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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 South Lorain (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 South Lorain. 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 South Lorain ...

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 South Lorain: S. Lorain

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 and doctors 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.

South Lorain is located in Lorain County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Lorain County: Ashland, Cuyahoga, Erie, Huron & Medina.

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

  • Lorain County     (The home county of South Lorain)
    • The following are listed by their distance from South Lorain, with the one closest to South Lorain listed first.
    • Lorain
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Sheffield
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Sheffield Lake
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Avon
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Avon is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,745 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avon <1>
    • Elyria
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Amherst
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • North Ridgeville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Avon Lake
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Avon Point
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Avon Point is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon Point
    • Fields
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Fields is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fields
    • South Amherst
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • South Amherst is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Amherst
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,663 people
    • Brownhelm Station
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Brownhelm Station is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownhelm Station
  • Ashland County
  • Champaign County
    • Rochester
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Rochester is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
  • Cuyahoga County
    • The following are listed by their distance from South Lorain, with the one closest to South Lorain listed first.
    • Bay Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • North Dover
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • North Dover is located in Cuyahoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dover
    • North Olmsted
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Westlake
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Olmsted Falls
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairview Park
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Berea
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Berea is located in Cuyahoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berea
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,508 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Berea <1>
    • Rockport
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Rockport is located in Cuyahoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockport
    • Rocky River
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Brook Park
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Lakewood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Binola
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Binola is located in Cuyahoga County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Binola
  • Erie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from South Lorain, with the one closest to South Lorain listed first.
    • Birmingham
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Florence
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Florence is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
    • Berlin Heights
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Shinrock
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Shinrock is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shinrock
    • Berlinville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Berlinville is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlinville
    • Huron
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • North Milan
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • North Milan is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Milan
    • Milan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Avery
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Avery is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
    • Bogart
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Bogart is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogart
    • Fairview Lanes
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Fairview Lanes is located in Erie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Lanes
    • Sandusky
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Huron County
    • The following are listed by their distance from South Lorain, with the one closest to South Lorain listed first.
    • Wakeman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • White Fox
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • White Fox is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Fox
    • Collins
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Collins is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
    • East Townsend
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • East Townsend is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Townsend
    • West Clarksfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • West Clarksfield is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Clarksfield
    • Hartland Station
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Hartland Station is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland Station
    • Hartland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Hartland is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
    • New London
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Norwalk
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Olena
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Olena is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olena
    • Fitchville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Fitchville is located in Huron County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitchville
  • Medina County
    • The following are listed by their distance from South Lorain, with the one closest to South Lorain listed first.
    • Valley City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Valley City Station
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Valley City Station is located in Medina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley City Station
    • Litchfield
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Brunswick
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Risley ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Risley is located in Medina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Risley
    • Abbeyville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Abbeyville is located in Medina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbeyville
    • River Corners
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • River Corners is located in Medina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Corners
    • Spencer
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Hinckley
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Pawnee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Pawnee is located in Medina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pawnee
    • Medina
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Briarwood Beach ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Briarwood Beach is located in Medina County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briarwood Beach
  • Summit County
    • Richfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near South Lorain ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of South Lorain.

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 South Lorain - one of the links might be able to help.

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from South Lorain, with the one closest to South Lorain listed first.

  • Salem Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Day Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Elmwood Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Elmwood Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Lorain.
    • The Elmwood Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Highland Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #40715 <2>
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Calvary Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Lorain.
    • The Calvary Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Calvary Catholic Cemetery
    • Calvary Cemetery Park
    • Calvary Park
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #40162 <2>
  • Ridge Hill Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Garfield Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Middle Ridge Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • St. Mary Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • St. Teresa Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • North Murray Ridge Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Ridgelawn Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (258 more) ...
    • Cleveland Street Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Crownhill Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Elyria Jewish Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elyria Jewish Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Elyria Jewish Cemetery is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<3> to the west of Elyria.
      • The Elyria Jewish Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Agudath Achim Cemetery
      • Agudath Achim Jewish Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #40716 <2>

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 South Lorain in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of South Lorain.

These communities are listed based on their distance from South Lorain, with the one closest to South Lorain listed first.

  • Lorain
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Sheffield
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Crandall
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Crandall is located in Lorain County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crandall
  • Lake Breeze
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Lake Breeze is located in Lorain County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Breeze
  • Amherst
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Elyria
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Avon
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Avon is located in Lorain County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,745 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avon <1>
  • Folger ‑ Historic
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Folger is located in Lorain County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folger
  • Shawville ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Shawville is located in Lorain County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawville
  • North Ridgeville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Avon Lake
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Brownhelm Station
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Brownhelm Station is located in Lorain County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownhelm Station
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Brownhelm
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Brownhelm is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownhelm
    • Laporte
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Laporte is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laporte
    • Fields
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Fields is located in Lorain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fields

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

Newspapers Published in South Lorain ...

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 156 newspapers that have been published in the area around South Lorain.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of South Lorain, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for South Lorain.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 South Lorain:

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 '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- South Lorain) 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 South Lorain, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.