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 West Erath (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 West Erath. 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 West Erath ...
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 West Erath: W. Erath
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 Parishes ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring parishes.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home parish. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next parish to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the parish to the south.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring parishes instead of the parish in which they lived: their home parish contained property and probate records; the parish to the west contained birth and death records; the parish to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
West Erath is located in Vermilion Parish.
To see how the shape of Louisiana's parishes may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following parishes adjoin and form the boundaries of Vermilion Parish: Acadia, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson Davis & Lafayette.
Below are the parishes that are near West Erath. For each of these parishes, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Erath:
- Vermilion Parish (The home parish of West Erath)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Erath, with the one closest to West Erath listed first.
- Erath
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Delcambre
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Youngs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Youngs is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngs
- Abbeville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Perry
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Meaux
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Meaux is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meaux
- Maurice
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Leroy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Leroy is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leroy
- Intracoastal City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Andrew
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Andrew is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andrew
- Kaplan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Indian Bayou
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Indian Bayou is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Bayou
- Acadia Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from West Erath, with the one closest to West Erath listed first.
- Ebenezer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Ebenezer is located in Acadia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ebenezer
- Rayne
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Castille
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Castille is located in Acadia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castille
- Crowley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Higginbotham
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Higginbotham is located in Acadia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Higginbotham
- Branch
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Estherwood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Morse
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Iberia Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from West Erath, with the one closest to West Erath listed first.
- Derouen
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Derouen is located in Iberia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derouen
- Avery Island
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- New Iberia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Lydia
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Morbihan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Morbihan is located in Iberia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morbihan
- Patoutville
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Patoutville is located in Iberia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patoutville
- Loreauville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Jeanerette
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Lafayette Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from West Erath, with the one closest to West Erath listed first.
- Milton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Youngsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Broussard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Billeaud
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Billeaud is located in Lafayette Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billeaud
- Ridge
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ridge is located in Lafayette Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge
- Lafayette
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Scott
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Duson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ossun
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Ossun is located in Lafayette Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ossun
- Carencro
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Stekey
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Stekey is located in Lafayette Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stekey
- Saint Landry Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from West Erath, with the one closest to West Erath listed first.
- Cankton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Cankton is located in Saint Landry Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cankton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 504 people
- Frozard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Frozard is located in Saint Landry Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frozard
- Saint Martin Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from West Erath, with the one closest to West Erath listed first.
- Cade
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Duchamp
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Duchamp is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duchamp
- Delacroix
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Delacroix is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delacroix
- Keystone
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Keystone is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keystone
- Saint Martinville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Banker Plantation
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Banker Plantation is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banker Plantation
- Levert
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Levert is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levert
- Saint John
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Saint John is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint John
- Bankers
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bankers is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bankers
- Isle Labbe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Isle Labbe is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isle Labbe
- Parks
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Coteau Holmes
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Coteau Holmes is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coteau Holmes
- Saint Mary Parish
- The following are listed by their distance from West Erath, with the one closest to West Erath listed first.
- Cypremort Point
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cypremort Point is located in Saint Mary Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypremort Point
- Cypremort
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cypremort is located in Saint Mary Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypremort
- Florence
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Florence is located in Saint Mary Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Home Place
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Home Place is located in Saint Mary Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home Place
- Glencoe
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Glencoe is located in Saint Mary Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glencoe
- Cote Blanche Landing
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cote Blanche Landing is located in Saint Mary Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cote Blanche Landing
- Adeline
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Adeline is located in Saint Mary Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adeline
- Ashton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Ashton is located in Saint Mary Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
- Bodin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Bodin is located in Saint Mary Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodin
- Caneland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Caneland is located in Saint Mary Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caneland
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Erath, see our Parish-by-Parish Page for West Erath.
Cemeteries Near West Erath ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Erath.
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 West Erath - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Erath covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Erath, with the one closest to West Erath listed first.
- Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Trahan Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Landry Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Migues Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Migues Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Migues Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Delcambre.
- The Migues Cemetery has also been known as:
- Miguez Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #68214 <2>
- Bares Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Delino Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- St. Paul Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Paul Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Paul Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Abbeville.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #68864 <2>
- St. Mary Magdalen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Perry - O'Bryan Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Bancker Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Gallet Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hebert Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (97 more) ...
- Picard Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Avery Island Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Broussard Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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>
While we didn't find West Erath in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Erath.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Erath, with the one closest to West Erath listed first.
- Henry
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Henry is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henry
- Abbeville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Perry
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Derouen
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Derouen is located in Iberia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derouen
- Youngsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Burke
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Burke is located in Iberia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burke
- Segura
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Segura is located in Iberia Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Segura
- Cade
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Duchamp
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Duchamp is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duchamp
- New Iberia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Delacroix
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Delacroix is located in Saint Martin Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delacroix
- Broussard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Ridge
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ridge is located in Lafayette Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridge
- Indian Bayou
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Indian Bayou is located in Vermilion Parish
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Bayou
- Saint Martinville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Erath. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Erath.
Newspapers Published in West Erath ...
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 26 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Erath.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Erath, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Erath.
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 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 West Erath:
- Websites specific to Louisiana
- Pages specific to Vermilion Parish
- Genealogy information for nearby parishes
- Acadia Parish
- Iberia Parish
- Lafayette Parish
- Saint Landry Parish
- Saint Martin Parish
- Saint Mary Parish
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Louisiana
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 West Erath, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- West Erath) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |