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 Wrightsville 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 Wrightsville 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 Wrightsville 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 Wrightsville Beach: Wrightsville 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals 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.
Wrightsville Beach is located in New Hanover 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 New Hanover County: Brunswick & Pender.
Below are the counties that are near Wrightsville Beach. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wrightsville Beach:
- New Hanover County (The home county of Wrightsville Beach)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wrightsville Beach, with the one closest to Wrightsville Beach listed first.
- Seagate
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Seagate is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seagate
- Windemere
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Windemere is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windemere
- Masonboro
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Masonboro is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masonboro
- Ogden
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bayshore
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bayshore is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayshore
- Kings Grant
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Kings Grant is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Grant
- Smith Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Smith Creek is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Creek
- Wilmington
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Kirkland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Kirkland is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
- Murraysville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Murraysville is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murraysville
- Myrtle Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Myrtle Grove is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle Grove
- Silver Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Silver Lake is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Lake
- Hightsville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hightsville is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightsville
- Bladen County
- Long View
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Long View is located in Bladen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long View
- Brunswick County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wrightsville Beach, with the one closest to Wrightsville Beach listed first.
- Old Town
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Old Town is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Belville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Belville is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,135 people
- Leland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Navassa
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Navassa is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navassa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,534 people
- Phoenix
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Phoenix is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoenix
- Malmo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Malmo is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malmo
- Town Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Town Creek is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Creek
- Winnabow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Boiling Spring Lakes
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Boiling Spring Lakes is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boiling Spring Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,430 people
- Northwest
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Northwest is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northwest
- Population from the 2020 Census: 806 people
- Sandy Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Sandy Creek is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 319 people
- Bolivia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Southport
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Columbus County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wrightsville Beach, with the one closest to Wrightsville Beach listed first.
- Acme
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Acme is located in Columbus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
- Delco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Riegelwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Armour
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Armour is located in Columbus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armour
- Byrdville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Byrdville is located in Columbus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byrdville
- Sandyfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Sandyfield is located in Columbus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 415 people
- Onslow County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wrightsville Beach, with the one closest to Wrightsville Beach listed first.
- Surf City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Holly Ridge
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Ocean City Beach
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Ocean City Beach is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocean City Beach
- Folkstone
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Folkstone is located in Onslow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folkstone
- North Topsail Beach
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Pender County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wrightsville Beach, with the one closest to Wrightsville Beach listed first.
- Brown Town
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Brown Town is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brown Town
- Hampstead
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kings Landing
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Kings Landing is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Landing
- Topsail
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Topsail is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topsail
- Topsail Beach
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rocky Point
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Ashton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Ashton is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
- Saint Helena
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Saint Helena is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Helena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 428 people
- Burgaw
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Currie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Murray Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Murray Town is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murray Town
- Atkinson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Wrightsville Beach, see our County-by-County Page for Wrightsville Beach.
Cemeteries Near Wrightsville Beach ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wrightsville 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 Wrightsville Beach - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Wrightsville Beach covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wrightsville Beach, with the one closest to Wrightsville Beach listed first.
- Oleander Memorial Gardens
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- St. Andrews On-the-Sound Episcopal Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Prospect Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Masonboro Baptist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Farrow Family Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Delgado Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Acorn Branch Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bellevue Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Bellevue Cemetery is located in Wilmington.
- Pine Forest Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- B'nai Israel Hebrew Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Wilmington National Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (79 more) ...
- Greenlawn Memorial Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Calvary Memorial Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Oakdale Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
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 Wrightsville Beach in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Wrightsville Beach.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Wrightsville Beach, with the one closest to Wrightsville Beach listed first.
- Wrightsville
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Wrightsville is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrightsville
- Wilmington
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Kirkland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Kirkland is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkland
- Scotts Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Scotts Hill is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Hill
- Wrightsboro
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Wrightsboro is located in New Hanover County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrightsboro
- Castle Hayne
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hampstead
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Navassa
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Navassa is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navassa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,534 people
- Phoenix
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Phoenix is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoenix
- Rocky Point
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Town Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Town Creek is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Creek
- Winnabow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Continue List (12 more) ...
- Malmo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Malmo is located in Brunswick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malmo
- Ashton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Ashton is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
- Long Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Long Creek is located in Pender County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Creek
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Wrightsville Beach. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wrightsville Beach.
Newspapers Published in Wrightsville 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 101 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wrightsville Beach.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wrightsville Beach, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wrightsville Beach.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Wrightsville Beach:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to New Hanover County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bladen County
- Brunswick County
- Columbus County
- Onslow 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> | 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 Wrightsville Beach, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Wrightsville Beach) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |