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 Dennis (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 Dennis. 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 Dennis ...
While it's still very early in our research, we found that:
- Dennis was settled in 1639.
- It was incorporated in 1793.
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 southeast 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 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 east 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.
Dennis is located in Barnstable County.
To see how the shape of Massachusetts' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
Below are the counties that are near Dennis. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Dennis:
- Barnstable County (The home county of Dennis)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dennis, with the one closest to Dennis listed first.
- East Dennis
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- East Dennis is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Dennis
- Yarmouth
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Yarmouth is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarmouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23,166 people
- South Dennis
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- South Dennis is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Dennis
- Yarmouth Port
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Yarmouth Port is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarmouth Port
- West Brewster
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- West Brewster is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Brewster
- South Yarmouth
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- South Yarmouth is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Yarmouth
- North Harwich
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- North Harwich is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Harwich
- Cummaquid ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cummaquid is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cummaquid
- Yarmouth Station
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Yarmouth Station is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarmouth Station
- Brewster
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Brewster is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,772 people
- Bass River
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bass River is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bass River
- Barnstable
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Barnstable is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnstable
- Population from the 2010 Census: 45,193 people
- Barnstable has also been known as:
- Barnstable Village
- Dukes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dennis, with the one closest to Dennis listed first.
- Oak Bluffs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Bluffs is located in Dukes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Bluffs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,696 people
- West Chop
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- West Chop is located in Dukes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chop
- Edgartown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Edgartown is located in Dukes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgartown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,383 people
- Tisbury
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tisbury is located in Dukes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tisbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,128 people
- Vineyard Haven
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Vineyard Haven is located in Dukes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineyard Haven
- Katama
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Katama is located in Dukes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Katama
- Nantucket County
- Pocomo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Pocomo is located in Nantucket County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocomo
- Plymouth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dennis, with the one closest to Dennis listed first.
- Manomet
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Manomet is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manomet
- White Horse Beach
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- White Horse Beach is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Horse Beach
- White Island Shores
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- White Island Shores is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Island Shores
- East Wareham
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- East Wareham is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Wareham
- Onset Station
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Onset Station is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onset Station
- Onset
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Onset is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onset
- Chiltonville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Chiltonville is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chiltonville
- Wareham Center
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Wareham Center is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham Center
- Wareham
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Wareham is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22,778 people
- Weweantic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Weweantic is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weweantic
- Briarwood Beach
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Briarwood Beach is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briarwood Beach
- Cranberry Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Cranberry Village is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cranberry Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Dennis, see our County-by-County Page for Dennis.
Cemeteries Near Dennis ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dennis.
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 Dennis - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Dennis covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Dennis, with the one closest to Dennis listed first.
- Dennis Village Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Nobscusset Indian Burial Ground
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Hall Family Burial Ground
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Howes Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Paddock Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Corporation Beach Memorial Park
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Bass Hole Memorial Garden
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Ancient Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Ridge Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Homer Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Sears Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Quivet Neck Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quivet Neck Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Quivet Neck Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of East Dennis.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #91406 <2>
- Continue List (139 more) ...
- Ouivett Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Woodside Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Old South Dennis Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
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 in 1895, Dennis had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Dennis had a population of 13,890 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Dennis, with the one closest to Dennis listed first.
- East Dennis
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- East Dennis is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Dennis
- Yarmouth
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Yarmouth is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarmouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23,166 people
- Yarmouth Port
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Yarmouth Port is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarmouth Port
- South Dennis
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- South Dennis is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Dennis
- Yarmouth Station
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Yarmouth Station is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarmouth Station
- South Yarmouth
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- South Yarmouth is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Yarmouth
- North Harwich
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- North Harwich is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Harwich
- West Brewster
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- West Brewster is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Brewster
- Barnstable
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Barnstable is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnstable
- Population from the 2010 Census: 45,193 people
- Barnstable has also been known as:
- Barnstable Village
- West Dennis
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- West Dennis is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Dennis
- Dennis Port
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Dennis Port is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dennis Port
- Pleasant Lake
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Lake is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Lake
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Brewster
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Brewster is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,772 people
- West Yarmouth
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- West Yarmouth is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Yarmouth
- West Harwich
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Harwich is located in Barnstable County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Harwich
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Dennis. See our List of 1890's Communities around Dennis.
Newspapers Published in Dennis ...
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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Dennis.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Dennis, 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 Dennis.
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 Dennis:
- Websites specific to Massachusetts
- Pages specific to Barnstable County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dukes County
- Nantucket County
- Plymouth County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Massachusetts
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 Dennis, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Dennis) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |