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 Waterford (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 Waterford. 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 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.
Waterford is located in Oakland County.
To see how the shape of Michigan's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Oakland County: Genesee, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Washtenaw & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Waterford. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Waterford:
- Oakland County (The home county of Waterford)
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterford, with the one closest to Waterford listed first.
- Drayton Plains
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Drayton Plains is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drayton Plains
- Clintonville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Clintonville is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clintonville
- Clarkston
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Village of Clarkston
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Village of Clarkston is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village of Clarkston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 914 people
- Lake Angelus
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lake Angelus is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Angelus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 308 people
- Andersonville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Andersonville is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersonville
- Springfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Springfield is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Gingellville
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Gingellville is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gingellville
- Gingellville has also been known as:
- Gingeville
- Jossman Acres
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jossman Acres is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jossman Acres
- Four Towns
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Four Towns is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Towns
- Oxbow
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Oxbow is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxbow
- Union Lake
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Union Lake is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Lake
- Austin Corners
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Austin Corners is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austin Corners
- Genesee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterford, with the one closest to Waterford listed first.
- Goodrich
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Atlas
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Atlas is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlas
- Fenton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeside
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeside is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Lake Fenton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Fenton is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Fenton
- Bayport Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bayport Park is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayport Park
- Grand Blanc
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Linden
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Davison
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Burton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Argentine
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Argentine is located in Genesee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argentine
- Flint
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Swartz Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lapeer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterford, with the one closest to Waterford listed first.
- Hadley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Metamora
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Hunters Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Hunters Creek is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunters Creek
- Dryden
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Almont
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Lapeer
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Attica
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Imlay City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lum
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lum is located in Lapeer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lum
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterford, with the one closest to Waterford listed first.
- Hallers Corners
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Hallers Corners is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallers Corners
- Tyrone
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Tyrone is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone
- Hartland
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Parshallville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Parshallville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parshallville
- Green Oak
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Green Oak is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Oak
- Brighton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Whitmore Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Deer Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Deer Creek is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Creek
- Hamburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Oak Grove is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Lakeland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cohoctah
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Cohoctah is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cohoctah
- Howell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Macomb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterford, with the one closest to Waterford listed first.
- Depew ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Depew is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Depew
- Depew has also been known as:
- Depew Siding
- Grays' Mills ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Grays' Mills is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grays' Mills
- Former names for Grays' Mills:
- Clifton Mill
- Clifton Village
- Clifton
- Mount Vernon ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Mount Vernon is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
- Shelby ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Shelby is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby
- Shelby has also been known as:
- Shelby Crossing
- Shelby Station
- Miami ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Miami is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miami
- Crissmanville ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Crissmanville is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crissmanville
- Shelby Village ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Shelby Village is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby Village
- Disco ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Disco is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Disco
- Former name for Disco:
- Whiskey Center
- Thorington ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Thorington is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorington
- Thorington has also been known as:
- Thorington Settlement
- Washington
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Utica
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Utica is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utica
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,062 people
- Former names for Utica:
- Hog Hollow
- McDougalville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Utica <1>
- Cooley's Corners ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Cooley's Corners is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooley's Corners
- Dresden Village ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Dresden Village is located in Macomb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresden Village
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterford, with the one closest to Waterford listed first.
- Allenton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Allenton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenton
- Berville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Berville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berville
- Lesterville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lesterville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lesterville
- Shiawassee County
- Byron
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Washtenaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterford, with the one closest to Waterford listed first.
- Salem
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Salem is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
- Emery
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Emery is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emery
- Dixboro
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dixboro is located in Washtenaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixboro
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Waterford, with the one closest to Waterford listed first.
- Brightmoor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Brightmoor is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brightmoor
- Elm
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Elm is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm
- Livonia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Redford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Beech
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Beech is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beech
- Plymouth
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Strathmoor ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Strathmoor is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strathmoor
- Highland Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Highland Park is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,712 people
- Dearborn Heights
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Garden City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Westland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Canton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hamtramck
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Waterford, see our County-by-County Page for Waterford.
Cemeteries Near Waterford ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Waterford.
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 Waterford - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Waterford covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Waterford, with the one closest to Waterford listed first.
- Ottawa Park Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Waterford Village Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Drayton Plains Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- All Saints Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Crescent Hills Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Sashabaw Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lakeview Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Waterford Center Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Colombriere Center Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hillville Memorial Gardens
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Oakland Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bridge Lake Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (395 more) ...
- Andersonville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Granger Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Oxbow Lakeside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxbow Lakeside Cemetery
- The Oxbow Lakeside Cemetery has also been known as:
- Lakeside Cemetery
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Waterford had a population of 225 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Waterford, with the one closest to Waterford listed first.
- Drayton Plains
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Drayton Plains is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drayton Plains
- Clarkston
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Oxbow
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Oxbow is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxbow
- Four Towns
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Four Towns is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Towns
- Pontiac
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Davisburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- White Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Commerce
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Commerce is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
- Orchard Lake Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Orchard Lake Village is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Lake Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,471 people
- Orchard Lake Village has also been known as:
- Orchard Lake
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Orchard Lake Village <1>
- Ortonville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Oxford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Highland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Oakwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Oakwood is located in Oakland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Clyde
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Milford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Waterford. See our List of 1890's Communities around Waterford.
Newspapers Published in Waterford ...
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 166 newspapers that have been published in the area around Waterford.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Waterford, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Waterford.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Waterford:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Oakland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Genesee County
- Lapeer County
- Livingston County
- Macomb County
- Saint Clair County
- Shiawassee County
- Washtenaw County
- Wayne County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Michigan
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> | 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 Waterford, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Waterford) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |