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 Westwood Village (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 Westwood Village. 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 Westwood Village ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Westwood Village: Westwood Vlg. (in Canada, 'Vlge.' is the more common abbreviation.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Westwood Village. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Westwood Village.
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 northwest 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 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.
Westwood Village is located in Brazoria 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 Brazoria County: Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Matagorda & Wharton.
Below are the counties that are near Westwood Village. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Westwood Village:
- Brazoria County (The home county of Westwood Village)
- The following are listed by their distance from Westwood Village, with the one closest to Westwood Village listed first.
- Pearland
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- West Oaks Village
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- West Oaks Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Oaks Village
- Woodcreek
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Woodcreek is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodcreek
- Brookside Village
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Fairway Village
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Fairway Village is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway Village
- Manvel
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Alvin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Iowa Colony
(9 miles [14.5 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
- Hillcrest
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hillcrest is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest
- Population from the 2020 Census: 706 people
- Sandy Point
(15 miles [24.1 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
- Liverpool
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Rosharon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bonney
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bonney is located in Brazoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonney
- Population from the 2020 Census: 380 people
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westwood Village, with the one closest to Westwood Village listed first.
- Seabrook
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Shoreacres
(17 miles [27.4 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
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Beach City
(30 miles [48.3 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
- Fort Bend County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westwood Village, with the one closest to Westwood Village listed first.
- Fresno
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Arcola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Hawdon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hawdon is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawdon
- Hawdon has also been known as:
- Hawdon Junction
- Juliff
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Juliff is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juliff
- Sienna Plantation
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Sienna Plantation is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sienna Plantation
- Missouri City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Trammels
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Trammels is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trammels
- Dewalt
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Dewalt is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewalt
- Missouri City Estates
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Missouri City Estates is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missouri City Estates
- Fifth Street
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Fifth Street is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fifth Street
- Stafford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Meadows Place
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Meadows Place is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows Place
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,813 people
- First Colony
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- First Colony is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for First Colony
- Galveston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westwood Village, with the one closest to Westwood Village listed first.
- Quaker Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Quaker Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Village
- Carmel Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Carmel Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmel Village
- Friendswood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Parkwood Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Parkwood Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood Village
- League City
(12 miles [19.3 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
- Clear Lake Shores
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Dickinson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- South Shore Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- South Shore Village is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Shore Village
- Santa Fe
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Kemah
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bacliff
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Hitchcock
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Harris County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westwood Village, with the one closest to Westwood Village listed first.
- Baybrook Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Baybrook Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baybrook Village
- Genoa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Genoa is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Canterbury Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Canterbury Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canterbury Village
- Glenbrook Valley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Glenbrook Valley is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenbrook Valley
- Parkland Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Parkland Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland Village
- South Houston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Clear Lake City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Webster
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Meadow Creek Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Meadow Creek Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Creek Village
- Park Place
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Park Place is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Place
- Pasadena
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Post Oak Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Post Oak Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Oak Village
- Cambridge Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cambridge Village is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Westwood Village, see our County-by-County Page for Westwood Village.
Cemeteries Near Westwood Village ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Westwood Village.
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 Westwood Village - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Westwood Village covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Westwood Village, with the one closest to Westwood Village listed first.
- Old Settlers Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Garden of Angels Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Resurrection Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Resurrection Cemetery
- The Resurrection Cemetery has also been known as:
- Resurrection Garden
- South Park Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Paradise South Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Paradise South Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Houston Memorial Garden
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Manvel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Dagg Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Houston Memorial Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Lawn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Thompson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (109 more) ...
- Beth Jacob Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Booth Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Confederate Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confederate Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Confederate Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Alvin.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1320359 <2>
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 Westwood Village in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Westwood Village.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Westwood Village, with the one closest to Westwood Village listed first.
- Alvin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Genoa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Genoa is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Arcola Junction
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Arcola Junction is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola Junction
- Arcola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Duke
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Duke is located in Fort Bend County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duke
- Pierce Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pierce Junction is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierce Junction
- Harrisburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Harrisburg is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
- Red Bluff
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Red Bluff is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bluff
- Magnolia Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Magnolia Park is located in Harris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Park
- Arcadia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Arcadia is located in Galveston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
- Sandy Point
(15 miles [24.1 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
- Houston
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Dickinson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Liverpool
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Stafford
(16 miles [25.7 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 Westwood Village. See our List of 1890's Communities around Westwood Village.
Newspapers Published in Westwood Village ...
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 Westwood Village.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Westwood Village, there are papers which were published within 8 miles [12.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Westwood Village.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Westwood Village:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Brazoria County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chambers County
- Fort Bend County
- Galveston County
- Harris 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 Westwood Village, 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' (or 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- Westwood Village) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |