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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 Rockwall (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 Rockwall. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.

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 north 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.

Rockwall is located in Rockwall County and is the County Seat.

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 Rockwall County: Collin, Dallas, Hunt & Kaufman.

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

  • Rockwall County     (The home county of Rockwall)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockwall, with the one closest to Rockwall listed first.
    • Mobile City
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Mobile City is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mobile City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
    • Fate
      (3 miles [4.8 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>
    • Blackland
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Blackland is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
    • McLendon - Chisholm
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • McLendon - Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLendon - Chisholm
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,815 people
  • Collin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockwall, with the one closest to Rockwall listed first.
    • Lavon
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Royse City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Sachse
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Nevada
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Wylie
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • 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>
    • Saint Paul
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Paul is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,039 people
    • Clear Lake
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Clear Lake is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
    • Copeville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Murphy
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Josephine
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Parker
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Lucas
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Lucas is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,819 people
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockwall, with the one closest to Rockwall listed first.
    • Rowlett
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Sunnyvale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Centerville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Centerville is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
    • New Hope
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • New Hope is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
    • Garland
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Mesquite
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Balch Springs
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Lawson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lawson is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson
    • Buckingham
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Buckingham is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckingham
    • Richardson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Rawlins
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Rawlins is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawlins
    • Kleberg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Kleberg is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kleberg
  • Denton County
    • The Colony
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Ellis County
    • Walnut Springs
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Walnut Springs is located in Ellis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Springs
  • Hunt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockwall, with the one closest to Rockwall listed first.
    • Union Valley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Union Valley is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
    • Caddo Mills
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Hendrix
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Hendrix is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
    • Clinton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Clinton is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
    • Quinlan
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Boles Home
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Boles Home is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boles Home
    • Hawk Cove
      (21 miles [33.8 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
    • Merit
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Weiland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Weiland is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weiland
    • Greenville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • West Tawakoni
      (25 miles [40.2 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
    • Dixon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Dixon is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
  • Kaufman County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockwall, with the one closest to Rockwall listed first.
    • Heath
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Heath is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heath
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,718 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Heath <1>
    • Forney
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Lawrence
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Lawrence is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
    • Poetry
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Poetry is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poetry
    • Talty
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Talty is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talty
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,883 people
    • Terrell
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • 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
    • Crandall
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Lone Star
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Lone Star is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Star
    • Post Oak Bend City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • 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
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • College Mound
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • College Mound is located in Kaufman County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Mound
  • Rains County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rockwall, with the one closest to Rockwall listed first.
    • Hooker Ridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Hooker Ridge is located in Rains County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker Ridge
    • East Tawakoni
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • East Tawakoni is located in Rains County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Tawakoni
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 991 people
  • Van Zandt County
    • Wills Point
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Rockwall ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rockwall.

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

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

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

  • Rockwall Memorial Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Clark Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Parker Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Fredonia Hill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Longhorn Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • McShan Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Kaiser Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Peck Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Rowlett Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Blackland Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Chisholm Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (235 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 Rockwall had a population of 843 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Rockwall had a population of 47,415 people.

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

  • Fate
    (3 miles [4.8 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>
  • Heath
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Heath is located in Kaufman County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heath
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,718 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Heath <1>
  • Blackland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Blackland is located in Rockwall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
  • Millwood
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Millwood is located in Collin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood
  • Rowlett
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Chisholm
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Chisholm is located in Rockwall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chisholm
  • Royse City
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Lavon
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Pleasant Valley
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Pleasant Valley is located in Dallas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
  • Sachse
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Wylie
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • 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
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Saint Paul
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Paul is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,039 people
    • New Hope
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • New Hope is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
    • Forney
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Rockwall ...

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 254 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rockwall.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Rockwall. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Rockwall and those printed in the larger area surrounding Rockwall.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4> of Rockwall.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Rockwall:

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 Rockwall, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Rockwall) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.