetian Village is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venetian Village
- Antioch
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Volo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Round Lake Beach
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fort Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fort Hill is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Hill
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fox Lake, with the one closest to Fox Lake listed first.
- Capron
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Garden Prairie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fox Lake, with the one closest to Fox Lake listed first.
- Barrington Hills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Barrington Hills is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrington Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,152 people
- Barrington
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Capri Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Capri Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capri Village
- Inverness
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Palatine
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- South Barrington
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- South Barrington is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,976 people
- Plum Grove Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Plum Grove Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove Village
- Winthrop Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Winthrop Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winthrop Village
- Wheeling
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Fairfax Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Fairfax Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfax Village
- Hoffman Estates
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Arlington Heights
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Prospect Heights
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fox Lake, with the one closest to Fox Lake listed first.
- Carpentersville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- East Dundee
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- West Dundee
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Freeman
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Freeman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- Gilberts
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Sleepy Hollow
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Pingree Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Elgin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hampshire
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Starks
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Starks is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starks
- North Plato
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- North Plato is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Plato
- South Elgin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- South Elgin is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
- Plato Center
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- McHenry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fox Lake, with the one closest to Fox Lake listed first.
- Pistakee Highlands
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Pistakee Highlands is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pistakee Highlands
- Spring Grove
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Sunnyside
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sunnyside is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
- Johnsburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Solon Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Lakemoor
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- McCullom Lake
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- McCullom Lake is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCullom Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 996 people
- Ringwood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Richmond
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- McHenry
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Holiday Hills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Holiday Hills is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holiday Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 574 people
- Wonder Lake
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Wonder Lake is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wonder Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,837 people
- Wonder Lake has also been known as:
- Wonder Lake village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wonder Lake <1>
- Greenwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Greenwood is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Kenosha County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fox Lake, with the one closest to Fox Lake listed first.
- Camp Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Camp Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Lake
- Benet Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Benet Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benet Lake
- Lake Shangrila
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Shangrila is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shangrila
- Twin Lakes
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Twin Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,234 people
- Fox River
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Fox River is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox River
- Salem Lakes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Salem Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Lakes
- Former names for Salem Lakes:
- Salem
- Silver Lake
- Paddock Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Paddock Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paddock Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,232 people
- Powers Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Powers Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers Lake
- Bristol
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bristol is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,145 people
- Slades Corners
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Slades Corners is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slades Corners
- Fossland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Fossland is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossland
- Woodworth
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Woodworth is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Brighton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Brighton is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
- Milwaukee County (WI)
- Union Church
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Union Church is located in Milwaukee County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Church
- Racine County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fox Lake, with the one closest to Fox Lake listed first.
- Bohners Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Bohners Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bohners Lake
- Burlington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Burlington is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,898 people
- Browns Lake
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Browns Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns Lake
- Union Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Union Grove is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,266 people
- Eagle Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Eagle Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Lake
- Rochester
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Rochester is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,880 people
- Honey Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Honey Creek is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Creek
- Waterford
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Waterford is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,618 people
- Yorkville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Yorkville is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Sturtevant
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Sturtevant is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturtevant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,637 people
- Mount Pleasant
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27,048 people
- Elmwood Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Elmwood Park is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Franksville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Franksville is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franksville
- Walworth County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fox Lake, with the one closest to Fox Lake listed first.
- Genoa City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Genoa City is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,981 people
- Pell Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pell Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pell Lake
- Zenda
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Zenda is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenda
- Lake Geneva
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Geneva is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Geneva
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,096 people
- Lyons
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lyons is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyons
- Voree ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Voree is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voree
- Springfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Springfield is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Como
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Como is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
- Lake Como Beach ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Como Beach is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como Beach
- Lake Como
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Como is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como
- Williams Bay
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Williams Bay is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,657 people
- Big Foot Prairie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Big Foot Prairie is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Foot Prairie
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,743 people
- Waukesha County (WI)
- Durham
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Durham is located in Waukesha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Fox Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Fox Lake.
Cemeteries Near Fox Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fox Lake.
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 Fox Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Fox Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Fox Lake, with the one closest to Fox Lake listed first.
- Cole Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Orvis Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Grass Lake Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- English Prairie Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wray - Imeson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Peters Catholic Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Sprind Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- East Fox Lake Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Solon Mills Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Cedarvale Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Grant Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Angolian Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (269 more) ...
- Wilmot Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hillside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Holy Name of Jesus Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
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 Fox Lake had a population of 41 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Fox Lake had a population of 10,411 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Fox Lake, with the one closest to Fox Lake listed first.
- Grass Lake
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Grass Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grass Lake
- Spring Grove
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Johnsburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Loon Lake
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Loon Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loon Lake
- Solon Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Lake Villa
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Lake Villa is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Villa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,525 people
- Ringwood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Volo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Rollins
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rollins is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollins
- Antioch
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fort Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fort Hill is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Hill
- Twin Lakes
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Twin Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,234 people
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Camp Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Camp Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Lake
- Richmond
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fox River
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Fox River is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox River
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Fox Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Fox Lake.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Fox Lake ...
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 103 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fox Lake.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Fox Lake. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Fox Lake and those printed in the larger area surrounding Fox Lake.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4> of Fox Lake.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Fox Lake:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Lake County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Cook County
- Kane County
- McHenry County
- Kenosha County
- Milwaukee County
- Racine County
- Walworth County
- Waukesha County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Illinois
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 Fox Lake, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Fox Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |