How to find and use maps for historical and genealogy research.
The use of maps, gazetteers, atlases, and related resources provides the historian and genealogist with essential information about ancestors and points the direction of where to continue your research. For example, You are looking for vital records of a particular city. These records are usually kept in the county courthouse. Over time many counties have changed and subdivided, and in most cases, records have remained with the original courthouse. Maps can help you define what county your Ancestor lived in at a specific period. If the city were in multiple counties over time, you would gain clues of which courthouses to search, given the original courthouse does not have the records you seek.
Using Maps in History and Genealogy
Table of Contents
- Most Common Types of Maps
- Where Can the Historian Find Maps
- Which Maps Are Most Important for History and Genealogy
- Evaluating Maps for Historical and Genealogy Use
- Maps Before and After the Mid 1800s
- How to Use Maps in Your History Research
- Additional Articles on BeginMyStory.com
It also pays to study the area around that of your forebears. What was the region like? If a mountain, river, or other topographical feature between them and the county seat, they might have taken a more leisurely route and created records in the next county. This is also true of areas with differing regulations. In states with less stringent marriage laws, “marriage mills” sprung up. Lake County, Indiana, is a well-known example of this. Many couples from the Chicago area crossed the border into Indiana to get married.
Maps help you
- Locate villages, towns and cities where Ancestors lived.
- Discover how your Family lived: we’re born, resided, attended school, shopped, voted, traveled over land or water, courted, married
- Understand whether they lived in the mountains, plains, seashore, which helps to explain their lifestyles
- Find Clues as to where records might be located
- Gain insight into migration patterns
- Find Information on location name changes, boundary changes, and subdivisions (such as county changes).
- Learn about changes in political jurisdictions, county name changes, and city or town name changes.
- Help to distinguish between two individuals of the same name.
- You begin researching a new locality;
- Analyze your research when you stumble upon a brick wall.
- Locate possible locations/localities for further research.
- Learn the “lay of the land” by identifying streams, rivers, forests, deserts, etc.
Maps can also help you avoid
- Writing to the wrong courthouse.
- Ordering the wrong book.
- Researching the wrong census.
- Using the wrong finding aids.
- Ordering incorrect microfilm.
- Traveling to the wrong destination.
- Wasted time and energy.
Most Common Types of Maps
Also see the video: Strategies for Using Maps in Historical Research-Part 2
The following are some of the most common types of maps you will find in collections and online. Those highlighted with a (**) are the highest value to historians and genealogists:
1. Aeronautical Charts
Aeronautical Charts deal with flight. There are several different Aeronautical Charts in the Map & Imagery Library. These are JNC (Jet Navigation Charts), ONC (Operational Navigational Charts), WAC (World Aeronautical Charts), TPC (Tactical Pilot Charts), GNC (Global Navigation Charts), and Sectional Aeronautical/ VFR Terminal Area Charts. The purpose of JNCs is to provide charts suitable for long-range, high-altitude, high-speed navigation. The JNC includes topographic features in large cities, roads, railroads, drainage, relief, restricted areas, LIMF and VOR ranges, radio beacons, and a selection of standard broadcasting stations and aerodromes. The scale is 1:2,000,000. Relief is indicated by topographic lines, tints, and spot heights.
2. Aerial Photography
Photographs, generally black and white, were taken of an area from an aircraft. The aircraft has a “flight line,” which translates into a number. That number appears at the top of the Aerial Photograph. Other numbers at the top of the Aerial Photo are the photo’s date and the aerial photo number. How detailed the photograph is depends on the scale of the photo, which does vary. Common scales are 1:58,000, 1:40,000, and 1:20,000. Most Aerial Photography is produced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Aerial Photography is not the same as Tax Photo Aerials, primarily scale. Tax Photo Aerials scales are 1:100, 1:200, and 1:300 and are printed on either mylar or blueprint. Aerial Photos can be used to identify vegetation, soil type, historic structures, location, and more. Several different years of aerial Photography of the same area can record changes over time, such as water level fluctuations, land use, and urban growth.
3. Antique Maps
Antique maps in the Map and Imagery Library are original maps produced before 1926. These maps cover many areas of the world, including but not limited to Florida, the Holy Lands, Latin America, and Africa. The oldest antique map in the Map & Imagery Library is 1492. Antique maps are helpful when attempting to find locations that no longer exist or insight into what the mapmaker and his culture thought of the world around them.
4. **Atlases
Abound collection of tables, charts, plates, or maps on any subject. Atlases are not just about the physical and political characteristics of the earth. Atlases on wine, railroads, history, UFO sightings, and more.
5. Birdseye Views
Illustrated maps of towns or cities show an angled, almost overhead view of the city, buildings are drawn, and other features are illustrated. These maps date predominately from the last quarter of the 19th century.
6. Cartographic Curiosities
Cartographic odds and ends are unique in either appearance, application, or both.
7. **Census Maps
Define census enumeration districts. These maps are handy, almost necessary when searching census records in urban areas. Enumeration districts did not remain static from decade to decade, so be sure to find one for the period you are researching.
8. CD-ROM’s
Compact Disk Read-Only Memory.
9. **CIA Maps
Non-copyrighted, generalized maps of every country in the world. Produced by the Central Intelligence Agency. Most of the maps are 8 1/2 X 11 inches in size, though some larger copies are available. A minimum of two different maps are frequently available for the same region for each new set. One is a base map, showing the outline of the country, major cities, and major highways. The second map shows the relief of the region by shading. Special topics maps may also be published in the same area.
10. **City Directory Maps
City directories contain a street map detailing area streets and significant topographical features (i.e., railroads, rivers).
11. **County, Parish, & Province Maps
Such maps are highly detailed, showing features such as unnamed county roads, significant landmarks, and cemeteries, usually available from the county or other government offices.
12. Country Studies
Country Studies are an “area handbook series” covering many countries of the world. Each country is a separate volume. These reference books are prepared by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. Politics, economics, social structure, and national security systems and institutions cover topics covered. The authors seek to provide a basic understanding of the observed society. Particular attention is devoted to the people who make up society.
13. **County Highway Maps
A county-wide map shows all of the roads, except within city limits. The maps are compiled from USGS quadrangle maps, aerial Photography, road inventory surveys, and other maps. Railroads, lakes, and rivers are also depicted. Other Information is parks, boat ramps, post offices, schools, cemeteries, etc. Township, range and section information, along with longitude and latitude, is also given. Many of the cities and towns are further detailed on supplemental sheets. These sheets provide a street map of the area, along with the details listed above.
14. Facsimiles
Modern-day reproductions of an antique map.
15. FEMA Maps
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) produces FIRMs (Flood Insurance Rate Maps). Floodplain boundaries show the limits of the 100 and 500-year floodplains. FIRMs consider local hydrology, topography, precipitation, and flood protection measures when showing flood risks.
16. **Fire Insurance Maps. Used by insurance companies to determine the risk factors in underwriting a business or home, fire insurance maps can provide exciting details for many cities, towns, and neighborhoods, such as the outline of each building, the size, shape and construction materials, the function of the structures, and location of windows and doors. The maps also give street names, street and sidewalk, etc.
17. Flood Prone Maps. The areas designated on a Flood-Prone map have one chance of 100 being flooded in any year. Flood Prone is not put together by use of detailed surveys, and they are taken from Information on past floods. Flood Prone maps do not consider flood control measures, except where the effects of those measures have been evaluated.
18. **Land Maps, Surveys, & Plat Books
Land and property records provide a historical record of ownership and, as such, are usually meticulously maintained by governments. A land map or plat book from a county courthouse, town hall, or other government entity will usually provide details on a specific property location, property owners, neighbors, etc.
19. **Gazetteers
There are two main types of Gazetteers. The first type is a detailed roadmap/ travel guide. The Information included in these gazetteers is roads, topography, place name index, recreation areas, historic sites, attractions, trails, campgrounds, fishing, etc. Detailed street maps may be included for major cities. The second type of gazetteer associates geographic names with longitude and latitude. These gazetteers may also have another column of Information indicating whether the place named is a stream, reservoir, hill, cemetery, monastery, island, populated place, etc… References to a corresponding map may also be made. Gazetteers rarely have graphic/ map information in them, and they are almost exclusively text.
20. Geologic Maps
Geological maps can cover any one of many different topics. Generally show rivers, creeks, geologic rock formations and other substructural features, and diagrams of specific formations. Geological maps may cover oil and gas exploration, mineral deposits, bedrock, fault lines, erosion, volcanoes, and more. A very general description would be any map that deals with the history/ physical qualities of the earth.
21. Globes
3-D, round representation of the earth, or a similar subject (planets, stars).
22. ** Historical Maps
Generally, shows the same features as general maps but was done later than the period covered. It can be any map/ resource which depicts a past event or circumstance. These materials may not be “antique maps,” though they may show something hundreds of years in the past.
23. Land Use Maps
A map shows the land use, whether it be for urban development or wildlife preservation.
24. **Land and Plat Maps
Often found at the county courthouse or local historical society, detailed maps indicate owners of land parcels. Other Information that might be included on these maps is the number of acres owned by each landholder, land use, crops grown, and the location of essential structures. These maps help place your Ancestor in a particular location at a particular time.
25. **Literary Maps
A map that is based upon a book or many books. The places or events depicted may not be accurate.
26. **Maps Accompanying Books
Any map in the Map & Imagery Library that has an accompanying book. Map and books are kept in separate areas because they are stored differently, though they have the same call number. Maps Accompanying Books are the same as any other map, except for the additional text, and are kept separate from other maps.
27. **Migration Maps
Show us where our Ancestors might have gone and how they got there. Early migration trails were well-traveled routes through the harsh country.
28. National Forest Service Maps
National Forest Service maps show the area covered by a particular National Forest. It also gives Information on recreation facilities, camping areas, trails, roads, restrictions, etc… There may also be extensive text information/ instructions on the back of the map. Township, range, section, longitude and latitude, and park location within the State are also given by National Forest Service Maps.
29. National Park Service Maps
National Park Service maps show the area covered by a particular National Park. Other Information may be added to the base map, such as recreation facilities or trails. Text information is generally given as well.
30. National Wetlands Inventory
National Wetlands Inventory maps are blueprint maps drawn at a 1:24,000 scale. They have topographic lines, just like the USGS topographic maps. National Wetlands Inventory maps show wetlands identified by aerial Photography based on vegetation, visible hydrology, and geography in accordance with Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States (FWS/0Bs 79/31 December 1979). Information on the system and subsystem classification of wetlands is also available on the maps.
31. Nautical Charts
Detailed maps of bays and other coastal bodies of water, generally done by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. In addition to water features include islands, points, jetties, shoals, reefs, buoys, shipwrecks, submerged pipes and other items, bridges, dikes, pilings, soundings, canals political boundaries, highways, and railroads. Navigational Information is usually provided.
32. Oil and Gas Maps
Focus on oil and gas features, such as wells, fields, or pipelines. Often these maps are layouts or plans of a particular field, and water features and political boundaries are usually included.
33. **Ownership Maps
Show boundaries of landowners, generally overlaid on a survey map. Political boundaries and water features are often included.
34. Panoramic Maps
Many were created between 1847 and 1920, showing a bird’s eye view of streets and individual buildings. While not drawn to scale, these maps provide a valuable reference to the community as a whole. Buildings and other features are drawn on the maps, and a legend will often indicate the occupancy of more significant, more prominent buildings.
35. Political Maps
They are commonly found in commercial atlases, and they indicate the location of cities, towns, and counties. The boundaries of these jurisdictions may or may not be indicated. Physical features, such as rivers and lakes, are often shown, showing currently existing roads and highways. These maps are easy to use and are typically accompanied by an index. Maps answer the question “Where is …?” Political maps show us how to get there.
36. Plans
Show the layout (location of buildings, streets, artillery, troops, etc.) of an area, usually a mission, fort, military base, or battlefield. There are a few plans for some smaller cities or larger cities.
37. **Plats
Show the layout of cities or towns, generally showing streets, lots, blocks, alleys, perhaps a few public and private buildings, and date through the early 20th century, predominately pre 1900. Later maps show streets and public areas, but not lots and blocks are street maps.
38. Railroad Maps
Focus predominately on railroads and railroad systems, showing water features and political boundaries. After 1850, most general maps show railroads. In addition to maps providing large-scale railroads, maps focusing on routes of particular railroad lines are also present.
39. Satellite Maps
Available at <maps.google.com>, these maps give a bird’ eye view of most addresses in the United States. Scan the area to see what’s nearby, such as churches, cemeteries, and neighboring communities.
40. **The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
They were created to help insurance companies establish premiums. They are detailed street-level maps and may indicate building materials, dwelling use, street widths, address and lot lines, building height, and the number of stories. The Sanborn Company mapped more than 12,000 American cities and towns between 1867-1961.
41. State Highway Maps
Show roads, highways, water features, counties, cities, towns, and often show State and national parks and forests, wildlife refuges and other preserves. Maps created by the State Highway Department generally show more detail than commercial publishers.
42. Soil Maps
Show water features, political boundaries, ranches, roads, highways, railroads, and types of soils. Some maps will also show outlying buildings, mines, etc.
43. **Street Maps
Generally show streets, roads and highways, railroads, water features, parks and other recreational facilities, cemeteries, and subdivisions. Other features are public buildings, schools and universities, bus or trolley lines, military bases, and airports. The Highway Department’s city supplements to the county highway maps generally show more detail within and without the city than do maps by commercial publishers.
44. Survey Maps
Focus on the original land grants awarded by the Mexican and Texas governments, generally done by the General Land Office. Water features, political boundaries, and railroads are usually also shown.
45. **Topographic Maps
Focus on a region’s surface features and are usually done by the U.S. Geologic Survey. Features include swamps, marshes, canyons, mountains, contour lines, elevations, water features, political boundaries, roads, railroads, and outlying buildings. Based on land descriptions and geographical features, the topographic map can help suggest settlement and migration patterns and locate cemeteries, buildings, or your Ancestor’s property. Some maps show the features with colors and shading indicating how high or steep the terrain is. Cities and towns are often identified, but roads are often omitted. Topographic, or physical, maps are most valuable when identifying migration trails because they show us the lay of the land.
Where Can the Historian Find Maps
Maps are usually found as more extensive collections containing hundreds of maps and references, and many of these collections represent a portion of their collections online. And don’t local public library will have atlases, gazetteers, local directories, and other sources that pertain to locales of interest. Most local librarians can help you gain access to the rich holdings of the U.S. Geological Survey, National Archives, Library of Congress, and international sources of maps and other resources needed by historians and genealogists.
Using one of the customizable map services online, you can bring up a map of the ancestral hometown and indicate where each Family member lived, which houses or cities they moved to over a period of time, where significant events took place, the pattern of their migration, and so on. Once you modify a map, you can save the image, print it, and then move on to the following location! It’s a great way to document where Ancestors lived and how the Family moved around the city, state, or country.
Which Maps Are Most Important for History and Genealogy
For example, topographic and other relief maps may show hills or mountains that impede migration or access to certain areas. Rivers bridged now may not have been bridged when your Family lived nearby. However, a river can aid migratory travel, sometimes because it is easier to travel on the water than through dense forests and undergrowth. It is even possible that your Ancestors traveled by waterway to market attended church or school, or pursued a host of other interests. Yet, crossing a river could be difficult for a person not prepared for such a venture. A migration map might have the answer. Two good resources to get you started on your search: Map Guide to American Migration Routes by William Dollarhide. Atlas of American Migration by Stephen A. Flanders.
Looking for: Ancestors in nearby cities
Start your search by using: County, State, or country-level maps
Maps covering larger areas may suggest various kinds of trade, employment, social, recreational, or other interactions among the peoples of neighboring towns, settlements or other locales. Analyzing such maps may expand the scope of research beyond the nearby county, State, provincial, or national boundaries.
Looking for: Census district of Ancestor
Start your search by using: Census and city directory Maps
Define census enumeration districts. These maps are handy, almost necessary when searching census records in urban areas. Enumeration districts did not remain static from decade to decade, so be sure to find one for the period you are researching. City directories are often used as an alternative to census records; many city directories contain a street map detailing area streets and significant topographical features (i.e., railroads, rivers). Comparing the map from a city directory with a present-day map can reveal streets that no longer exist or have undergone name changes.
Evaluating Maps for Historical and Genealogy Use
Just as you carefully evaluate documents and their use in your history and genealogical research, maps also require careful evaluation. The following are a few criteria to consider as you choose which maps to use.
- Pay close attention to the title of the map. Some are very detailed and descriptive.
- Compare the date the map represents and the date it was created. Maps created close to the period they represent are often more reliable.
- Look for the legend and explain the symbols and colors used on the map. Map symbols show us landforms, water features, structures, vegetation, travel routes, cemeteries, etc., and are often color-coded.
- Look to see the map scale. Scale determines the distance an inch represents, and some maps are not drawn to scale. Each of these facts will determine how you interpret the map.
- Does the map have coordinate systems (a grid, often coded alphanumerically, with horizontal and vertical lines dissecting the map)? This grid is helpful when using a map index to locate specific features on the map.
- Understand the orientation of the map. North is not always up, particularly with early maps. If a compass is not provided on the map, you may determine the map’s orientation by comparing the features to other area maps.
Should you use printed or online maps? Both. Maps are online, providing varying degrees of value. Those that allow you to zoom in and out are by far the most helpful. Many of the larger scale maps have loose much of their value because you cannot zoom in on the detail, but if it fits your needs, chances are you will be able to purchase the map online. Where possible, print out the maps you find that are of value in your research so you will have them as a reference. Note: Record where you found the map to return if needed or provide references in your research.
Maps of Scale in Centimeters and Inches
One of the first numbers you will see about maps is known as “scales” such as 1:25,000, 1:50,000, 1:100,000 and so on.
For example, you see a map that is 1:25,000:
- 1 refers to one unit, which can be in inches or centimeters
- 25,000 refers to unites of ground
- 1:25,000 when combined means 1 unit of the map covers 25,000 units on the ground.
Taking that a step further using the example of 1:25,000 using the measurement of inches:
- One inch on a 1:25,000 map=2,073 feet or two-fifths of a mile.
- A mile=5,280 feet
- 2 ½ inches=1 mile
- If the map is 18 inches across, then the map covers about 7 miles.
Best maps of scale for historical and genealogy research are as follows:
- Best for viewing immediate neighborhoods and the proximity of an Ancestors home to churches, places of employment, etc.
- 1:20,000
- 1:24,000
- 1:25,000
- 1:50,000
- 1:62,500
- 1:63,360
- Best for picking up locations of small villages. When you move beyond this scale, you begin to lose villages.
- 1:100,000
- 1:125,000
- Best for helping see the total area in which Ancestors lived and probable routes for migration, nearest ports, etc.
- 1:250,000
- 1:500,000
Maps Before and After the Mid 1800s
As a historical researcher, be aware that most of these early maps before the mid-1800s were done by private individuals or companies. Many of these maps were specific to land ownership. There were individuals, canvassers, who would walk each county’s roads and measure the distances with a handheld wheel. The maps showed all of the owners, or residents’ names, with their residences marked and various types of businesses, schools, churches, and sometimes cemeteries along each route. These maps were made for commercial purposes and not usually funded by any governmental decree, or I have found at least not. These maps rarely have topographical features, but that can benefit you if you find a village with a minimum of distractions. Many of these maps do not show the period they represent. To pick up the topographical features, you can use regular topographical maps.
Late 17th through Late 19th Century General Maps
Typically include water features and political boundaries, such as rivers, territories, states, counties, cities, and towns. The most common subjects found on these maps are routes and trails, Indian tribes and villages, forts, camps, railroads, battlegrounds, and mines. Earlier maps also show missions, presidios, and colonies.
During the mid-1800’s national mapping programs began throughout the world. These were the first topographical maps that were comprehensive, with a scale that showed most communities. These maps were the basis for much of what has come since. Most of these maps are available in various scales, from 1:25,000 to 1:200,000. They show topographical features, towns, settlements, all kinds of things that will help you determine what life was like back then.
These efforts resulted in large county wall maps printed on paper, individually hand-colored with different inks to delineate the various town or other civil boundaries. Then they were usually backed with canvas to allow for rolling them up on a wooden roll like a window blind roll or being hung on the wall for display and examination. The early series usually started in the 1850s or so (with some rare exceptions back into the 18th century) and were usually published into the early 20th century. The customers for the maps at the time would have been Insurance Companies, Salesmen, Libraries, Local Government Offices, or even individuals.
Late 19th Century through Present Day General Maps
Show the usual water features and political boundaries. The most common subjects found are roads, railroads, and later, replacing railroads, highways. Later maps may also show parks and other recreational facilities.
How to Use Maps in Your History Research
In addition to photographs, you can effectively use a wide variety of artifacts to help expand and bring meaning to your writings. For example:
- Use maps to show current boundaries for counties, states, or other areas and the boundaries that existed when your Family lived there. Use a map to show the migration path of your Ancestors. Use different styles of lines and a legend to show historical and current boundaries and routes of migration.
- When using photocopies of actual historic Family documents, include a typed translation.
- The use of documents and maps usually fits into the same grid format for your photographs.
- In addition to historical documents, consider drawing or handwritten stories by some of the youngest generation, newspaper clippings or notations about current activities of living Family members.
- Add a few blank or lined pages for future Family members to make additional notes as the Family grows.
- Scanned signatures (taken from wills, letters, etc.) placed next to photographs can be an excellent addition.
Any works published more than 75 years ago are no longer covered by copyright so you can use the pictures, but you should give credit. When using maps, illustrations and other material not your own, be aware of the copyright rules.
Additional Articles on BeginMyStory.com
The following are other articles you may enjoy to help you trace your ancestry.
- QuickStart Beginners Guide to Ancestry Research
- Introduction to Ancestry Research and Historical Records
- 4 Easy Steps to Google American Ancestry
- Preparing to Easily Google Ancestor Records
- How to Get Great Google Search Results in Ancestry Research
- 9 Advanced Google Search Strategies to Trace Ancestors
- What It’s Like to Start Ancestry Research
Sources for this article include:
https://www.tsl.texas.gov/arc/maps/indexesandtypes
https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/70039224/report.pdf
https://wiki.geni.com/index.php/Mapping_Ancestors
https://libguides.mit.edu/maps/sanborn
