A gazetteer is a list and description of places, such as villages, towns and cities. Gazetteers may also mention neighborhoods, cemeteries, population size, and geographical features such as rivers and mountains. It can be used to locate the places where a family lived. They usually include only the names of places that existed at the time the gazetteer was published. The place names are generally listed in alphabetical order. Maps and atlases can also help locate places. See also the "Maps" section in this outline. Several guides to places in Utah are available, including:

Carr, Stephen L. The Historical Guide to Utah Ghost Towns. Salt Lake City: Western Epics, 1972. (FHL book 979.2 H2cr; computer number 20108.) This book has a history of the towns no longer in existence in Utah. It gives the approximate dates each town was settled and deserted.

Gallagher, John S. The Post Offices of Utah. Burtonsville, Md.: The Depot, 1977. (FHL book 979.2 E8g.computer number 222703.) This source is a list of past and current post offices in Utah. It provides the dates of establishment for each post office. If a post office was discontinued, this source gives the date and the new post office designated to receive the mail. Several photographs are included.

Leigh, Rufus Wood. Five Hundred Utah Place Names. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1961. (FHL book 979.2 E2L;computer number 72907.) This book provides the history and origin of the name of each place, including names of places and landmarks that no longer exist. It also includes American Indians' residences.

Origins of Utah Place Names. Salt Lake City: Utah State Department of Public Instruction, 1941. (FHL book 979.2 E2o; fiche 6046696; computer number 214068.) This source documents when places were settled, former names, altitude and population in 1941. There is information on the creation of each county and boundary changes, including square miles. It also includes a list of extinct counties.

Utah State Gazetteer and Business Directory. 12 vols. Salt Lake City: R.L. Polk, 1900–1931. (FHL book 979.2 U34p; On 6 films beginning with 1697782 item 3; computer number 34326.) This book contains an exhaustive listing of towns and cities from all parts of the state.

Van Cott, John W. Utah Place Names: a Compilation: a Comprehensive Guide to the Origins of Utah Place Names. Salt Lake City: Univ. of Utah Press, 1990. (FHL book 979.2 E2v; computer number 575203.) This is the best guide to Utah place names.

Writers' Program (Utah), Utah: A Guide to the State. New York: Hastings House, 1941. (FHL book 979.2 E6w; film 1033881 item 3;computer number 46204.) This gives a history of many areas and includes an index and maps of some cities. The book is arranged geographically and gives directions and mileage between areas. There is also information on altitude, population size, and roads.

Additional listings may be found in Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

UTAH - GAZETTEERS
UTAH - NAMES, GEOGRAPHICAL

Return to top of page

Previous Document   Next Document

©1998, 2002 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. No part of this document may be reprinted, posted on-line, or reproduced in any form for any purpose without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. FamilySearch is a trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
[FamilySearch^TM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 4/23/2002]