Denton County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Denton County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Denton County, Texas | |||||||||
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 Location in the state of Texas, United States Genealogy | |||||||||
 Location of Texas in the U.S. | |||||||||
| Facts | |||||||||
| Founded | April 11, 1846 | ||||||||
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| County Seat | Denton | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for John B. Denton, was established in 1846. The County is located in the north-central area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
1 Courthouse Drive
Denton, TX 76208
Phone: 940.349.2012
County Clerk
The office of the County Clerk is the official record keeper for all Real Property, Vital Statistic, Civil Court, Misdemeanor Court, Probate Court, and Juvenile Court records in Denton County.
County Clerk has birth, death, and burial records from 1903, marriage, probate, court and land records from 1876.
Denton County Courts Building—Main Office
1450 East McKinney Street
Denton, Texas 76209
Phone: 940-349-2012
Fax: 940-349-2019
Direct link to records search
District Clerk
District Clerk has divorce records from 1876.[2]
Denton County Courts Building - 1st Floor
1450 E. McKinney, Ste. 1200
Denton, Texas 76209
Phone: 940-349-2200
Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square, Office of History and Culture
110 W. Hickory St., Denton, TX 87201
Phone: 940-349-2850
Denton County, Texas Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1903 | 1876 | 1903 | 1876 | 1876 | 1876 | 1829 |
History[edit | edit source]
Denton County, Texas, Wikipedia
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1846—Denton County was created 11 April 1846 from Fannin County.
County seat: Denton [4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
Denton County in Texas: Individual County Chronologies, Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, The Newberry Library.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1875—Courthouse and almost all county records were destroyed by fire in December 1875.
Places/Localities[edit | edit source]
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Collin • Cooke • Dallas • Grayson • Tarrant • Wise
Resources[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
- 1865-1870 Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870 (images) - How to Use this Collection
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.
| Tombstone Transcriptions Online | Tombstone Transcriptions in Print | List of Cemeteries in the county |
| FindAGrave | Family History Library | FindAGrave |
| Linkpendium | WorldCat | Tombstone Project |
| BillionGraves (name) | Cemeteries of TX | |
| GenWeb Archives | Texas Cemeteries | |
| BillionGraves | TX Gravestones | |
| Names in Stone | Interment | |
| FamilySearch Places | ||
| See Texas Cemeteries for more information. | ||
Additional Cemetery Sources
- African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
- Cemetery Junction ~ Links to cemetery transcriptions
- Denton County Cemeteries and Funeral Home Records - Denton Public Library Special Collections
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 641 | ||
| 1860 | 5,031 | 684.9% | |
| 1870 | 7,251 | 44.1% | |
| 1880 | 18,143 | 150.2% | |
| 1890 | 21,289 | 17.3% | |
| 1900 | 28,318 | 33.0% | |
| 1910 | 31,258 | 10.4% | |
| 1920 | 35,355 | 13.1% | |
| 1930 | 32,822 | −7.2% | |
| 1940 | 33,658 | 2.5% | |
| 1950 | 41,365 | 22.9% | |
| 1960 | 47,432 | 14.7% | |
| 1970 | 75,633 | 59.5% | |
| 1980 | 143,126 | 89.2% | |
| 1990 | 273,525 | 91.1% | |
| 2000 | 432,976 | 58.3% | |
| 2010 | 662,614 | 53.0% | |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | |||
Churches[edit | edit source]
- Texas Christian Church Directory ~ ChurchAngel
- Catholic Churches in Texas
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court[edit | edit source]
County Clerk - The office of the County Clerk is the official record keeper for all Real Property, Vital Statistic, Civil Court, Misdemeanor Court, Probate Court, and Juvenile Court records in Denton County.
Search Denton County records including real property, plats, marriages, births, deaths, foreclosures, marks & brands, and commissioners' court here.
District Clerk - The District Clerk is a registrar, recorder, and custodian of all court pleadings, instruments, and papers that are part of any cause of action in any civil or criminal district court.
Land[edit | edit source]
After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions, including deeds and mortgages, have been recorded by the county. You can obtain copies of these land records by writing to the county clerk at the county courthouse. For more information, see Texas Land and Property.
The FamilySearch Catalog lists microfilm copies of deeds, trust deeds, and mortgages of many counties.
- Deeds, 1854-1902; index to deeds, 1854-1903 at FamilySearch - available at Family History Center or Denton Public Library (affiliate library)
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1906-1989 Texas, Naturalization Records — index and images
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Denton County, Texas Genealogy. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Texas Local Histories.
- History and Reminiscences of Denton County, 1918 by Edward Franklin Bates (reprinted 1976) an overview of Denton County including the history of various time periods and specific aspects of the area as well as reminiscences of citizens. Read the book online from The Portal to Texas History.
- Denton Memories: The Early Years - A Pictorial History, 2019, by Denton Record-Chronicle.
- Denton Memories II: The 1940s, 1950s and 1960s - A Pictorial History, 2021, by Denton Record-Chronicle
- Historic Denton County: An Illustrated History, 2002, by Hollace Hervey
- History of Denton, Texas, from Its Beginning to 1960, 1978, by C. A. Bridges.
- The History of Early Denton Schools and Robert E. Lee School 1871-1957, 1957, by Arthur J. Seely, Mrs. E.C. Wiley, and Miss Willie Brashears. Read the book online at the Portal to Texas History.
- Denton County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
Maps & Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Texas Land Survey Maps for Denton County, Texas Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
- Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for Denton County, Texas at The Perry-Castañeda Library (PCL) Map Collection, UT-Austin.
- Denton County maps at Library of Congress.
- Early Denton County Maps, HistoricMapWorks. Choose: Continent: North America; Country: United States; State: Texas, then enter Denton in the Search box.
- Denton County Maps at The Portal to Texas History
- Historical Maps ~ From the Republic to the Turn of the Century ~ Hidden Ancestors
- Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the Texas Genweb site
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
- A Gazetteer of Texas, 1904, by Henry Gannett. Read the book online at The Portal to Texas History.
- The Geography of Denton County, 1936, by Mary Jo Cowling
Military[edit | edit source]
- 1838 - 1900 - Texas, U.S., Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
- Military Resources ~ Links to research Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
- Fallen Heroes Partial Index of casualties from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
- Honoring Our Veterans ~ Partial index of veterans from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
Mexican-American War[edit | edit source]
- 1845 - 1848 - US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War at Ancestry.com — index ($)
- 1845 - 1849 - Mexican War Service Records - Texas at Fold3 - index and images ($) or access with Denton Public Library card
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Online Records
- 1861 - 1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1861 - 1865 Texas, Civil War Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — index
- 1884 - 1958 - Alabama, Texas and Virginia, U.S. Confederate Pensions at Ancestry ($) — index and images ($)
- 1899 - 1975 - Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1917 - 1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — index and images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Denton County, Texas Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- TX Newspaper Abstracts (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Denton County, Texas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
- Home Town News - Texas Newspaper Index with links
- Newslink - Texas Newspaper List (sorted by publication frequency)
- The Olden Times - Historic Texas News Online
- Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
- Access the following databases via the Denton Public Library's "Denton Newspapers" webpage:
- The Early News Index - A PDF subject listing of events before 1908 as reported in various Denton County Newspapers
- Denton Record-Chronicle Archive - Coverage from 2004 through today.
- Letters to Santa: Transcribed from the Denton Record-Chronicle - PDF document
- Wedding Anniversaries and Family Reunions in the Denton Record-Chronicle: 1930s-1970s - index
- Pilot Point Post Signal 1910-1912 on The Portal to Texas History
- Denton County Newspaper Collection - on The Portal to Texas History
- Online Newspaper Research Links - provided by The Ancestor Hunt
- Access the following via the Denton Public Library's "Birth, Death & Marriage Notices" webpage. Indices and transcriptions from the Denton Record-Chronicle and other area publications.
- Birth Announcements
- Probate Births
- Marriage Announcements
- Death Announcements
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Afrigeneas ~ African American death notices, obituaries and funeral programs compiled by users from current newspapers and historical sources
- Obituary Daily Times ~ Index to over 15,000,000 obituaries, 1905-2016, at Ancestry ($)
- Obituary Depot ~ Texas Obituaries
- Obituary Project ~ Hidden Ancestors
- Obituary Resources ~ Links to research and locate obituaries ~ Hidden Ancestors
- USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project ~ Texas
Probate[edit | edit source]
Probate records of Texas, United States Genealogy have been kept by the probate clerk in each county courthouse. You can obtain copies of the records from the clerk's office. In most counties, all information pertaining to a probate case is recorded in the "probate minutes."
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their places of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, marriage, adoption, and birth and death records.
See the Wiki page Texas Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1800 – 1990 Texas Probate Records 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — images
- 1833 – 1974 - Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry — index and images ($)
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Texas tax records complement land records and can be used in place of censuses or to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information, see the wiki page Texas Taxation.
- 1837-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1837-1910 at FamilySearch — index and images
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Certified birth and death certificates or birth and death verifications can be ordered online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. Copies can also be obtained from the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred and are often less expensive.
Marriages records can be obtained from the county the marriage occurred. Only marriage verifications can be obtained from the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health.
See Texas Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Texas.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1903-1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - How to Use this Collection
- 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index only) - How to Use this Collection
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Online Marriage Indexes and Records
- 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- 1824-1917 Texas Marriage Collection at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1837-1965 Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 — index and images - How to Use this Collection
- 1837-1973 Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973 — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1837-1977 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1837-1965 Texas Select County Marriage Index at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1875-1965 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records at Ancestry.com — index & images, ($)
- 1966-2005 Texas Marriage Records ~ Hidden Ancestors
- 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 - FamilySearch record collection - How to Use this Collection
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Death[edit | edit source]
Online Death Indexes and Records
- 1890-1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 with images - How to Use this Collection
~ Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976. The name index has been created by FamilySearch and is tied to images of the Texas death certificates. Few certificates are available prior to 1903. - 1903-1973 Texas Deaths and Burials, 1903-1973 — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1903-2000 Texas Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - How to Use this Collection
- 1964-1998 Texas Death Index, 1964-1998 (no images) - How to Use this Collection Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1930 USGenWeb Census Project Texas
- 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records Hidden Ancestors
- 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index 1968-2010 — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1968-2011 Texas Divorces at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Denton County Historical Commission
110 West Hickory
Denton, TX 76201
Telephone Number: 940-349-2860
Denton County Genealogical Society
502 Oakland Street
Denton, Texas 76201
Telephone Number: 940-349-8752
Website
- Genealogy Society Information and Activities of Denton County, Texas
Denton Public Library
Emily Fowler Central Library
502 Oakland Street
Denton, Texas 76201
Family History Centers
[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Carrollton Texas Family History Center
- Denton Texas Family History Center
- Fort Worth Texas Family History Center
- Lewisville Texas Family History Center
Websites[edit | edit source]
- TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
- FamilySearch Catalog The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Denton County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denton_County,_Texas. accessed 07/30/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Denton County, Texas. Page 662 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Denton County, Texas . Page 658-677 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 655-665.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Denton County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denton_County,_Texas, accessed 3 April 2019.
