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A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
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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 West Bay Shore (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 West Bay Shore. 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 West Bay Shore ...

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.

Another variation: West Bayshore.

  • A typical abbreviation for West Bay Shore: W. Bay Shr.

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 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.

West Bay Shore is located in Suffolk County.

To see how the shape of New York's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

Below are the counties that are near West Bay Shore. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Bay Shore:

  • Suffolk County     (The home county of West Bay Shore)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Bay Shore, with the one closest to West Bay Shore listed first.
    • Brightwaters
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • West Islip
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • West Islip is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Islip
    • Baywood
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Baywood is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baywood
    • Bay Shore
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • North Bay Shore
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • North Bay Shore is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bay Shore
    • Babylon
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • North Babylon
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • North Babylon is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Babylon
    • Islip
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • West Babylon
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • West Babylon is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Babylon
    • East Islip
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • East Islip is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Islip
    • Deer Park
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Gilgo - Oak Beach - Captree
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Brentwood
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Bronx County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Bay Shore, with the one closest to West Bay Shore listed first.
    • City Island
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • City Island is located in Bronx County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for City Island
    • Locust Point
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Locust Point is located in Bronx County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Point
    • Throggs Neck
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Throggs Neck is located in Bronx County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Throggs Neck
  • Nassau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Bay Shore, with the one closest to West Bay Shore listed first.
    • East Massapequa
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • East Massapequa is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Massapequa
    • Farmingdale
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • South Farmingdale
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • South Farmingdale is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Farmingdale
    • Massapequa Park
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • North Massapequa
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • North Massapequa is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Massapequa
    • Old Bethpage
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Plainview
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bethpage
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Biltmore Shores
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Biltmore Shores is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biltmore Shores
    • Harbor Green
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Harbor Green is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbor Green
    • Massapequa
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Plainedge
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Plainedge is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainedge
    • North Wantagh
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • North Wantagh is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Wantagh
  • Queens County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Bay Shore, with the one closest to West Bay Shore listed first.
    • Little Neck
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Rosedale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Douglaston
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Queens Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Bayside
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Far Rockaway
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Hollis
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Rochdale Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Rochdale Village is located in Queens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochdale Village
    • Bayswater
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Bayswater is located in Queens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayswater
    • Jamaica
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Queens
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Beechhurst
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Beechhurst is located in Queens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechhurst
    • Kew Gardens
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Westchester County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Bay Shore, with the one closest to West Bay Shore listed first.
    • Milton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Milton is located in Westchester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
    • Harrison
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Larchmont
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Mamaroneck
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Port Chester
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Rye
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Rye is located in Westchester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rye
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,634 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rye <1>
    • New Rochelle
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Pelham Manor
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Pelham
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Pelham is located in Westchester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,917 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pelham <1>
    • Rye Brook
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Fairfield County (CT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Bay Shore, with the one closest to West Bay Shore listed first.
    • Darien
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Darien is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darien
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,693 people
    • Shippan Point
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Shippan Point is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shippan Point
    • Rowayton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Noroton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Noroton is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noroton
    • Old Greenwich
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Darien
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Norwalk
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Norwalk is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwalk
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 88,655 people
    • South Norwalk
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • South Norwalk is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Norwalk
    • Belle Haven
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Belle Haven is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Haven
    • Glenbrook
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Glenbrook is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenbrook
    • Noroton Heights
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Noroton Heights is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noroton Heights
    • Stamford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Stamford is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stamford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 131,397 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stamford <1>
    • Compo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Compo is located in Fairfield County (CT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compo

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Bay Shore, see our County-by-County Page for West Bay Shore.

Cemeteries Near West Bay Shore ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Bay Shore.

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 West Bay Shore - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Bay Shore covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Bay Shore, with the one closest to West Bay Shore 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.<3>

While we didn't find West Bay Shore in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Bay Shore.

These communities are listed based on their distance from West Bay Shore, with the one closest to West Bay Shore listed first.

  • Babylon
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Bay Shore
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Islip
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Deer Park
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Lindenhurst
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Brentwood
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Wyandanch
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Great River
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Amityville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Central Islip
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Fire Island
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Elwood
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Elwood is located in Suffolk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elwood
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • West Sayville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • West Sayville is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Sayville
    • Bohemia
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Hauppauge
      (9 miles [14.5 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 West Bay Shore. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Bay Shore.

Newspapers Published in West Bay Shore ...

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 229 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Bay Shore.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Bay Shore, 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 West Bay Shore.

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 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 West Bay Shore:

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 West Bay Shore, 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' (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- West Bay Shore) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.