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 Rockdale (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 Rockdale. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.
Rockdale is located in Rutherford County.
To see how the shape of Tennessee's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Rutherford County: Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Davidson, Marshall, Williamson & Wilson.
Below are the counties that are near Rockdale. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rockdale:
- Rutherford County (The home county of Rockdale)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Murphree
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Murphree is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murphree
- Estimated population in 2014: 120,954 people
- Jefferson Pike
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jefferson Pike is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Pike
- Estimated population in 2014: 8,370 people
- Morrow
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Morrow is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrow
- Estimated population in 2014: 29,304 people
- La Vergne
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Smyrna
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Colonial Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Colonial Village is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
- Jamestown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jamestown is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,940 people
- Leanna
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Leanna is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leanna
- Walter Hill Estates
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Walter Hill Estates is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walter Hill Estates
- Population from the 2010 Census: 401 people
- Walterhill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Walterhill is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walterhill
- Fairfield Estates
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fairfield Estates is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield Estates
- Population from the 2010 Census: 131 people
- Compton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Compton is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- Murfreesboro
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Bedford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Longview
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Longview is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longview
- Vannatta
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Vannatta is located in Bedford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vannatta
- Estimated population in 2014: 398 people
- Cannon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Auburntown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Auburntown is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburntown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 266 people
- Gassaway
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Gassaway is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gassaway
- Bradyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bradyville is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradyville
- Burt
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Burt is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
- Woodbury
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Burgen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Burgen is located in Cannon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burgen
- Cheatham County
- Doziers ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Doziers is located in Cheatham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doziers
- Estimated population in 2014: 543 people
- Coffee County
- Gossburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Gossburg is located in Coffee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gossburg
- Davidson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Priest Lake Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Priest Lake Park is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priest Lake Park
- Rural Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Rural Hill is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural Hill
- Population from the 2010 Census: 2,007 people
- Nashboro Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Nashboro Village is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashboro Village
- Antioch
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hermitage
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Donelson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Donelson is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donelson
- Wrencoe
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Wrencoe is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wrencoe
- Mudtavern
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mudtavern is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mudtavern
- Dog Town ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Dog Town is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dog Town
- Paragon Mills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Paragon Mills is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paragon Mills
- Whispering Hills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Whispering Hills is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whispering Hills
- Lakewood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lakewood is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
- Marvel ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Marvel is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marvel
- Estimated population in 2014: 11,322 people
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Alexandria
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Liberty
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Liberty is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 330 people
- Dowelltown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Marshall County
- Holts Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Holts Corner is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holts Corner
- Robertson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- White House
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Hygeia Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hygeia Springs is located in Robertson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hygeia Springs
- Smith County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Brush Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Brush Creek is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Creek
- Shaver Town
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Shaver Town is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaver Town
- Rock City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Rock City is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Hickman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Hickman is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickman
- Bluff Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Bluff Creek is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,734 people
- Gordonsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Dixon Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon Springs is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon Springs
- South Carthage
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- South Carthage is located in Smith County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Carthage
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,406 people
- Sumner County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Driftwood Park
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Driftwood Park is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Driftwood Park
- Estimated population in 2014: 2,908 people
- Hendersonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Gallatin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Ocana
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Ocana is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocana
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,086 people
- Shackle Island
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Shackle Island is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shackle Island
- Population from the 2010 Census: 2,844 people
- Goodlettsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Station Camp ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Station Camp is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Station Camp
- Trousdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Trousdale is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trousdale
- Castalian Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Millersville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cottontown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Rogana
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Rogana is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogana
- Chipman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Chipman is located in Sumner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chipman
- Trousdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Hartsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Johntown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Johntown is located in Trousdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johntown
- Williamson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Nolensville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Brentwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Arrington
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Clovercroft
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Clovercroft is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clovercroft
- Wildwood Estates
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Wildwood Estates is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildwood Estates
- Population from the 2010 Census: 1,098 people
- College Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lynnwood Downs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Lynnwood Downs is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynnwood Downs
- Estimated population in 2014: 282 people
- McEwen ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- McEwen is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McEwen
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,699 people
- Franklin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Peytonsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Peytonsville is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peytonsville
- Berrys Chapel Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Berrys Chapel Heights is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berrys Chapel Heights
- Estimated population in 2014: 551 people
- Forest Home
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Forest Home is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Home
- Old Town ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Old Town is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Wilson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Gladeville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rural Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rural Hill is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural Hill
- Belinda City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Belinda City is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belinda City
- Lynn Christie
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lynn Christie is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn Christie
- Estimated population in 2011: 6,411 people
- Beckwith
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Beckwith is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beckwith
- Leeville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Leeville is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeville
- Mount Juliet
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Doaks Crossroads
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Doaks Crossroads is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doaks Crossroads
- Doaks Crossroads has also been known as:
- Doaks
- Lebanon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Cainsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Cainsville is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cainsville
- Greenwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Laguardo
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Laguardo is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laguardo
- Estimated population in 2014: 132 people
- Possum Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Possum Town is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Town
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rockdale, see our County-by-County Page for Rockdale.
Cemeteries Near Rockdale ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rockdale.
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 Rockdale - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rockdale covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Fellowship Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Livenston Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Sanders Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Johns Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Welch Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Lannom Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Barber Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Browns Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Sanders Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Mabry Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Patterson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Tucker Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Continue List (1295 more) ...
- Clay Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Sneed Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ross Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
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 Rockdale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rockdale.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rockdale, with the one closest to Rockdale listed first.
- Vesta
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Vesta is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vesta
- Rural Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rural Hill is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural Hill
- Couchville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Couchville is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Couchville
- La Vergne
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Smyrna
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dodoburg ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dodoburg is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodoburg
- Bairds Mill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bairds Mill is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bairds Mill
- Kimbro
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Kimbro is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbro
- Mount View
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Mount View is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount View
- Brooklin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Brooklin is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklin
- Mount Juliet
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Walterhill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Walterhill is located in Rutherford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walterhill
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Oak Point ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Oak Point is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Point
- Holloway
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Holloway is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holloway
- Tuckers Gap ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Tuckers Gap is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuckers Gap
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rockdale. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rockdale.
Newspapers Published in Rockdale ...
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 11 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rockdale.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rockdale, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rockdale.
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 Rockdale:
- Websites specific to Tennessee
- Pages specific to Rutherford County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bedford County
- Cannon County
- Cheatham County
- Coffee County
- Davidson County
- DeKalb County
- Marshall County
- Robertson County
- Smith County
- Sumner County
- Trousdale County
- Williamson County
- Wilson County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Tennessee
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 Rockdale, 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- Rockdale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |