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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 Sunrise Beach (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 Sunrise Beach. 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 Sunrise Beach ...

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 Sunrise Beach: Sunrise Bch.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Sunrise Beach. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Sunrise Beach.

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 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.

Sunrise Beach is located in Pierce County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Pierce County: King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Thurston & Yakima.

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

  • Pierce County     (The home county of Sunrise Beach)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Beach, with the one closest to Sunrise Beach listed first.
    • Rosedale
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Rosedale is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosedale
    • Vaughn
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Vaughn is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughn
    • Wauna
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Wauna is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauna
    • Artondale
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Artondale is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artondale
    • Cromwell
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Cromwell is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
    • Home
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Home is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home
    • Gig Harbor
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Lakebay
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Fox Island
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Gertrude
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Gertrude is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gertrude
    • Meridian
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Meridian is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meridian
    • Herron Island
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Jefferson County
  • King County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Beach, with the one closest to Sunrise Beach listed first.
    • Tahlequah
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Tahlequah is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tahlequah
    • Magnolia Beach
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Magnolia Beach is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Beach
    • Vashon
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Buenna
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Buenna is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buenna
    • Vashon Heights
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Vashon Heights is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vashon Heights
    • Redondo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Redondo is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redondo
    • Des Moines
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Federal Way
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Milton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • North Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • North Hill is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hill
    • Normandy Park
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Seahurst
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Seahurst is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seahurst
  • Kitsap County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Beach, with the one closest to Sunrise Beach listed first.
    • Burley
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Olalla
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Bethel
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Gorst
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • East Port Orchard
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • East Port Orchard is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Port Orchard
    • Navy Yard City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Navy Yard City is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navy Yard City
    • Parkwood
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Parkwood is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood
    • Port Orchard
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Retsil
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Retsil is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retsil
    • South Park Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • South Colby
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • South Colby is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Colby
    • Southworth
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Southworth is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southworth
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Beach, with the one closest to Sunrise Beach listed first.
    • Grapeview
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Allyn
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Belfair
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bayshore
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Bayshore is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayshore
    • Tahuya
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Union ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Union is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Shelton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Lilliwaup
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Hoodsport
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Potlatch
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Skokomish
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Skokomish is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skokomish
    • New Kamilche
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • New Kamilche is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Kamilche
  • Thurston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunrise Beach, with the one closest to Sunrise Beach listed first.
    • Puget
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Puget is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget
    • Tanglewilde
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Tanglewilde is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanglewilde
    • Lacey
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Lacey is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,178 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lacey <1>
    • Nisqually Indian Community
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Olympia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Kellys Korner
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Kellys Korner is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellys Korner
    • Tumwater
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • East Olympia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • North Yelm
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • North Yelm is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Yelm
    • Yelm
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Yelm is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yelm
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,591 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Yelm <1>
    • Rainier
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Sunrise Beach ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sunrise Beach.

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 Sunrise Beach - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Rosedale Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Minter Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minter Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Minter Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the west of Wauna.
    • The Minter Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Elgin Cemetery
  • Cromwell Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell Cemetery
    • The Cromwell Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Hales Passage Cemetery
    • Hales Passage Scandinavian Lutheran Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2259125 <3>
  • Artondale Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Haven of Rest Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haven of Rest Cemetery
    • Former name for Haven of Rest Cemetery:
    • Perkins Cemetery
  • Vaughn Bay Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughn Bay Cemetery
    • The Vaughn Bay Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Bayview Cemetery
    • Niemann Family Cemetery
  • Lakebay Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Fox Island Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • German Lutheran Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for German Lutheran Cemetery
    • The German Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Lakebay German Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
    • Old German Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
  • Gig Harbor Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gig Harbor Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Gig Harbor Cemetery is located outside and to the north of Gig Harbor.
    • The Gig Harbor Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Cresent Valley Cemetery
  • Longbranch Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Hillcrest Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (88 more) ...
    • New Tacoma Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Anderson Island Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Ft. Steilacoom Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)

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.<4>

While we didn't find Sunrise Beach in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Sunrise Beach.

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

  • Rosedale
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Rosedale is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosedale
  • Minter
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Minter is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minter
  • Vaughn
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Vaughn is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughn
  • Artondale
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Artondale is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artondale
  • Lakebay
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Gig Harbor
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Purdy
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Purdy is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purdy
  • Fox Island
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Wollochet
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Wollochet is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wollochet
  • Meridian
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Meridian is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meridian
  • Allyn
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Longbranch
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Olalla
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Steilacoom
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Puget
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Puget is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget

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

Newspapers Published in Sunrise Beach ...

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 166 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sunrise Beach.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sunrise Beach, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sunrise Beach.

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 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 Sunrise Beach:

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>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 from Point A (ie- Sunrise Beach) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Sunrise Beach, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.