OP, our house (2013 vintage Gardenia) has several SETS of ceiling lights on ONE circuit breaker, Labeled GENERAL lighting, this feed goes to 3 or 4 switches which control each set of lights. As mentioned above, this sounds like a switch, it also sounds like to are very uncomfortable working around electrical equipment. I recently used Hayes Electric and was very pleased with their work and price, if you want a licensed electrician. NOTE: a switch replacement is typically allowed to be done by the homeowner, and you can use a handyman to do the switch replacement.
Tip, on our house, when the lights are off the DIMMER has a small green light, if the green light is off, either the circuit is dead, the switch has failed, or ALL of the light bulbs on that circuit have failed.
Hope this helps.
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Pennsylvania, for 60+ years, most recently, Allentown, now TV. 
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