Delaware Maps

To learn more about maps in general, go to the  Maps Record Page.

Online Maps

 * David Rumsey Historical Maps Collection
 * Old Maps Online Collection
 * Library of Congress Maps Collection
 * Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library
 * Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
 * Archive.org
 * Harvard University Scanned Maps
 * UWM American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection
 * University of California Berkeley Library
 * Maps of Delaware from MapofUS.org. Includes boundary changes map.
 * Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

Tips for Using Maps
Maps must be used carefully for several reasons: Several types of maps are useful for genealogists. Some give historical background of the area or show migration routes such as roads, rivers, and railroads. Topographical maps show physical features, such as creeks and hills, and man-made features, such as roads, cemeteries, and churches. Plat and land ownership maps and other types of maps are described in United States Maps.
 * There are often several places with the same name. You may want to use a  Gazetteer to help you.
 * The spelling and even names of some towns may have changed since your ancestor lived there.
 * Boundaries changed over time. Use historical maps to understand boundary changes.

For more tips and information on using maps, go to the general Maps Record Page.

Types of Maps
Different types of maps help you in different ways, for example:
 * Historical atlases describe the growth and development of countries, showing boundaries, migration routes, settlement patterns, military campaigns, and other historical information.
 * Road atlases are useful because of the detail they provide.
 * Other types of maps include: parish maps, state maps, tourist maps, topographical maps, and air navigation maps. City maps are extremely helpful when researching in large cities.

To learn more about different types of maps, go to the general Maps Record Page.

Historical Maps Collections
Historical map collections are helpful because they can show you the geography of your ancestor's residence at or around the time they lived there. The following collections are helpful:

The most extensive collections of Delaware maps are at the University of Delaware Library, the Historical Society of Delaware, and at the Wilmington Institute Free Library.

FamilySearch Library
A valuable atlas that shows names of landowners is:

Beers, Daniel G. Atlas of the State of Delaware. . . Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Pomeroy and Beers, 1868. (FamilySearch Library .)

There are United States atlases for the following years with excellent Delaware maps: 1790, 1810, 1823, 1838, 1862, 1878, 1884, and 1917 (FamilySearch Library .)

The best atlas for showing changes in county formation and boundary disputes is by the:


 * Newberry Library. Historical Atlas and Chronology of County Boundaries, 1788-1980. Volume 1. John H. Long, ed. Boston, Massachusetts: G.K. Hall &amp; Company, 1984. (FamilySearch Library .)

National Map Collections
Printable maps are also available from the National Atlas of the United States -- https://nationalmap.gov/small_scale/printable.html

United States Census Bureau State and County Map. This map will allow you to zoom in on any state or county in the United States and read the names of all of the neighboring counties.