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 Waterloo (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 Waterloo. 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 Waterloo ...
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.
In past government published Postal Guides, Waterloo was referred to as Waterloo Courthouse.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Waterloo. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Waterloo.
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.
For more information about how community names might have been affected by the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), see our page about Placename Rules.
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 hospitals and 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.
Waterloo is located in Monroe County and is the County Seat.
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 Monroe County: Randolph, Saint Clair, Jefferson (MO), Saint Louis (MO) & Sainte Genevieve (MO).
Below are the counties that are near Waterloo. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Waterloo:
- Monroe County (The home county of Waterloo)
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- Burksville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Burksville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burksville
- Foster Pond ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Foster Pond is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Pond
- Wartburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wartburg is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wartburg
- Burksville Station
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Burksville Station is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burksville Station
- Madonnaville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Madonnaville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madonnaville
- Valmeyer
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hecker
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Columbia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Monroe City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Monroe City is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe City
- Maeystown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Chalfin Bridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Chalfin Bridge is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalfin Bridge
- Fults
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Renault
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- New Memphis
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- New Baden
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Damiansville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Damiansville is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Damiansville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 484 people
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- Venice
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Madison
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Newport
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Newport is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Collinsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Granite City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Pontoon Beach
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Nameoki
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Nameoki is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nameoki
- Maryville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Mitchell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Mitchell is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
- Brooks
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Brooks is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
- Glen Carbon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Troy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- Red Bud
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ruma
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ruma is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 300 people
- Prairie du Rocher
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Prairie du Rocher is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie du Rocher
- Population from the 2020 Census: 548 people
- Prairie du Rocher has also been known as:
- Prairie du Rocher village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Prairie du Rocher <1>
- Modoc
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Modoc is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modoc
- Baldwin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Evansville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Preston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Preston is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
- Houston
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Houston is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston
- Walsh
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Walsh is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walsh
- Tilden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ellis Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sparta
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- New Palestine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- New Palestine is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Palestine
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- Millstadt
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Smithton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dupo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Dupo is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dupo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,845 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dupo <1>
- Imbs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Imbs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Imbs
- Lementon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Lementon is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lementon
- Falling Spring
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Falling Spring is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- East Carondelet
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Freeburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- New Athens
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- New Athens is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Athens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,865 people
- Centreville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Centreville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,844 people
- Belleville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Gartside
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Gartside is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gartside
- Cahokia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- Clarmin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Clarmin is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarmin
- Caspars
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Caspars is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caspars
- Venedy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Venedy is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venedy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 130 people
- Stone Church
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Stone Church is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone Church
- Jefferson County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- Kimmswick
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Flamm City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Flamm City is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flamm City
- Imperial
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Arnold
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Arnold is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Population from the 2020 Census: 21,145 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Arnold <1>
- Barnhart
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Pevely
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Pevely is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pevely
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,001 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pevely <1>
- Maxville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Maxville is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxville
- Crystal City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Herculaneum
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Horine
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Horine is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horine
- Festus
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Festus is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Festus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,114 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Festus <1>
- Mapaville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Mapaville is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapaville
- Otto
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Otto is located in Jefferson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
- Saint Francois County (MO)
- French Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Louis City (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- Carondelet
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Carondelet is located in Saint Louis City (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carondelet
- Saint Louis
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cheltenham
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Cheltenham is located in Saint Louis City (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheltenham
- Tower Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Tower Grove is located in Saint Louis City (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tower Grove
- University City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- University City is located in Saint Louis City (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 34,049 people
- Baden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Baden is located in Saint Louis City (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baden
- Saint Louis County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- Oakville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oakville is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Ivory
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ivory is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivory
- Mattese
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mattese is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattese
- Mehlville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mehlville is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mehlville
- Bella Villa
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bella Villa is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bella Villa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 721 people
- Lemay
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lemay is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemay
- Concord
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Concord is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Green Park
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Green Park is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,614 people
- Saint George
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Saint George is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Estimated population in 2011: 1,336 people
- Wilbur Park
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wilbur Park is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbur Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Affton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Affton is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Affton
- Lakeshire
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeshire is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeshire
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,385 people
- Grantwood Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Grantwood Village is located in Saint Louis County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantwood Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 855 people
- Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- Brickeys
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Brickeys is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brickeys
- Former names for Brickeys:
- Brickeys Gristmill
- Brickeys Landing
- Needmore
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Needmore is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Clement ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Clement is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clement
- Bloomsdale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Kinsey
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Kinsey is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinsey
- Little Rock Landing ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Little Rock Landing is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock Landing
- Sainte Genevieve
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Marlo ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Marlo is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlo
- Zell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Zell is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zell
- Lawrenceton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Lawrenceton is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrenceton
- Rocky Ridge Ranch
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Rocky Ridge Ranch is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Ridge Ranch
- Rocky Ridge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Rocky Ridge is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Ridge
- New Offenburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- New Offenburg is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Offenburg
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Waterloo, see our County-by-County Page for Waterloo.
Cemeteries Near Waterloo ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Waterloo.
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 Waterloo - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Waterloo covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- St.s Peter & Paul Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Kolmer Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Moores Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Lemen Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Martini Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Holy Cross Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Burksville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- New Design Historical Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gilmore Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Saxtown Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Deer Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Bloyd Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (401 more) ...
- Madonnaville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Shoemaker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Michaels Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
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 Waterloo had a population of 1,860 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Waterloo had a population of 10,536 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Waterloo, with the one closest to Waterloo listed first.
- Foster Pond ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Foster Pond is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Pond
- Wartburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wartburg is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wartburg
- Burksville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Burksville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burksville
- Burksville Station
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Burksville Station is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burksville Station
- Floraville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Floraville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floraville
- New Hanover
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- New Hanover is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hanover
- Paderborn
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Paderborn is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paderborn
- Madonnaville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Madonnaville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madonnaville
- Darmstadt
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Darmstadt is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darmstadt
- Columbia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hecker
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Maeystown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Millstadt Junction
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Millstadt Junction is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millstadt Junction
- Millstadt
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Chalfin Bridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Chalfin Bridge is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalfin Bridge
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Waterloo. See our List of 1890's Communities around Waterloo.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Waterloo ...
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 115 newspapers that have been published in the area around Waterloo.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Waterloo. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Waterloo and those printed in the larger area surrounding Waterloo.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 18 miles [29 km]<4> of Waterloo.
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 Waterloo:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Monroe County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clinton County
- Madison County
- Randolph County
- Saint Clair County
- Washington County
- Jefferson County
- Saint Francois County
- Saint Louis City
- Saint Louis County
- Sainte Genevieve 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 Waterloo, 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- Waterloo) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |