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 Orkney (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 Orkney. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
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 south 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.
Orkney is located in Floyd County.
To see how the shape of Kentucky's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Floyd County: Breathitt, Johnson, Knott, Magoffin, Martin & Pike.
Below are the counties that are near Orkney. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Orkney:
- Floyd County (The home county of Orkney)
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- McDowell
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Hi Hat
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Drift
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Drift is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drift
- Minnie
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Minnie is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnie
- Dema
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Dema is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dema
- Wayland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Wayland is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- Bypro
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Beaver
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Galveston
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Galveston is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galveston
- Teaberry
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Teaberry is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teaberry
- Blue Moon
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Blue Moon is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Moon
- Lackey
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lackey is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lackey
- Melvin
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Melvin is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin
- Breathitt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- Hardshell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Hardshell is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardshell
- Rousseau
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Rousseau is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rousseau
- Clayhole
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Clayhole is located in Breathitt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayhole
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- East Point
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Nero
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Nero is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nero
- Van Lear
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Butcher Hollow
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Butcher Hollow is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butcher Hollow
- Collista
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Collista is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collista
- Denver
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Denver is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denver
- Hagerhill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hagerhill is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagerhill
- West Van Lear
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- West Van Lear is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Van Lear
- Asa
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Asa is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asa
- Meally
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Meally is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meally
- Paintsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Thelma
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Thelma is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thelma
- Williamsport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Williamsport is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsport
- Knott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- Raven
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Raven is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raven
- Mousie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Mousie is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mousie
- Kite
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Kite is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kite
- Pippa Passes
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pippa Passes is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pippa Passes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 606 people
- Garner
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Garner is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garner
- Leburn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Top
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Top is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Top
- Hindman
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Vest
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Tina
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Tina is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tina
- Carrie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Carrie is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrie
- Littcarr
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Littcarr is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littcarr
- Redfox
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Redfox is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfox
- Letcher County
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- Deane
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Deane is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deane
- Hemphill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Hemphill is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemphill
- Hemphill has also been known as:
- Jackhorn
- McRoberts
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- McRoberts is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McRoberts
- Colson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Colson is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colson
- Cromona
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Cromona is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromona
- Fleming - Neon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Fleming - Neon is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming - Neon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 610 people
- Neon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Seco
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Seco is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seco
- Thornton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Thornton is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornton
- Tolliver Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Tolliver Town is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolliver Town
- Whitaker
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Whitaker is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitaker
- Farraday
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Farraday is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farraday
- Burdine
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Burdine is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burdine
- Magoffin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- Gunlock
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Gunlock is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunlock
- Gapville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Gapville is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gapville
- Gypsy
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Gypsy is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gypsy
- Marshallville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Marshallville is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshallville
- Ivyton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Ivyton is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivyton
- Royalton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Royalton is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royalton
- Sublett
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Sublett is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sublett
- Lakeville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeville is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeville
- Painters Lick
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Painters Lick is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Painters Lick
- Falcon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Falcon is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falcon
- Hendricks
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hendricks is located in Magoffin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendricks
- Salyersville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Martin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- Debord
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Pilgrim
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pilgrim is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilgrim
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- Dwarf
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Dwarf is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwarf
- Hardburly
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Hardburly is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardburly
- Vicco
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Vicco is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vicco
- Population from the 2020 Census: 295 people
- Ary
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Acup
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Acup is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acup
- Scuddy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Tribbey
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Tribbey is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tribbey
- Happy
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Happy is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Happy
- Bulan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Bulan is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bulan
- Jeff
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Stacy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Stacy is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stacy
- Cornettsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cornettsville is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornettsville
- Dice
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Dice is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dice
- Pike County
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- Owsley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Owsley is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owsley
- Virgie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Virgie is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgie
- Mayo Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Mayo Village is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayo Village
- Robinson Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Robinson Creek is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson Creek
- Yeager
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Yeager is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yeager
- Blair Town
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Blair Town is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair Town
- Coal Run Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Coal Run Village is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Run Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,494 people
- Jonancy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jonancy is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonancy
- Fords Branch
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Fords Branch is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fords Branch
- Pikeville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Myra
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Myra is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myra
- Shelbiana
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Shelbiana is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelbiana
- Dorton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Buchanan County (VA)
- Big Rock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Big Rock is located in Buchanan County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Rock
- Dickenson County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- Clintwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Darwin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Darwin is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darwin
- Tarpon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Tarpon is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarpon
- Clinchco
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Haysi
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Haysi is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haysi
- Population from the 2020 Census: 460 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Haysi <1>
- Omaha
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Omaha is located in Dickenson County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Wise County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- Almira
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Almira is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almira
- Haddonfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Haddonfield is located in Wise County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haddonfield
- Pound
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Mingo County (WV)
- Williamson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Orkney, see our County-by-County Page for Orkney.
Cemeteries Near Orkney ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Orkney.
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 Orkney - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Orkney covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- Stumbo Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Turner Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Martin Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Stumbo Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Dave Gibson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- W.R. Hall Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Hollybush Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Collins Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Bradley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hiram Salisbury Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Gibson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Hall Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (617 more) ...
- Burke Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Slone Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Thomas Hamilton 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.<2>
While we didn't find Orkney in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Orkney.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Orkney, with the one closest to Orkney listed first.
- McDowell
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Minnie
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Minnie is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnie
- Raven
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Raven is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raven
- Beaver
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Lackey
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lackey is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lackey
- Langley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Langley is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langley
- Hueysville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hall
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hall is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hall
- Alphoretta
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Alphoretta is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alphoretta
- Robinson Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Robinson Creek is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson Creek
- Coal Run Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Coal Run Village is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Run Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,494 people
- Pikeville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Pine Top
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Top is located in Knott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Top
- Deane
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Deane is located in Letcher County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deane
- Dorton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Orkney. See our List of 1890's Communities around Orkney.
Newspapers Published in Orkney ...
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 14 newspapers that have been published in the area around Orkney.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Orkney, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Orkney.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Orkney:
- Websites specific to Kentucky
- Pages specific to Floyd County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Breathitt County
- Johnson County
- Knott County
- Letcher County
- Magoffin County
- Martin County
- Perry County
- Pike County
- Buchanan County
- Dickenson County
- Wise County
- Mingo County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Kentucky
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> | 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 Orkney, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Orkney) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |