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 North Topsail Beach (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 North Topsail Beach. 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.
Name Variations for North Topsail Beach ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for North Topsail Beach: N. Topsail Bch.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 and doctors 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.
North Topsail Beach is located in Onslow County.
To see how the shape of North Carolina's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Onslow County: Carteret, Duplin, Jones & Pender.
Below are the counties that are near North Topsail Beach. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to North Topsail Beach:
- Onslow County (The home county of North Topsail Beach)
- The following are listed by their distance from North Topsail Beach, with the one closest to North Topsail Beach listed first.
- Sneads Ferry
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Folkstone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Folkstone is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folkstone
- Ocean City Beach
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ocean City Beach is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocean City Beach
- Peru
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Peru is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
- Holly Ridge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Surf City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Watkins Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Watkins Village is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins Village
- Midway Park
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Piney Green
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Piney Green is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Green
- Jacksonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Bear Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Acorn Forest
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Acorn Forest is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acorn Forest
- Aragona Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Aragona Village is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aragona Village
- Carteret County
- The following are listed by their distance from North Topsail Beach, with the one closest to North Topsail Beach listed first.
- Cedar Point
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Cape Carteret
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Emerald Isle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Peletier
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Peletier is located in Carteret County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peletier
- Population from the 2020 Census: 721 people
- Stella
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bogue
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bogue is located in Carteret County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 706 people
- Kuhns
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Kuhns is located in Carteret County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kuhns
- Duplin County
- The following are listed by their distance from North Topsail Beach, with the one closest to North Topsail Beach listed first.
- Cypress Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Cypress Creek is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypress Creek
- Pin Hook
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Pin Hook is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pin Hook
- Fountain
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Fountain is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountain
- Sholars Crossroads
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sholars Crossroads is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sholars Crossroads
- Maready
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Maready is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maready
- Sloan
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sloan is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sloan
- Cedar Fork
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Fork is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Fork
- Lyman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lyman is located in Duplin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyman
- Jones County
- Maysville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- New Hanover County
- The following are listed by their distance from North Topsail Beach, with the one closest to North Topsail Beach listed first.
- Bayshore
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Bayshore is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayshore
- Kirkland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Kirkland is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
- Ogden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Murraysville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Murraysville is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murraysville
- Wrightsville Beach
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Castle Hayne
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Skippers Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Skippers Corner is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skippers Corner
- Kings Grant
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kings Grant is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Grant
- Smith Creek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Smith Creek is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Creek
- Windemere
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Windemere is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windemere
- Seagate
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Seagate is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seagate
- Pender County
- The following are listed by their distance from North Topsail Beach, with the one closest to North Topsail Beach listed first.
- Topsail Beach
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kings Landing
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Kings Landing is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Landing
- Topsail
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Topsail is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topsail
- Maple Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Maple Hill is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Hill
- Hampstead
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Brown Town
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Brown Town is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brown Town
- Ashton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Ashton is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
- Rocky Point
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Burgaw
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Murray Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Murray Town is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murray Town
- Saint Helena
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Saint Helena is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Helena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 428 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to North Topsail Beach, see our County-by-County Page for North Topsail Beach.
Cemeteries Near North Topsail Beach ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of North Topsail Beach.
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 North Topsail Beach - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for North Topsail Beach covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from North Topsail Beach, with the one closest to North Topsail Beach listed first.
- Oak Grove UMC Cemetery
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jacksonville City Cemetery
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Montford Point Cemetery
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montford Point Cemetery
- The Montford Point Cemetery has also been known as:
- Montford Point Federal Cemetery
- Montford Point National Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2169801 <3>
- Onslow Memorial Park
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Piney Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ashe Cemetery
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Hocutt Cemetery
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Shoulder Branch Cemetery
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Prospect Cemetery
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Koonce Cemetery
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Sylvester Cemetery
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Continue List (9 more) ...
- Albert W. Lanier Cemetery
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- John E. Steed Cemetery
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Benjamin Bryan Cemetery
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benjamin Bryan Cemetery
- The Benjamin Bryan Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bryan 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.<4>
While we didn't find North Topsail Beach in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of North Topsail Beach.
These communities are listed based on their distance from North Topsail Beach, with the one closest to North Topsail Beach listed first.
- Sneads Ferry
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Holly Ridge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Marines
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Marines is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marines
- Duck Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Duck Creek is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duck Creek
- Cyrus
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cyrus is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cyrus
- Hampstead
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Jacksonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Angola
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Angola is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angola
- Maple Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Maple Hill is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Hill
- Tar Landing
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Tar Landing is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tar Landing
- Hubert
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Scotts Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Scotts Hill is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Hill
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Swansboro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Catherine Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Catherine Lake is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catherine Lake
- Cedar Point
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around North Topsail Beach. See our List of 1890's Communities around North Topsail Beach.
Newspapers Published in North Topsail Beach ...
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 12 newspapers that have been published in the area around North Topsail Beach.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of North Topsail Beach, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for North Topsail Beach.
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 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 North Topsail Beach:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Onslow County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Carteret County
- Duplin County
- Jones County
- New Hanover County
- Pender County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for North Carolina
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> | 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- North Topsail Beach) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 North Topsail Beach, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |