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 Bend (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 Bend. 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 Bend ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for South Bend: S. Bend
You might be interested in other communities that are also named South Bend. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for South Bend.
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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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 Bend is located in Harris 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 Harris County: Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery & Waller.
Below are the counties that are near South Bend. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to South Bend:
- Harris County (The home county of South Bend)
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Genoa
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Genoa is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Parkland Village
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Parkland Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland Village
- Baybrook Village
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Baybrook Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baybrook Village
- Clear Lake City
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- South Houston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Webster
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Nassau Bay
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Meadow Creek Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Meadow Creek Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Creek Village
- Glenbrook Valley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Glenbrook Valley is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenbrook Valley
- Pasadena
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- El Lago
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Deer Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Park Place
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Park Place is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Place
- Brazoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Woodcreek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Woodcreek is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodcreek
- Pearland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Westwood Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Westwood Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Village
- Brookside Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- West Oaks Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- West Oaks Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Oaks Village
- Fairway Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Fairway Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway Village
- Alvin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Manvel
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hillcrest
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Hillcrest is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest
- Population from the 2020 Census: 706 people
- Iowa Colony
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Iowa Colony is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Colony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,888 people
- Liverpool
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Sandy Point
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sandy Point is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 238 people
- Rosharon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Seabrook
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Shoreacres
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Shoreacres is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoreacres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,578 people
- Baytown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Beach City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Beach City is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beach City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,825 people
- Smith Point
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Smith Point is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Point
- Mont Belvieu
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Cove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cove is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 586 people
- Old River - Winfree
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Old River - Winfree is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old River - Winfree
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,453 people
- Fort Bend County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Fresno
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Arcola
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Hawdon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hawdon is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawdon
- Hawdon has also been known as:
- Hawdon Junction
- Juliff
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Juliff is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juliff
- Sienna Plantation
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Sienna Plantation is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sienna Plantation
- Missouri City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Trammels
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Trammels is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trammels
- Dewalt
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Dewalt is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewalt
- Fifth Street
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Fifth Street is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fifth Street
- Missouri City Estates
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Missouri City Estates is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missouri City Estates
- Stafford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- First Colony
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- First Colony is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for First Colony
- Meadows Place
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Meadows Place is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows Place
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,813 people
- Galveston County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Quaker Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Quaker Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Village
- Friendswood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Parkwood Village
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Parkwood Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood Village
- Carmel Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Carmel Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
- League City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Clear Lake Shores
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- South Shore Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- South Shore Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Shore Village
- Kemah
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Dickinson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Bacliff
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Arcadia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Arcadia is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
- Santa Fe
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- San Leon
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to South Bend, see our County-by-County Page for South Bend.
Cemeteries Near South Bend ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of South Bend.
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 Bend - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for South Bend covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Thompson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Lawn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Park Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Resurrection Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Resurrection Cemetery
- The Resurrection Cemetery has also been known as:
- Resurrection Garden
- Garden of Angels Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Old Settlers Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Forest Park East Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Magnolia Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fairview Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Betheny Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dagg Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Paradise South Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (111 more) ...
- Paradise South Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Houston Memorial Gardens
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Houston Memorial Garden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
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 South Bend in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of South Bend.
These communities are listed based on their distance from South Bend, with the one closest to South Bend listed first.
- Genoa
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Genoa is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Red Bluff
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Red Bluff is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bluff
- Alvin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Harrisburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Harrisburg is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Magnolia Park
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Magnolia Park is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Park
- Dickinson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pierce Junction
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pierce Junction is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierce Junction
- Arcadia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Arcadia is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
- Arcola Junction
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Arcola Junction is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola Junction
- Houston
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Arcola
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Duke
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Duke is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duke
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Lynchburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lynchburg is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynchburg
- Liverpool
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Sandy Point
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sandy Point is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 238 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around South Bend. See our List of 1890's Communities around South Bend.
Newspapers Published in South Bend ...
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 5 newspapers that have been published in the area around South Bend.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of South Bend, there are papers which were published within 4 miles [6.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for South Bend.
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 helpful 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 Bend:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Harris County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Brazoria County
- Chambers County
- Fort Bend County
- Galveston 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 South Bend, 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- South Bend) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |