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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 Heath (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 Heath. 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 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.

Heath is primarily located in Kaufman County. A portion of Heath extends into Rockwall County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Kaufman County: Dallas, Ellis, Henderson, Hunt, Rockwall & Van Zandt.

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

  • Kaufman County     (The home county of Heath)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heath, with the one closest to Heath listed first.
    • Forney
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Lawrence
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Lawrence is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
    • Talty
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Talty is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talty
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,883 people
    • Poetry
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Poetry is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poetry
    • Terrell
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Crandall
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Lone Star
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Lone Star is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Star
    • Post Oak Bend City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Post Oak Bend City is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Oak Bend City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 626 people
    • Elmo
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Oak Ridge
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Oak Ridge is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Ridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 806 people
    • Ables Springs
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Ables Springs is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ables Springs
    • College Mound
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • College Mound is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Mound
  • Collin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heath, with the one closest to Heath listed first.
    • Sachse
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lavon
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Royse City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Wylie
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Wylie is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wylie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,467 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wylie <1>
    • Nevada
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Saint Paul
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Saint Paul is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,039 people
    • Murphy
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Clear Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Clear Lake is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
    • Copeville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Parker
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Josephine
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Plano
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Plano is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plano
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 291,296 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Plano <1>
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heath, with the one closest to Heath listed first.
    • Sunnyvale
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Rowlett
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • New Hope
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • New Hope is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
    • Mesquite
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Centerville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Centerville is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
    • Garland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Balch Springs
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Lawson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lawson is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson
    • Seagoville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Kleberg
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Kleberg is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kleberg
    • Buckingham
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Buckingham is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckingham
    • Rawlins
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Rawlins is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawlins
  • Denton County
    • The Colony
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Ellis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heath, with the one closest to Heath listed first.
    • Walnut Springs
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Walnut Springs is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Springs
    • Bristol
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Bristol is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
    • Red Oak
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Palmer
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Pecan Hill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Pecan Hill is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 714 people
  • Hunt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heath, with the one closest to Heath listed first.
    • Union Valley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Union Valley is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
    • Hendrix
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Hendrix is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
    • Caddo Mills
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Quinlan
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Boles Home
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Boles Home is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boles Home
    • Hawk Cove
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Hawk Cove is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawk Cove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 562 people
    • Clinton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Clinton is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
    • Weiland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Weiland is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weiland
    • West Tawakoni
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • West Tawakoni is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Tawakoni
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,994 people
    • Merit
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Greenville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Dixon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Dixon is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
  • Rains County
    • Hooker Ridge
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Hooker Ridge is located in Rains County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker Ridge
  • Rockwall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Heath, with the one closest to Heath listed first.
    • McLendon - Chisholm
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • McLendon - Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLendon - Chisholm
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,815 people
    • Rockwall
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Mobile City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Mobile City is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mobile City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
    • Blackland
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Blackland is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
    • Fate
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Fate is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fate
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,434 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fate <1>
  • Van Zandt County
    • Wills Point
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Heath ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Heath.

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 Heath - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Peck Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Kaiser Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Pleasant Spring Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Longhorn Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • McShan Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Chisholm Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Clark Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Rockwall Memorial Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Rowlett Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • West Family Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Myers Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Lyons Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (232 more) ...

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Heath had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Heath had a population of 9,718 people.

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

  • Chisholm
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chisholm
  • Rockwall
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Forney
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Rowlett
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • New Hope
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • New Hope is located in Dallas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
  • Blackland
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Blackland is located in Rockwall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
  • Fate
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Fate is located in Rockwall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fate
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,434 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fate <1>
  • Pleasant Valley
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Pleasant Valley is located in Dallas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
  • Lawrence
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Lawrence is located in Kaufman County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
  • Millwood
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Millwood is located in Collin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood
  • Sachse
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Garland
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Royse City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Lavon
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Reinhardt
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Reinhardt is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reinhardt

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

Newspapers Published in Heath ...

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 228 newspapers that have been published in the area around Heath.

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

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 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 Heath:

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 Heath, 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- Heath) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.