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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 Avon (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 Avon. 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.

A Few Details for Avon ...

While it's still very early in our research, we found that:

  • Avon was settled in 1700.
  • It was incorporated in 1888.

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.

Avon is located in Norfolk County.

To see how the shape of Massachusetts' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Norfolk County: Bristol, Middlesex, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester & Providence (RI).

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

  • Norfolk County     (The home county of Avon)
  • Bristol County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avon, with the one closest to Avon listed first.
    • North Easton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • North Easton is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Easton
    • South Easton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • South Easton is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Easton
    • Easton Center
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Easton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Easton is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,116 people
    • Furnace Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Furnace Village is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furnace Village
    • East Mansfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Mansfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Raynham
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Norton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Raynham Center
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Raynham Center is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raynham Center
    • Chartley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Chartley is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chartley
    • Taunton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Attleboro Falls
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Attleboro Falls is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Attleboro Falls
  • Essex County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avon, with the one closest to Avon listed first.
    • Cliftondale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Nahant
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Pleasant Hills
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Pleasant Hills is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hills
    • East Lynn
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Lynn
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Saugus
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • West Lynn
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Swampscott
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Clifton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Marblehead
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Marblehead is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marblehead
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 20,551 people
    • Peabody
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Salem
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • West Town Landing
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • West Town Landing is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Town Landing
  • Middlesex County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avon, with the one closest to Avon listed first.
    • Cambridgeport
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Cambridgeport is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridgeport
    • Chestnut Hill
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Chestnut Hill is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Hill
    • Eliot
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Newton Centre
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Newton Highlands
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Newton Upper Falls
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Newton Upper Falls is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Upper Falls
    • Newton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Waban
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Cambridge
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Huron Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Huron Village is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron Village
    • Newton Lower Falls
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Newton Lower Falls is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Lower Falls
    • Newtonville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Newtonville is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtonville
    • Nonantum ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Nonantum is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nonantum
  • Plymouth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avon, with the one closest to Avon listed first.
    • Montello
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Brockton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • North Abington
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Abington
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Rockland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Rockland is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,992 people
    • Whitman
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Whitman is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,295 people
    • Cochesett
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • West Bridgewater
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • West Bridgewater is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bridgewater
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,310 people
    • Accord
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • East Bridgewater
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Elmwood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Elmwood is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood
    • Hanson
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Bridgewater
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Suffolk County
  • Worcester County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avon, with the one closest to Avon listed first.
    • South Milford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Milford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Millerville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • East Blackstone
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Hopedale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Hopedale is located in Worcester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopedale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,934 people
    • White City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • White City is located in Worcester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
    • Fayville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Blackstone
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Blackstone is located in Worcester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackstone
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,209 people
    • Cordaville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Mendon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Southborough
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Southville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Millville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Millville is located in Worcester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,236 people
  • Bristol County (RI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avon, with the one closest to Avon listed first.
    • Barrington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Warren
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Warren is located in Bristol County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,469 people
    • Warren
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Providence County (RI)

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

Cemeteries Near Avon ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Avon.

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

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

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

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 Avon had a population of 1,000 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Avon had a population of 4,557 people.

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

  • Brookville
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Randolph
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Randolph is located in Norfolk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
    • Estimated population in 2019: 34,362 people
  • Montello
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Holbrook
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • North Stoughton
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Brockton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Stoughton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • North Abington
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Springdale
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Springdale is located in Norfolk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
  • West Stoughton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • West Stoughton is located in Norfolk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Stoughton
  • North Easton
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • North Easton is located in Bristol County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Easton
  • Campello
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Campello is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campello
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...

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

Newspapers Published in Avon ...

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 42 newspapers that have been published in the area around Avon.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Avon, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Avon.

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 helpful 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 Avon:

Footnotes ...

<1>The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) has created and maintains a database of historic properties that is called MACRIS (for the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System). More information about the MHC and MACRIS can be found on their website: mhc-macris.net.

When visiting the MACRIS website, you might encounter their page requiring the 'Acceptance of Terms'. With your acceptance, you'll be transfered to the desired page.

<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 Avon, 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 from Point A (ie- Avon) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.