Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

Beyond knowing the name of the city or township where your ancestor lived, a good working knowledge of each location can be critical when it comes to knowing what records are available, where you can find them, why your ancestors made the choices they did. Mountains, lakes, rivers, and other natural hazards may have determined where your ancestor went to shop, worship, and take care of business. Maps and atlases give us a look at the lay of the land. Detailed maps may include other features like churches, cemeteries, government buildings, and in some cases even the names of property holders.

Gazetteers may include maps, but are primarily dictionaries of place names and contain descriptions of geographic features, transportation routes, and the economy of the area. They can also include historical information on seats of government, public institutions (e.g., prisons, schools, etc.), churches, and charitable institutions. Population statistics can give you a feel for the growth of an area and nativity.

• This category can be searched by place name, but don’t overlook searching for your ancestor by name. You may find occasional mentions of people and some places were named for prominent citizens.
• Many of the publication in this category are browsable. Use the browse links to scan the index and table of contents and get a feel for the types of details that are included in the publication.
• To get a better feel for the maps and gazetteers available for your ancestor’s area, visit the Card Catalog and use the filters to select Maps, Atlases, & Gazetteers, and below to filter down to your ancestor’s location.