RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Maryland >> Montgomery County >> Kensington >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Kensington (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 Kensington. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals 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.

Kensington is located in Montgomery County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Montgomery County: Frederick, Howard, Prince George's, Fairfax (VA) & Loudoun (VA).

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

  • Montgomery County     (The home county of Kensington)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
    • North Kensington
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • North Kensington is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Kensington
    • Chevy Chase View
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Chevy Chase View is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chevy Chase View
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 979 people
    • South Kensington
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • South Kensington is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Kensington
    • Viers Mill Village
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Viers Mill Village is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viers Mill Village
    • Monterrey Village
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Monterrey Village is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterrey Village
    • Wheaton
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Garrett Park
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • North Chevy Chase
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • North Chevy Chase is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Chevy Chase
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 597 people
    • Forest Glen
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Forest Glen is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Glen
    • Linden
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Glenmont Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Glenmont Village is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenmont Village
    • Georgetown Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Georgetown Village is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown Village
    • Lone Oak
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Anne Arundel County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
    • Maryland City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Maryland City is located in Anne Arundel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maryland City
    • Annapolis Junction
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Jessup
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Geraghty Village
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Geraghty Village is located in Anne Arundel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geraghty Village
    • Crofton Village Green
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Crofton Village Green is located in Anne Arundel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crofton Village Green
    • Crofton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Crofton is located in Anne Arundel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crofton
    • Lake Village
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Lake Village is located in Anne Arundel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
    • Odenton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Dorsey
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Dorsey is located in Anne Arundel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorsey
    • Crofton Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Crofton Village is located in Anne Arundel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crofton Village
    • Hidden Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Hidden Village is located in Anne Arundel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hidden Village
    • Meade Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Meade Village is located in Anne Arundel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meade Village
    • Pioneer City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Pioneer City is located in Anne Arundel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer City
  • Baltimore City
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
    • Beechfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Oaklee Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Oaklee Village is located in Baltimore City
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaklee Village
    • Carroll
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Carroll is located in Baltimore City
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carroll
    • Violetville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Edmondson Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Edmondson Village is located in Baltimore City
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmondson Village
    • Brooklyn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Brooklyn is located in Baltimore City
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
    • Curtis Bay
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Curtis Bay is located in Baltimore City
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtis Bay
    • Gwynn Oak
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Baltimore
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Colonial Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Colonial Village is located in Baltimore City
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
  • Baltimore County
  • Calvert County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
    • Chaney
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Dunkirk Town Center
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Dunkirk Town Center is located in Calvert County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkirk Town Center
    • Dunkirk
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Penwick Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Penwick Village is located in Calvert County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penwick Village
  • Carroll County
  • Charles County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
    • Bryans Road
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • South Hampton Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Mattawoman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Mattawoman is located in Charles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattawoman
    • Acton Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Acton Village is located in Charles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acton Village
    • Freedom Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Freedom Village is located in Charles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freedom Village
    • Pomonkey
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Westlake Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Westlake Village is located in Charles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westlake Village
    • White Oak Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • White Oak Village is located in Charles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak Village
    • Bennsville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Bennsville is located in Charles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennsville
    • Indian Head
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Potomac Heights
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Potomac Heights is located in Charles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potomac Heights
    • Riverview Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Riverview Village is located in Charles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview Village
    • Waldorf
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Frederick County
  • Howard County
  • Prince George's County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
    • Adelphi
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Langley Park
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Chillum
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • College Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Hyattsville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Berwyn
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Berwyn is located in Prince George's County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwyn
    • Brentwood
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Brentwood is located in Prince George's County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brentwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,439 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Brentwood <1>
    • Hyattsville Hills
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Mount Rainier
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • North Brentwood
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • North Brentwood is located in Prince George's County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Brentwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 549 people
    • University Park
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • University Park is located in Prince George's County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,628 people
    • Beltsville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Berwyn Heights
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Berwyn Heights is located in Prince George's County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwyn Heights
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,249 people
  • Alexandria City (VA)
  • Arlington County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
    • Riverwood
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Cherrydale
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Colonial Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Colonial Village is located in Arlington County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
    • Garden City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Garden City is located in Arlington County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Lyon Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Lyon Village is located in Arlington County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyon Village
    • Williamsburg Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Williamsburg Village is located in Arlington County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg Village
    • Arlington
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Brandon Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Brandon Village is located in Arlington County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon Village
    • Buckingham
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Arlington Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Arlington Village is located in Arlington County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington Village
  • Fairfax City (VA)
  • Fairfax County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
    • Langley
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Salona Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Salona Village is located in Fairfax County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salona Village
    • McLean
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Pimmit Hills
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Pimmit Hills is located in Fairfax County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pimmit Hills
    • Seven Corners
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Ash Grove
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Ash Grove is located in Fairfax County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ash Grove
    • Idylwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Idylwood is located in Fairfax County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idylwood
    • Kenmore
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Shouse Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Shouse Village is located in Fairfax County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shouse Village
    • Tysons Corner
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Great Falls
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Baileys Crossroads
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Dunn Loring
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Falls Church City (VA)
  • Loudoun County (VA)
  • Manassas City (VA)
  • Manassas Park City (VA)
    • Manassas Park
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Prince William County (VA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
    • Yorkshire
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Yorkshire is located in Prince William County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire
    • Lake Ridge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Yorkshire Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Yorkshire Village is located in Prince William County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire Village
    • Marumsco Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Marumsco Village is located in Prince William County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marumsco Village
    • Woodbridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Agnewville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Buckhall
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Loch Lomond
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Loch Lomond is located in Prince William County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loch Lomond
    • Sudley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sudley is located in Prince William County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sudley
    • Iron Gate
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Iron Gate is located in Prince William County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron Gate
    • West Gate
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • West Gate is located in Prince William County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Gate
    • Bull Run
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bull Run is located in Prince William County (VA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bull Run
    • Catharpin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Kensington ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Kensington.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington 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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Kensington had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Kensington had a population of 2,448 people.

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

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

Newspapers Published in Kensington ...

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 15 newspapers that have been published in the area around Kensington.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Kensington, there are papers which were published within 3 miles [4.8 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Kensington.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Kensington:

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 Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) has created and maintains a database of historic properties that is called MIHP (for the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties). More information about the MHT and MIHP can be found on their website: mht.maryland.gov.
<3>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.
<4>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 Kensington, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<5>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Kensington) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.