DON'S MAPS PAGE

©2012 by Donald R. Snow

This page was lasted updated 2012-11-21 and is referred to on Don's Maps Class Notes .  Return to the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group Home Page , or Don's Class Listings Page , or Don's Maps Class Notes page.

    INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF MAPS IN FAMILY HISTORY

  1. These notes are by Donald R. Snow -- snowd@math.byu.edu -- of Provo and St. George, Utah and are posted online at  http://uvtagg.org/classes/dons/dons-classes.html .
  2. Maps give a visual representation of lots of information in compact form -- e.g. locations, distances, relationships of places, geographical features
  3. Example of a good teaching map video -- http://www.animatedatlas.com/movie2.html -- 10-minute animated map of Growth of the US, shows how helpful maps can be to understanding
  4. Kinds of maps -- teaching maps, road, topological (contours or level lines at given heights show hills and valleys - contours close together = steep, contours further apart = flatter), land and property, railroad, fire insurance, migration, historical, county maps (boundaries and changes), cemetery, surname distribution, relief maps (3D models in plastic, etc.), aerial, and "bird's eye view" (aerial at a slant to see the geographic features more easily)
  5. Several types of projections, including Mercator, are used to represent earth's curved surface on a flat plane.

    6. ARTICLES AND LINKS ABOUT MAPS IN GENEALOGY

  6. FamilySearch -- http://www.familysearch.org
    1. Click on Learn (FamilySearch Wiki) -- Search for "maps" (without the quotes) to get 27,000 articles; "london maps" gives 1300
    2. Click on Family History Library Catalog -- Keyword search for "london maps" (without the quotes) gives 3,000 hits
    3. To find everything FamilySearch has about Utah maps search for "utah maps site:www.familysearch.org" (without the quotes) in http://www.google.com/ -- gives 1000 hits
    4. 30-minute video about maps in FH -- http://broadcast.lds.org/elearning/FHD/Community/Mid_Continent_Library/Finding_Your_Way__Locating_and_Using_Maps_in_Your_/Player.html
  7. Linkpendium -- http://linkpendium.com -- major source of links to maps, gazetteers, and much more; search by state, county, and general search through all states
  8. Cyndi's List (new format Jun 2011)-- http://cyndislist.com/ > Maps, Gazetteers, and Geographical Information -- or directly at http://www.cyndislist.com/maps.htm
  9. About.com article with lots of links -- http://geography.about.com/od/findmaps/u/maps.htm#s
  10. Linda Haas Davenport's article Taking the Mystery Out of Land Records
  11. Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter article on Map Your Ancestors on a Google Map -- http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2007/07/map-your-ancest.html
  12. Map Your Ancestors -- http://www.mapyourancestors.com/ -- links with your family tree on FamilySearch -- free to register, but that gives them rights to your information
  13. Maps in The National Archives (UK) -- http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=304
  14. Using Maps In Genealogy -- http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs09902.html -- US Geological Survey
  15. Ancestry's Learning Center (free at home) has many articles about maps -- http://www.ancestry.com/ > Learning Center > Article Archives > search for "maps" (without the quotes)
  16. Ken Jennings about some Amazing Maps -- http://onpoint.wbur.org/2011/09/28/amazing-maps
  17. For particular locations can do searches for "utah +map" on http://www.google.com , http://mocavo.com/ , and other search engines -- "+map" tells Google you require results containing the word "map"

    18. GAZETTEERS AND WEBSITES

  18. "Gazetteer" means book or website describing locations and their history and geography in words, not maps
  19. For gazetteers of a particular country, England for example, search for "gazetteer online england" (without the quotes) in https://familysearch.org/learn (FamilySearch Wiki) , http://www.google.com , http://mocavo.com/ , and other search engines
  20. Getty Museum Thesaurus -- http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/tgn/ -- very helpful online gazetteer
  21. US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) -- http://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/index.html
  22. Maplandia -- http://www.maplandia.com/ -- Searchable world gazetteer based on Google Maps
  23. Truckers Report Guide to Maps and Mapping -- http://www.thetruckersreport.com/the-guide-to-maps-and-mapping/
  24. Duke University Maps and Gazetteers -- http://library.duke.edu/research/subject/guides/maps/gazetteers.html
  25. List of all place names used in US Censuses 1990, 2000, and 2010 -- http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html -- can download the entire list, if desired
  26. Gazetteers of the UK
    1. Gazetteer of British Place Names -- http://www.gazetteer.co.uk/
    2. Links to British Gazetteers on GENUKI -- http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Gazetteers.html
    3. Ordnance Survey Gazetteer of Great Britain -- http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/freefun/didyouknow/
    4. Samuel Lewis' Topographical Dictionary (Gazetteer) of England of 1848 (4 vols) -- http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=445
    5. Samuel Lewis' Topographical Dictionary (Gazetteer) of Wales of 1849 (2 vols) -- http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=371
    6. Samuel Lewis' Topographical Dictionary (Gazetteer) of Scotland of 1846 (2 vols) -- http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=308
    7. Samuel Lewis' Topographical Dictionary (Gazetteer) of Ireland of 1837 (2 vols) -- http://www.libraryireland.com/topog/
    8. Cassell's Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland on http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/indexinfo.aspx?ix=qcd14_ireindexmaps
    9. Curious Fox Gazetteer and queries on all villages in the UK and Ireland -- http://www.curiousfox.org.uk/
    10. Great Britain Gazetteer -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Vision_of_Britain_through_Time#A_Vision_of_Britain_through_Time
    11. Phillimore's Atlas of Parish Registers (UK) -- see http://globalgenealogy.com/countries/england/general/360001.htm ($$$) -- 3rd Edition is out now - book is very helpful, expensive, and NOT online.

    MAP TECHNOLOGY

  27. GPS's (Global Positioning Systems) -- devices to help you find and keep track of locations, e.g. cemetery plots, so you or someone else can find them later -- if you buy one, be sure it has capability of updating maps
  28. Some digital cameras now have GPS's built in so the geographic coordinates are recorded with the photo

    29. GOOGLE MAPS

  29. http://maps.google.com/ or http://www.google.com > Maps (upper left side)
  30. Move the map by clicking and dragging; zoom in or out by (1) slider, (2) double clicking, or (3) rolling mouse wheel; toggle between map, satellite view, and earth view (upper right side)
  31. Your Virtual Turnpike -- http://www.vpike.com/ -- type in an address and it goes there immediately and shows you the map and street view
  32. Making a Google map on My Maps
    1. Log in with your free Google account, e.g. when you got a gmail address
    2. Click on Maps > My Places -- lists the maps you have created and there is a button to create a new one
    3. To follow the Interactive Tutorial click on it > then on Start Mapping and follow the directions; be sure to save each location to the map you are creating
    4. Can make your map public so everyone can see it or unlisted so only the people who know the URL can see it -- to  get the URL click on "Link" [upper right hand corner of the panel]
    5. Examples of maps you can make: chronology map of yours or an ancestor's life, where they lived, important events, travels, where groups of your ancestors lived, FH trips 
  33. Examples of Google maps that Snows have created 
    1. Timeline map of Ann Stafford Snow Condie's life -- Click here
    2. Helpful locations near the London Family History Centre at Hyde Park Chapel -- Click here
    3. Places Don and Diane have lived -- this one is Unlisted so it's not available to the public
  34. Making animated Google maps and videos for free -- http://www.animaps.com/#!home
  35. Easy Google Maps Downloader -- http://downloads.zdnet.com/search.aspx?kw=Easy+Google+Maps+Downloader+++%28Windows%29&tag=nl.e530 -- allows you to download tiles of Google Maps and put them together
  36. Google Maps Without Scripting - http://googlemapsapi.blogspot.com/2008/02/google-maps-without-scripting.html
  37. Google Earth -- http://earth.google.com/ -- free download and very powerful
  38. Tips on using Google Earth - create your own maps -- http://www.pcworld.com/article/249634/google_earth_power_tips_and_tricks.html#tk.nl_pvx_h_crawl 
  39. Google Earth Sightseer Newsletter -- http://www.google.com/earth/connect/newsletter/mar12.html
  40. Satellite Sightseer -- http://www.satellite-sightseer.com/ -- various country maps using Google Earth

    41. BING MAPS (Microsoft) -- http://www.bing.com/maps/

  41. Much like Google maps -- can zoom in by rolling the mouse wheel, double clicking, of clicking on the + or - -- can also drag the map around to move it the way you want it -- also have driving directions, find businesses nearby, etc.
  42. Microsoft's Research Maps (formerly Microsoft TerraServer) -- http://msrmaps.com/ -- aerial maps and free online topo maps from USGS -- for details see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Research_Maps
  43. USAPhotoMaps free program -- http://jdmcox.com/ -- downloadable aerial and photo maps from Microsoft's free Research Maps website

    44. SOME ROAD MAPPING WEBSITES

  44. MapQuest - http://www.mapquest.com/ -- zoom in and out, gives driving directions, etc.
  45. OpenStreet Maps -- http://www.openstreetmap.org/ -- worldwide OpenSource maps and wiki, but has no aerial views
  46. Via Michelin -- http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/int/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm
  47. NAVTEQ - http://www.us.map24.com/
  48. WikiMapia -- http://wikimapia.org/ -- editable maps that you can correct, view in various forms, overlay various items, e.g. restaurants or interesting things to see
  49. Route Planner -- http://www.drivingrouteplanner.com ‑‑ you enter start and finish locations and stops in between and it computes and shows Google map of the shortest route, quickest route, or just the order in which you entered the stops

    50. MAPPING TOOLS -- ($$$ means it costs money)

  50. FastStone Capture -- excellent freeware screen capture program to copy parts or all of screen, or even an entire scrolling window (scrolling capture works with Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Safari, but not with Firefox nor Opera) -- Version 5.3 was the last freeware version (later versions are shareware) and is available from http://www.oldapps.com/fast_stone_capture.php
  51. National Geographic Interactive Map Maker -- http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/mapping/interactive-map/?ar_a=1
  52. Top 10 Online Mapping Tools -- http://blog.hotelclub.com/top-10-online-mapping-tools/
  53. Parish Locater For Windows for the UK --http://web.onetel.net.uk/~gdlawson/parfind.htm -- free download and install, has 25,000 parishes, their counties, and when records began in that parish
  54. PARLOC 2.6 -- http://parloc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ParLocDL.html -- free download and install, has 15,000 parishes and counties, will draw map of surrounding parishes within distance you set
  55. Satellite Photo Images and latitude and longitude -- http://www.satsig.net/maps/satellite-photo-image-viewer.htm
  56. Deed mapper program ($$$) -- sold by Direct Line Software -- http://www.DirectLineSoftware.com
  57. AniMap (Animated Map) of US ($$$) -- sold by The Gold Bug Company -- http://www.goldbug.com/ -- also has Site Finder Online which is free
  58. Family Atlas ($$$)-- http://www.rootsmagic.com
  59. Surname mapping program for the UK ($$$) -- http://www.archersoftware.co.uk/genmap01.htm
  60. PitneyBowes MapInfo ($$$) -- http://www.pbinsight.com/welcome/mapinfo/

    61. WORLDWIDE MAP COLLECTIONS

  61. David Rumsey Map Collection -- http://www.davidrumsey.com -- large collection of historical maps, being added to constantly
  62. Perry-Castaneda Map Collection at U of Texas -- http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ and http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/map_sites/hist_sites.html
  63. Alexandria Digital Library maps - University of California at Santa Barbara -- http://www.alexandria.ucsb.edu/other-sites/Earth.html
  64. UC Davis Library's Cartographic Page -- http://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/dept/mapcollection/online.php
  65. Links to map collections, mostly at colleges and universities -- http://www.libraryspot.com/maps
  66. A to Z Maps Online through Washington County Utah Library system -- http://www.atozmapsonline.com/a-z_maps_online_login.asp
  67. World History Maps -- http://www.worldhistory.com/ -- interactive maps of your ancestors and world historical events
  68. National Geographic Society maps -- http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/maps
  69. National Geographic's catalog of images collected throughout the years -- http://www.ngsimages.com
  70. Education Place -- http://www.eduplace.com -- Link Library (bottom right), do a search for "maps" and get links for many collections of maps
  71. Full color maps, primarily for teachers -- http://atlapedia.com/
  72. TimeMaps ($$$, but some free) -- http://www.timemaps.com/home/time-map/ -- Interactive historical maps and info
  73. Antique Charts and Maps -- http://www.antiquemaps.com/maps2/
  74. TerraServer ($$$, but some free) -- http://www.terraserver.com/ -- aerial photos
  75. Where FamilySearch is filming digitally 2011 -- FamilySearch Digital Cameras 2011

    76. UNITED STATES MAPS

  76. US Geological Survey (USGS) -- http://www.usgs.gov/
  77. US National Map by USGS -- http://nationalmap.gov/index.html -- a major website with many helps and links, includes topos, historic, and aerial views
  78. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) -- http://geonames.usgs.gov/redirect.html -- lists all US places, towns, cities, rivers, mountains, schools, cemeteries
  79. National Atlas -- http://www.nationalatlas.gov/ -- many printable maps
  80. Library of Congress Map Collection -- http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/ and http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/browse/ListSome.php?category=Maps
  81. Railroad Maps -- http://international.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/rrhtml/rrhome.html
  82. The Gold Bug Site Finder -- http://www.goldbug.com/map/sitefinder.html -- gives list and plots locations on a Google map; list gives county, state, latitude, longitude, and type of location (place, school, cemetery, church, etc.) -- also has Online Site Finder which is free
  83. US county maps
    1. Shows US state and county changes over time, like Animap, but not complete yet -- http://www.familyhistory101.com/maps.html
    2. County boundaries in the US at any time ‑‑ http://randymajors.com/p/maps.html -- this looks really helpful since you can type in a city and year and have it show the county it was in then
    3. US county boundary changes over time -- http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/ -- Interactive map that you can select year and refresh to see county lines then
    4. 1914 US county maps -- http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~shastaca/maps_index.html
  84. US census maps
    1. Census Atlas of the US -- http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/censusatlas/ -- all US censuses, 300 pages long, downloadable in pdf
    2. County maps of states of the US -- http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/printmaps.html
    3. County maps for US Censuses -- http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/ , then select state and click on View Map
    4. US population and info from 2010 Census by county and state -- http://projects.nytimes.com/census/2010/map?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=thab1 
  85. US historical maps
    1. Growth of the US - 10-minute online video -- http://www.animatedatlas.com/movie2.html
    2. Early US Maps -- http://www.maphistory.info/imageus.html
    3. Old-Maps -- http://www.old‑maps.com/ ‑‑ includes bird's eye view historic maps, primarily of New England, can download smaller versions for free
    4. Historic Map Works - US ($$$) -- http://www.historicmapworks.com/
    5. Historical Map and Chart Collection -- http://historicalcharts.noaa.gov/historicals/search -- Office of Coast Survey (NOAA)
    6. Historic Land Ownership and Reference Atlases ($$$, but free at FHCs) -- http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=1205
    7. Marshall Historic Maps Collection -- http://historical.mytopo.com/ -- Historic USGS topo maps
    8. Historic and bird's eye view maps, primarily New England ($$$, some free) -- http://www.old-maps.com/
  86. Maps related to LDS Church and westward movement in US
    1. Pioneer Library (for Utahns through their public library's website using their library card) -- Pioneer Library Map Links and Historical Maps Links on Pioneer Library
    2. Trails to Utah and the Pacific (American Memory, Library of Congress) -- http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award99/upbhtml/overhome.html
    3. Utah Maps -- http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~utgenweb/index.html
    4. LDS Church history maps -- http://scriptures.lds.org/en/chmaps/contents
  87. USGenWeb
    1. USGenWeb Project -- links to many maps in states and counties -- http://www.usgenweb.org/
    2. The USGenWeb Digital Map Project -- http://usgwarchives.net/maps/
  88. Heritage Quest Online -- available through public library websites with your library card -- has some books online with maps, including Dollarhide's The Census Book (in Helps Section) and has county boundaries for each US Census
  89. New York Public Library Digital Collection -- http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchresult.cfm?keyword=maps -- and for more info see -- http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com/2008/08/maps-online-from-new-york-public.html
  90. Sanborn Fire Insurance maps
    1. Union List of Sanborn Maps, UC Berkeley -- http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/EART/sanbul.html
    2. See lists by state in http://linkpendium.com and do general search for "Sanborn maps"
    3. Sanborn Fire Insurance maps (not complete yet) -- http://www.loc.gov/rr/geogmap/sanborn/
    4. Sanborn Fire Insurance maps ($$$) -- http://sanborn.umi.com/
  91. Topo Maps ($$$) -- http://www.trails.com/maps.aspx -- used to be Topozone

    92. UNITED KINGDOM MAPS

  92. England 1851 Jurisdictions maps -- http://maps.familysearch.org -- very helpful, shows parishes, locations, information, probate courts, links; interactive and can be used like a gazetteer
  93. Animated map of history of Canada -- http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/historical/territorialevolution/territorial_animation.gif/image_view 
  94. ViaMichelin -- http://www.viamichelin.com/ -- excellent maps, particularly of Europe
  95. Free PDF 1833 Maps and Indexes of UK Parishes -- http://www.sgenealogy.com/products/atlase/maplist.htm
  96. Bodleian Library Map Room (Oxford University) -- http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/guides/maps/
  97. Ordnance Survey Maps of Great Britain, 1840 -- http://www.british-history.ac.uk/map.aspx
    1. Ordnance Survey webpage -- http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/ > OS OpenData-view develop & order data > View OS OpenData (field glasses at bottom) > enter location you want and click Go to see map
    2. Ordnance Survey maps and photos -- http://www.geograph.org.uk/mapbrowse.php
    3. Vision of Britain historical Ordnance Survey maps -- http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/
    4. Get-A-Map - Ordnance Survey Maps -- http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm
  98. 1881 maps of counties of England -- http://www.londonancestor.com/maps/maps-england.htm
  99. UK aerial photos -- http://www.ukaerialphotos.com/
  100. Cassini Maps - http://www.cassinimaps.co.uk/shop/tna1.asp
  101. Old UK maps and gazetteers -- http://www.oldmaps.co.uk/
  102. UK Maritime Maps Collection -- http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/explore/index.cfm/category/charts

    103. SURNAME DISTRIBUTION MAPS

  103. Surname distribution maps in many countries -- http://pricegen.com/localizesurname.htm
  104. Surname distributions -- http://www.dynastree.com/maps -- For Snow surname in US ‑‑ http://www.dynastree.com/maps/detail/snow.html -- Also has buttons to click to see surname maps in several other countries, including UK
  105. Surname distributions in the UK -- http://www.nationaltrustnames.org.uk -- 1881 and 1998 only
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