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 West Milwaukee (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 West Milwaukee. 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 West Milwaukee ...
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 West Milwaukee: W. Milwaukee
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 hospitals 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.
West Milwaukee is located in Milwaukee County.
To see how the shape of Wisconsin's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Milwaukee County: Ozaukee, Racine, Washington & Waukesha.
Below are the counties that are near West Milwaukee. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Milwaukee:
- Milwaukee County (The home county of West Milwaukee)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Milwaukee, with the one closest to West Milwaukee listed first.
- West Allis
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- West Allis is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Allis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 59,748 people
- Milwaukee
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Milwaukee is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milwaukee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 589,067 people
- Wauwatosa
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wauwatosa is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauwatosa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 48,084 people
- Greenfield
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Greenfield is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 37,183 people
- Greendale
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Greendale is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greendale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,127 people
- Shorewood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Shorewood is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shorewood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,117 people
- Saint Francis
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Francis is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Francis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,725 people
- Hales Corners
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hales Corners is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hales Corners
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,553 people
- Whitefish Bay
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Whitefish Bay is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitefish Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,770 people
- Cudahy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cudahy is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cudahy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,077 people
- Glendale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Glendale is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,775 people
- Franklin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Franklin is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 35,925 people
- Saint Martins
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Martins is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Martins
- Dodge County
- Ashippun
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ashippun is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashippun
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Milwaukee, with the one closest to West Milwaukee listed first.
- Lac La Belle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lac La Belle is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lac La Belle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 302 people
- Lake Lac La Belle
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lake Lac La Belle is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Lac La Belle
- Kenosha County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Milwaukee, with the one closest to West Milwaukee listed first.
- Somers
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Somers is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
- Brighton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Brighton is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
- Paris
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Paris is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
- Kenosha
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Kenosha is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenosha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 99,570 people
- Ozaukee County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Milwaukee, with the one closest to West Milwaukee listed first.
- Mequon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Mequon is located in Ozaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mequon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,765 people
- Freistadt
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Freistadt is located in Ozaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freistadt
- Thiensville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Thiensville is located in Ozaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thiensville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,116 people
- Cedarburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cedarburg is located in Ozaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,783 people
- Grafton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Grafton is located in Ozaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grafton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,758 people
- Ulao
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Ulao is located in Ozaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ulao
- Horns Corners
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Horns Corners is located in Ozaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horns Corners
- Saukville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Saukville is located in Ozaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saukville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,437 people
- Port Washington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Port Washington is located in Ozaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Washington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,066 people
- Racine County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Milwaukee, with the one closest to West Milwaukee listed first.
- Kneeland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Kneeland is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kneeland
- Caledonia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Caledonia is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 25,235 people
- Raymond
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Raymond is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
- Wind Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wind Lake is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wind Lake
- Franksville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Franksville is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franksville
- Yorkville
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Yorkville is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Wind Point
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Wind Point is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wind Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,685 people
- North Bay
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- North Bay is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 233 people
- Caldwell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Caldwell is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caldwell
- Mount Pleasant
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27,048 people
- Racine
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Racine is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Racine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 76,237 people
- Waterford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Waterford is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,618 people
- Eagle Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Eagle Lake is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Lake
- Walworth County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Milwaukee, with the one closest to West Milwaukee listed first.
- Lake Beulah
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Beulah is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Beulah
- Potter Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Potter Lake is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter Lake
- East Troy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- East Troy is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Troy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,307 people
- Troy Center
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Troy Center is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy Center
- Voree ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Voree is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voree
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Milwaukee, with the one closest to West Milwaukee listed first.
- Germantown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Germantown is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Germantown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 20,057 people
- Rockfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Rockfield is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockfield
- Lake Five
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Five is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Five
- Richfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Richfield is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richfield
- Estimated population in 2015: 11,530 people
- Rugby Junction
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rugby Junction is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rugby Junction
- Jackson
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Jackson is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,256 people
- Cedar Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Creek is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Thompson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Thompson is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
- Slinger
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Slinger is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slinger
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,704 people
- Myra
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Myra is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myra
- Cedar Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Lake is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
- Newburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Newburg is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,209 people
- Hartford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hartford is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,675 people
- Waukesha County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Milwaukee, with the one closest to West Milwaukee listed first.
- Elm Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Elm Grove is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,137 people
- Calhoun
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Calhoun is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun
- New Berlin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- New Berlin is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Berlin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39,812 people
- Brookfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Brookfield is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39,164 people
- Butler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Butler is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,795 people
- Tess Corners
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Tess Corners is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tess Corners
- Prospect
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Prospect is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
- Fussville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fussville is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fussville
- Durham
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Durham is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
- Muskego
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Muskego is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muskego
- Population from the 2020 Census: 25,317 people
- Lannon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lannon is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lannon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,284 people
- Menomonee Falls
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Menomonee Falls is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menomonee Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 38,243 people
- Waukesha
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Waukesha is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waukesha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72,376 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Milwaukee, see our County-by-County Page for West Milwaukee.
Cemeteries Near West Milwaukee ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Milwaukee.
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 West Milwaukee - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Milwaukee covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Milwaukee, with the one closest to West Milwaukee listed first.
- Pilgrims Rest Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Forest Home Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Wood National Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Beth Hamedrosh Hagodel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Spring Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Anshai Lebowitz Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Fairview Mausoleum Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Second Home Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Arlington Park Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Continue List (199 more) ...
- Honey Creek Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Ever - Rest Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lavise Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
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.<2>
While we didn't find West Milwaukee in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Milwaukee.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Milwaukee, with the one closest to West Milwaukee listed first.
- Milwaukee
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Milwaukee is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milwaukee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 589,067 people
- Elm Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Elm Grove is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,137 people
- Hales Corners
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hales Corners is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hales Corners
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,553 people
- Saint Francis
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Francis is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Francis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,725 people
- New Berlin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- New Berlin is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Berlin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39,812 people
- Whitefish Bay
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Whitefish Bay is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitefish Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,770 people
- Calhoun
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Calhoun is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun
- Tess Corners
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Tess Corners is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tess Corners
- Saint Martins
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Martins is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Martins
- South Milwaukee
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- South Milwaukee is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Milwaukee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 20,673 people
- Brookfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Brookfield is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39,164 people
- West Granville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- West Granville is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Granville
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Prospect
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Prospect is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
- Oakwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Oakwood is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Oak Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Creek is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 36,469 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Milwaukee. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Milwaukee.
Newspapers Published in West Milwaukee ...
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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Milwaukee.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Milwaukee, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Milwaukee.
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 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 West Milwaukee:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Milwaukee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dodge County
- Jefferson County
- Kenosha County
- Ozaukee County
- Racine County
- Walworth County
- Washington County
- Waukesha County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Wisconsin
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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. |
| <2> | 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 West Milwaukee, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- West Milwaukee) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |