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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 Ocean City 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 Ocean City 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 Ocean City 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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Ocean City Beach: Ocean City 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.

Ocean City 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 Ocean City Beach. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ocean City Beach:

  • Onslow County     (The home county of Ocean City Beach)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ocean City Beach, with the one closest to Ocean City Beach listed first.
    • Holly Ridge
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • North Topsail Beach
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Surf City
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Folkstone
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Folkstone is located in Onslow County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folkstone
    • Sneads Ferry
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Peru
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Peru is located in Onslow County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
    • Watkins Village
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Watkins Village is located in Onslow County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins Village
    • Midway Park
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Piney Green
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Piney Green is located in Onslow County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Green
    • Jacksonville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Acorn Forest
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Acorn Forest is located in Onslow County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acorn Forest
    • Aragona Village
      (22 miles [35.4 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 Ocean City Beach, with the one closest to Ocean City Beach listed first.
    • Cedar Point
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Cape Carteret
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Emerald Isle
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Stella
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Kuhns
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Kuhns is located in Carteret County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kuhns
    • Peletier
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Peletier is located in Carteret County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peletier
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 721 people
  • Duplin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ocean City Beach, with the one closest to Ocean City 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
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Pin Hook is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pin Hook
    • 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
    • Fountain
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Fountain is located in Duplin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountain
    • 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
  • New Hanover County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ocean City Beach, with the one closest to Ocean City Beach listed first.
    • Bayshore
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Bayshore is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayshore
    • Kirkland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Kirkland is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
    • Ogden
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Murraysville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Murraysville is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murraysville
    • Kings Grant
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Kings Grant is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Grant
    • Wrightsville Beach
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Castle Hayne
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Skippers Corner
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Skippers Corner is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skippers Corner
    • Smith Creek
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Smith Creek is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Creek
    • Windemere
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Windemere is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windemere
    • Seagate
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Seagate is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seagate
    • Masonboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Masonboro is located in New Hanover County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masonboro
  • Pender County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ocean City Beach, with the one closest to Ocean City Beach listed first.
    • Kings Landing
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Kings Landing is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Landing
    • Topsail Beach
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Topsail
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Topsail is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topsail
    • Hampstead
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Brown Town
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Brown Town is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brown Town
    • Maple Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Maple Hill is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Hill
    • Rocky Point
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Ashton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Ashton is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
    • Saint Helena
      (24 miles [38.6 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
    • Murray Town
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Murray Town is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murray Town
    • Burgaw
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Watha
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Watha is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watha
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people

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

Cemeteries Near Ocean City Beach ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ocean City 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 Ocean City Beach - one of the links might be able to help.

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ocean City Beach, with the one closest to Ocean City Beach 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>

While we didn't find Ocean City Beach in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ocean City Beach.

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

  • Holly Ridge
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Sneads Ferry
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Marines
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Marines is located in Onslow County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marines
  • Hampstead
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Duck Creek
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Duck Creek is located in Onslow County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duck Creek
  • Scotts Hill
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Scotts Hill is located in Pender County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Hill
  • Cyrus
    (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Cyrus is located in Onslow County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cyrus
  • Maple Hill
    (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Maple Hill is located in Pender County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Hill
  • Angola
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Angola is located in Onslow County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angola
  • Kirkland
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Kirkland is located in New Hanover County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
  • Jacksonville
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
  • Tar Landing
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Tar Landing is located in Onslow County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tar Landing
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Rocky Point
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Hubert
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Ashton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Ashton is located in Pender County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton

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

Newspapers Published in Ocean City 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 15 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ocean City Beach.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ocean City Beach, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ocean City Beach.

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 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 Ocean City Beach:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Ocean City Beach) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Ocean City Beach, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.