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 Rowlett (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 Rowlett. 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.
Rowlett is primarily located in Dallas County. A portion of Rowlett 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 Dallas County: Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall & Tarrant.
Below are the counties that are near Rowlett. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rowlett:
- Dallas County (The home county of Rowlett)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rowlett, with the one closest to Rowlett listed first.
- Centerville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Garland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- New Hope
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- New Hope is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Sunnyvale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Mesquite
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Buckingham
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Buckingham is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckingham
- Rawlins
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rawlins is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawlins
- Richardson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Balch Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Lawson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Lawson is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson
- University Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Highland Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Addison
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Collin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rowlett, with the one closest to Rowlett listed first.
- Sachse
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Murphy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Saint Paul
(9 miles [14.5 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
- Wylie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Parker
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Lavon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Plano
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Clear Lake
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Clear Lake is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
- Lucas
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Lucas is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,819 people
- Royse City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Copeville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Nevada
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Allen
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Denton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rowlett, with the one closest to Rowlett listed first.
- The Colony
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Hackberry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hackberry is located in Denton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackberry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,094 people
- Lakewood Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lakewood Village is located in Denton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,002 people
- Little Elm
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hickory Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ellis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rowlett, with the one closest to Rowlett listed first.
- Walnut Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Walnut Springs is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Springs
- Red Oak
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bristol
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Bristol is located in Ellis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Hunt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rowlett, with the one closest to Rowlett listed first.
- Union Valley
(18 miles [29 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
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hendrix
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hendrix is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
- Clinton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Clinton is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Quinlan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Boles Home
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Boles Home is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boles Home
- Merit
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hawk Cove
(27 miles [43.5 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
- Weiland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Weiland is located in Hunt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weiland
- Kaufman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rowlett, with the one closest to Rowlett listed first.
- Heath
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Forney
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lawrence
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lawrence is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawrence
- Talty
(17 miles [27.4 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
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Poetry is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poetry
- Crandall
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Terrell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lone Star
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lone Star is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Star
- Post Oak Bend City
(22 miles [35.4 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
- Ables Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ables Springs is located in Kaufman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ables Springs
- Elmo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Kaufman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Ridge
(26 miles [41.8 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
- Rockwall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rowlett, with the one closest to Rowlett listed first.
- Rockwall
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mobile City
(8 miles [12.9 km] 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
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- McLendon - Chisholm
(11 miles [17.7 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
- Blackland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Blackland is located in Rockwall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackland
- Tarrant County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rowlett, with the one closest to Rowlett listed first.
- Minters Chapel ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Minters Chapel is located in Tarrant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minters Chapel
- Euless
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rowlett, see our County-by-County Page for Rowlett.
Cemeteries Near Rowlett ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rowlett.
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 Rowlett - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rowlett covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rowlett, with the one closest to Rowlett listed first.
- Big A Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Rowlett Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- McShan Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Garland Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Miles Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Myers Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- West Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Lyons Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Kaiser Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Cottonwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (233 more) ...
- Peck Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clark Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Rockwall Memorial Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
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, Rowlett had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Rowlett had a population of 68,388 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rowlett, with the one closest to Rowlett listed first.
- Pleasant Valley
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Valley is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
- Sachse
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Garland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- New Hope
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- New Hope is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Heath
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rockwall
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Reinhardt
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Reinhardt is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reinhardt
- Murphy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Wylie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Saint Paul
(9 miles [14.5 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
- Rawlins
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rawlins is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawlins
- Parker
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Fate
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Millwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Millwood is located in Collin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood
- Richardson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rowlett. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rowlett.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Rowlett ...
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 277 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rowlett.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Rowlett. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Rowlett and those printed in the larger area surrounding Rowlett.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4> of Rowlett.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Rowlett:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Dallas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Collin County
- Denton County
- Ellis County
- Hunt County
- Kaufman County
- Rockwall County
- Tarrant County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Texas
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 Rowlett, 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 from Point A (ie- Rowlett) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |