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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 Bristol (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 Bristol. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Bristol is located in Lincoln County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Lincoln County: Kennebec, Knox, Sagadahoc & Waldo.

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

  • Lincoln County     (The home county of Bristol)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bristol, with the one closest to Bristol listed first.
    • Round Pond
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Walpole
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Pemaquid
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Bremen
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Chamberlain
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Pemaquid Harbor
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Pemaquid Harbor is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemaquid Harbor
    • Loudville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Loudville is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loudville
    • East Edgecomb
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • East Edgecomb is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Edgecomb
    • Damariscotta
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Newcastle
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Medomak
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Medomak is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medomak
    • New Harbor
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Pemaquid Beach
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Pemaquid Beach is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemaquid Beach
  • Androscoggin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bristol, with the one closest to Bristol listed first.
    • Lisbon Falls
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Wales
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Wales is located in Androscoggin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wales
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,640 people
    • Drinkwater Corner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Drinkwater Corner is located in Androscoggin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drinkwater Corner
    • Durham
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Durham is located in Androscoggin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,044 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Durham <1>
    • Lisbon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Lisbon is located in Androscoggin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,053 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lisbon <1>
  • Cumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bristol, with the one closest to Bristol listed first.
    • Harding
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Harding is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harding
    • East Harpswell
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • East Harpswell is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Harpswell
    • Cundys Harbor
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Brunswick
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Pennellville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Pennellville is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennellville
    • Harpswell Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Harpswell Center is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harpswell Center
    • Harpswell
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Orrs Island
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Bunganuc Landing
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Bunganuc Landing is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunganuc Landing
    • Merepoint
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Merepoint is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merepoint
    • Bailey Island
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Bailey Island is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey Island
    • West Harpswell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • West Harpswell is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Harpswell
    • Bustins Island
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Bustins Island is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bustins Island
  • Kennebec County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bristol, with the one closest to Bristol listed first.
    • East Pittston
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • East Pittston is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Pittston
    • South Gardiner
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • South Gardiner is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gardiner
    • South Windsor
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • South Windsor is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Windsor
    • Chelsea
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Gardiner
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Pittston
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Pittston is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,819 people
    • Randolph
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Farmingdale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Windsor
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Litchfield Corners
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Litchfield Corners is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield Corners
    • Litchfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Batchelders Crossing
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Batchelders Crossing is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batchelders Crossing
    • Hallowell
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Knox County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bristol, with the one closest to Bristol listed first.
    • Friendship
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Pleasant Point
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Pleasant Point is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Point
    • South Cushing
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • South Cushing is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Cushing
    • Port Clyde
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Cushing
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Martinsville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Martinsville is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsville
    • Tenants Harbor
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Long Cove
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Long Cove is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Cove
    • Saint George
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Saint George is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,578 people
    • Warren Station
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Warren Station is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren Station
    • Warren
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Thomaston
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Globe
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Globe is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
  • Sagadahoc County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bristol, with the one closest to Bristol listed first.
    • Murphys Corner
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Murphys Corner is located in Sagadahoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murphys Corner
    • MacMahan
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • MacMahan is located in Sagadahoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for MacMahan
    • Days Ferry
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Days Ferry is located in Sagadahoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Days Ferry
    • Woolwich
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Arrowsic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Georgetown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Bath
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Bath is located in Sagadahoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,335 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bath <1>
    • Harwards
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Harwards is located in Sagadahoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwards
    • Richmond
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Phippsburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Sabino
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Sabino is located in Sagadahoc County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sabino
    • West Bath
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Bowdoinham
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
  • Waldo County

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

Cemeteries Near Bristol ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bristol.

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

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

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

  • Poole - Greenlaw Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • West Bristol Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Chamberlain Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Maple Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Ocean Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Loudville Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Glidden Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Pine Knoll Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Hillside Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Hillside Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Main Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (248 more) ...
    • North Edgecomb Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Lincoln Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Farnham Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)

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 Bristol had a population of 400 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Bristol had a population of 2,796 people.

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

  • Round Pond
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Walpole
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • West Bristol
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • West Bristol is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bristol
  • Pemaquid
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • East Edgecomb
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • East Edgecomb is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Edgecomb
  • Bremen
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Newcastle
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Pemaquid Beach
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Pemaquid Beach is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemaquid Beach
  • New Harbor
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Medomak
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Medomak is located in Lincoln County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medomak
  • Damariscotta
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • South Bristol
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • South Newcastle
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • South Newcastle is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Newcastle
    • North Edgecomb
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Edgecomb
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Bristol ...

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 76 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bristol.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bristol, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bristol.

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 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 Bristol:

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 Bristol, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Bristol) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.