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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 Norma (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 Norma. 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 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.

Norma is located in Cook 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 Norma. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Norma:

  • Cook County     (The home county of Norma)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Norma, with the one closest to Norma listed first.
    • Des Plaines
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Mount Prospect
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Rosemont
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Prospect Heights
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • The Grove
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • The Grove is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Grove
    • Arlington Heights
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Park Ridge
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Elk Grove Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Niles
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Glenview
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Schiller Park
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Covenant Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Covenant Village is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covenant Village
  • DuPage County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Norma, with the one closest to Norma listed first.
    • Bensenville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Wood Dale
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Itasca
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Addison
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Medinah
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Elmhurst
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Roselle
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • South Elmhurst
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
    • Villa Park
      (10 miles [16.1 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
    • Bloomingdale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Glendale Heights
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Keeneyville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Keeneyville is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneyville
  • Kane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Norma, with the one closest to Norma listed first.
    • East Dundee
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Elgin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Carpentersville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Coleman
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Coleman is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
    • Sleepy Hollow
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • South Elgin
      (20 miles [32.2 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
    • Saint Charles
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Geneva
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • West Dundee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Gilberts
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Batavia
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Bonnie
      (24 miles [38.6 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
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Norma, with the one closest to Norma listed first.
    • Buffalo Grove
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Deerfield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Riverwoods
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Aptakisic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Aptakisic is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
    • Braeside
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Braeside is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
    • Ravinia
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Ravinia is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravinia
    • Bannockburn
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Lincolnshire
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Prairie View
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Prairie View is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
    • Highland Park
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Highwood
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Deer Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • McHenry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Norma, with the one closest to Norma listed first.
    • Fox River Grove
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Trout Valley
      (20 miles [32.2 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
    • Algonquin
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Cary
      (21 miles [33.8 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>
    • Island Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 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
    • Lake-in-the-Hills
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Oakwood Hills
      (22 miles [35.4 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
    • Barreville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Barreville is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
    • Holiday Hills
      (24 miles [38.6 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
      (24 miles [38.6 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
    • Crystal Lake
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Lakemoor
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Will County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Norma, with the one closest to Norma listed first.
    • Winston Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Winston Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
    • Bolingbrook
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Colonial Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Colonial Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
    • Bloomfield Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
    • Goodings Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Goodings Grove is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
    • Romeoville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Homer Glen
      (30 miles [48.3 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>

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

Cemeteries Near Norma ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Norma.

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 Norma - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • All Saints Catholic Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Town of Maine Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Ridgewood Memorial Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgewood Memorial Park
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Ridgewood Memorial Park is a very large cemetery that is located in Glenview.
    • The Ridgewood Memorial Park has also been known as:
    • Ridgewood Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107685 <2>
  • Elk Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • St. Johannes Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • All Saints Polish National Catholic Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Maryhill Catholic Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maryhill Catholic Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Maryhill Catholic Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Niles.
    • The Maryhill Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Mary Hill Cemetery
    • Maryhill Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #106764 <2>
  • English Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Memory Gardens Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (336 more) ...
    • St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Wheeling Twp. Arlington Heights Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • St. Johns Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 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.<3>

While we didn't find Norma in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Norma.

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

  • Des Plaines
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Mount Prospect
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Elk Grove Village
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Park Ridge
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • The Grove
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • The Grove is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Grove
  • Arlington Heights
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Bensenville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Niles
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Itasca
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Morton Grove
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Ridgeland
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Ridgeland is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeland
  • Wheeling
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Franklin Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Shermerville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Shermerville is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shermerville
    • North Northfield
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • North Northfield is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Northfield

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

Newspapers Published in Norma ...

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 44 newspapers that have been published in the area around Norma.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Norma, there are papers which were published within 8 miles [12.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Norma.

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 either 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 Norma:

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