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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 Rantoul (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 Rantoul. 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 doctors 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.

Rantoul is located in Champaign 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 Champaign County: Douglas, Edgar, Ford, McLean, Piatt & Vermilion.

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

  • Champaign County     (The home county of Rantoul)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rantoul, with the one closest to Rantoul listed first.
    • Prospect
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Prospect is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
    • Thomasboro
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Ludlow
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Gifford
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Flatville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Flatville is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatville
    • Dewey
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Penfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Fisher
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Fisher is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,911 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fisher <1>
    • Royal
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Royal is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Royal <1>
    • Champaign
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Mayview
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Mayview is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayview
    • Urbana
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Urbana is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbana
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41,724 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Urbana <1>
    • Lake of the Woods
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake of the Woods is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake of the Woods
  • De Witt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rantoul, with the one closest to Rantoul listed first.
    • Farmer City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Watkins
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Watkins is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins
    • Parnell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Parnell is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
  • Douglas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rantoul, with the one closest to Rantoul listed first.
    • Fairland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Fairland is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairland
    • Villa Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Villa Grove is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,414 people
  • Ford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rantoul, with the one closest to Rantoul listed first.
    • Paxton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Elliott
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Proctor
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Proctor is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctor
    • Gibson City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Gibson City is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,275 people
      • Gibson City has also been known as:
      • Gibson
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gibson City <1>
    • Melvin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Garber
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Garber is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garber
    • Roberts
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Sibley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Iroquois County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rantoul, with the one closest to Rantoul listed first.
    • Loda
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Loda is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Loda <1>
    • Buckley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Cissna Park
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Thawville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Claytonville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Del Rey
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Del Rey is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Del Rey
    • Goodwine
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Ridgeville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Ridgeville is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
    • Onarga
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Wellington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Woodworth
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
  • Livingston County
    • Strawn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • McLean County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rantoul, with the one closest to Rantoul listed first.
    • Bellflower
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Laurette
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Laurette is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurette
    • Saybrook
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Kumler
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Kumler is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kumler
    • Glen Avon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Glen Avon is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Avon
    • Anchor
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cropsey
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Arrowsmith
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Colfax
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Piatt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rantoul, with the one closest to Rantoul listed first.
    • Mansfield
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • White Heath
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • De Land
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Monticello
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Vermilion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rantoul, with the one closest to Rantoul listed first.
    • Armstrong
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Rankin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Potomac
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Collison
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Fithian
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Muncie
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • East Lynn
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Newtown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Newtown is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
    • Henning
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Glenburn
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Glenburn is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
    • Oakwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Belgium Row
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Belgium Row is located in Vermilion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgium Row
    • Fairmount
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Rantoul ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rantoul.

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

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

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

  • Elmwood Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Eden Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden Cemetery
    • The Eden Cemetery has also been known as:
    • American Luthern Church Cemetery
  • Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
    • The Holy Sepulchre Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Catholic Cemetery
    • Rantoul Catholic Cemetery
    • Rantoul Holy Speulchre Cemetery
    • St. Malachy Cemetery
  • Maplewood Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Beckman Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Ludlow Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludlow Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Ludlow Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<3> to the southwest of Ludlow.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #106685 <2>
  • St. Elizabeth Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Elizabeth Cemetery
    • The St. Elizabeth Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Immaculate Conception Cemetery
    • Thomasboro Catholic Cemetery
  • Battershell Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Huls Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Bethlehem Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem Cemetery
    • The Bethlehem Cemetery has also been known as:
    • German Lutheran Cemetery
  • Heater Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Huffman Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (228 more) ...
    • Hall Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Jersey Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jersey Cemetery
      • The Jersey Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Jersey Presbyterian Cemetery
    • Brownfield Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownfield Cemetery
      • The Brownfield Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Old Brownfield Cemetery

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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Rantoul had a population of 1,074 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Rantoul had a population of 12,305 people.

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

  • Prospect
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Prospect is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
  • Thomasboro
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Dillsburg
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Dillsburg is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillsburg
  • Tomlinson
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Tomlinson is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomlinson
  • Ludlow
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Flatville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Flatville is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatville
  • Gifford
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Dewey
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Leverett
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Leverett is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leverett
  • Sellers
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Sellers is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
  • Penfield
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Fisher
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Fisher is located in Champaign County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,911 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fisher <1>
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Paxton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Royal
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Royal is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Royal <1>
    • Elliott
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Rantoul ...

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 213 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rantoul.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Rantoul. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Rantoul and those printed in the larger area surrounding Rantoul.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3> of Rantoul.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Rantoul:

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>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Rantoul) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<4>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 Rantoul, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.