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 Williamsburg (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 Williamsburg. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Williamsburg is located in Rockingham 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 Rockingham County: Alamance, Caswell, Guilford, Stokes, Henry (VA) & Pittsylvania (VA).
Below are the counties that are near Williamsburg. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Williamsburg:
- Rockingham County (The home county of Williamsburg)
- The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Reidsville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Belmont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Belmont is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Lawsonville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Lawsonville is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawsonville
- Norwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Norwood is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Ruffin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Wentworth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wentworth is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wentworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,734 people
- Wittys Crossroads
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Wittys Crossroads is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittys Crossroads
- College Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- College Village is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Village
- Draper ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Draper is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draper
- Eden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Eden is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,867 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eden <1>
- Meadow Summit
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Meadow Summit is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Summit
- Gold Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Gold Hill is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Hill
- Alamance County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Altamahaw
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Altamahaw is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamahaw
- Clover Garden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Clover Garden is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Garden
- Ossipee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ossipee is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ossipee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 593 people
- Birchwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Birchwood is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birchwood
- British Acres
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- British Acres is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for British Acres
- Green Acres
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Green Acres is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Acres
- Sherwood Forest
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sherwood Forest is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood Forest
- Union Ridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Union Ridge is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Ridge
- Elon College
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Elon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Elon is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,186 people
- Glen Raven
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Glen Raven is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Raven
- Glencoe
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Glencoe is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glencoe
- Caswell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Ashland
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ashland is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Stony Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Stony Creek is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Creek
- Locust Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Locust Hill is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Hill
- Quick
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Quick is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quick
- Jericho
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Jericho is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
- Anderson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Anderson is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Bethel
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bethel is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- West Yanceyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- West Yanceyville is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Yanceyville
- Yanceyville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pelham
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Pelham is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
- Providence
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Providence is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Whitetown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Whitetown is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitetown
- Forsyth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Belews Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Belews Creek is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belews Creek
- Pine Knolls
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Pine Knolls is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Knolls
- Stonewood Acres
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Stonewood Acres is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonewood Acres
- Benefit ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Benefit is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benefit
- Bonanza Hills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bonanza Hills is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonanza Hills
- Crims Crossroads
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Crims Crossroads is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crims Crossroads
- Applegate
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Applegate is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Applegate
- Cliffwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Cliffwood is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliffwood
- Emorywood Estates
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Emorywood Estates is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emorywood Estates
- Greystone Forest
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Greystone Forest is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greystone Forest
- Kimberly Acres
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Kimberly Acres is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimberly Acres
- Kynwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Kynwood is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kynwood
- Guilford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Browns Summit
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Rudd
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rudd is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rudd
- Gibsonville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- McLeansville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Sedalia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Sedalia is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 689 people
- Whitsett
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Scalesville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Scalesville is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scalesville
- Spicewood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Spicewood is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spicewood
- White Oak
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- White Oak is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
- Cumberland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cumberland is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
- Fairfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Fairfield is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield
- Summerfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Orange County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Carr
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Carr is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carr
- Lakeview Acres
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lakeview Acres is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview Acres
- McDade
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- McDade is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDade
- Miles
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Miles is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miles
- Cedar Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Cedar Grove is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- Cheeks Crossroads
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cheeks Crossroads is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheeks Crossroads
- Green Pines
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Green Pines is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Pines
- Just-A-Mere Landing
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Just-A-Mere Landing is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Just-A-Mere Landing
- Laws
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Laws is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laws
- Walkers Landing
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Walkers Landing is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walkers Landing
- Jordan Oak
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jordan Oak is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan Oak
- Arrowhead
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Arrowhead is located in Orange County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arrowhead
- Person County
- Hurdle Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Redcross
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Redcross is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redcross
- Liberty
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Melanchton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Melanchton is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melanchton
- Stokes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Pine Hall
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Amostown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Amostown is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amostown
- Bailey Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Bailey Town is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey Town
- Fulp
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Fulp is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulp
- Walnut Cove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Danville City (VA)
- Danville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Henry County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Sandy Level
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Sandy Level is located in Henry County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Level
- Ridgeway
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Irisburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Irisburg is located in Henry County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irisburg
- Axton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Chatmoss
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chatmoss is located in Henry County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatmoss
- Laurel Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Laurel Park is located in Henry County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Park
- Horse Pasture
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Horse Pasture is located in Henry County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horse Pasture
- Madison County (VA)
- Beaver Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Beaver Park is located in Madison County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Park
- Pittsylvania County (VA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Cascade
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cascade is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cascade
- Mount Cross
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Mount Cross is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Cross
- Ridgecrest
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Ridgecrest is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgecrest
- Kentuck
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Kentuck is located in Pittsylvania County (VA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Williamsburg, see our County-by-County Page for Williamsburg.
Cemeteries Near Williamsburg ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Williamsburg.
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 Williamsburg - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Williamsburg covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- High Rock MB Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Burton Memorial MB Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Elm Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Pearson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Settle Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Lawsonville Road Baptist Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Shiloh UMC Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Greenview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Reidlawn Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Apple Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Reid Family Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Locust Grove Baptist Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (172 more) ...
- Palmer Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Rocky Ridge MB Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Evergreen Memory Gardens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
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>
While we didn't find Williamsburg in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Williamsburg.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
- Lenox Castle
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lenox Castle is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenox Castle
- Benaja
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Benaja is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benaja
- Ashland
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ashland is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Reidsville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Cherry Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Cherry Grove is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Grove
- Lawsonville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Lawsonville is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawsonville
- Monroeton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Monroeton is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroeton
- Browns Summit
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Altamahaw
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Altamahaw is located in Alamance County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamahaw
- Stony Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Stony Creek is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Creek
- Locust Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Locust Hill is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Hill
- Allison
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Allison is located in Caswell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allison
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Ruffin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Wentworth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wentworth is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wentworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,734 people
- McLeansville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Williamsburg. See our List of 1890's Communities around Williamsburg.
Newspapers Published in Williamsburg ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Williamsburg.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Williamsburg, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Williamsburg.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Williamsburg:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Rockingham County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alamance County
- Caswell County
- Forsyth County
- Guilford County
- Orange County
- Person County
- Randolph County
- Stokes County
- Danville City
- Henry County
- Madison County
- Pittsylvania 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> | 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 Williamsburg, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Williamsburg) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |