Hidalgo County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Hidalgo County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Hidalgo County, Texas | |||||||||
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 Location in the state of Texas, United States Genealogy | |||||||||
 Location of Texas in the U.S. | |||||||||
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| Founded | January 24, 1852 | ||||||||
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| County Seat | Edinburg | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
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County Information[edit | edit source]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Hidalgo County Courthouse
County Clerk's Office
100 N. Closner P O Box 58
Edinburg, TX 78540
Phone: (956) 318-2100
County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, probate,
court and land records; Distric Clerk has divorce records[1]
County Clerk
P.O. Box 58
Edinburg 78540
Phone: 956-318-2100
Fax: 956-318-2105
District Clerk
P.O. Box 487
Edinburg 78540
Phone: 956-318-2200
Hidalgo County has had four county seats: Edinburgh, Hidalgo, Hidalgo, Chapin (Edinburg). In 1852, the town of La Habitacion was renamed Edinburgh and became the county seat. Later, the name of the town was changed to Hidalgo. After a severe flood in 1886, the town was moved two miles north. Later, Edinburgh was moved away from the Rio Grande River - the present site and town of Hidalgo. In 1908, the town of Chapin became the county seat. In 1911, the town's name was changed to Edinburg.
The last county courthouse in Hidalgo is still standing. Built in 1886, the building was once two story with a cupola; after a fire in the early 1900s, the building was repaired and rebuilt as one story.
The 1908 Courthouse at Edinburg served the county for nearly 50 years. It was torn down in 1954, after the opening of the current modern structure. [2] [3]
Hidalgo County, Texas Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1903 | 1852 | 1903 | 1852 | 1848 | 1852 | 1829 |
General compliance by the 1930s. | ||||||
History[edit | edit source]
1750 and 1883--Spanish mission and settlements were established by 1750 and Anglo-American settlements by 1883.
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1852--Hidalgo County was created 24 January 1852 from Cameron and Starr Counties.
- County seat: Edinburg [5]
The county was named for Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, (1753-1811). Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest known as the "father of Mexican independence," was born on May 8, 1753, at his father's hacienda near Guanajuato, Mexico.
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1886--Flood destroyed the town of Hidalgo, which at that time was the county seat. Presumably, the courthouse was also destroyed or heavily damaged.
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:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Brooks • Cameron • Kenedy • Starr • Willacy
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
- African American Griots ~ USGenWeb
- AfriGeneas ~ African Ancestored Genealogy
- Texas African American Genealogy ~ Access Genealogy
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
| 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 | |
| TXGenWeb | FamilySearch Places | |
| Names in Stone | ||
| 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
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 1,182 | ||
| 1870 | 2,387 | 101.9% | |
| 1880 | 4,347 | 82.1% | |
| 1890 | 6,534 | 50.3% | |
| 1900 | 6,837 | 4.6% | |
| 1910 | 13,728 | 100.8% | |
| 1920 | 38,110 | 177.6% | |
| 1930 | 77,004 | 102.1% | |
| 1940 | 106,059 | 37.7% | |
| 1950 | 160,446 | 51.3% | |
| 1960 | 180,904 | 12.8% | |
| 1970 | 181,535 | 0.3% | |
| 1980 | 283,229 | 56.0% | |
| 1990 | 383,545 | 35.4% | |
| 2000 | 569,463 | 48.5% | |
| 2010 | 774,769 | 36.1% | |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | |||
Church[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death/burial date and place. For general information about Texas denominations, view the Texas Church Records wiki page.
- Texas Christian Church Directory ~ ChurchAngel
- Catholic Parishes in Texas
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court[edit | edit source]
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.
- Land Survey Abstract Indicies ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Hidalgo 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.
- The Centennial Celebration of the Organization of Hidalgo County in Texas, 1952, by the Hidalgo County Centennial Corporation
- The Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, 1954, by J. Lee and Lillian J. Stambaugh.
- Hidalgo County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
- Texas Museums ~ List of all museums in Texas ~ Hidden Ancestors
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- 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
Military[edit | edit source]
- 1838 - 1900 - Texas 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 $
Civil War[edit | edit source]
- 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
- Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission
- Civil War Pension Applications ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- Confederate Census Applications USGenWeb Archives
- Union Texas Volunteers 1st Regiment Hidalgo County TXGenWeb site
- 1890 Veterans Schedule Census for Hidalgo County Hidalgo County TXGenWeb site
World War I[edit | edit source]
- 1917 - 1920 - Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — index and images
World War II[edit | edit source]
- Hidalgo County World War II Casualties (Four pages of names, be sure to click "next" at the bottom of the page to reach the name you are looking for). Access Genealogy website
Korean War[edit | edit source]
- Hidalgo County Korean War Casualties ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Hidalgo County, Texas Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- TX Newspaper Abstracts (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Hidalgo 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
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Obituary Resources ~ Links to research and locate obituaries ~ Hidden Ancestors
- USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project ~ Texas
- Afrigeneas ~ African American death notices, obituaries and funeral programs compiled by users from current newspapers and historical sources
- Obituary Depot ~ Texas Newspaper Citations
- Obituary Project ~ Hidden Ancestors
- Obituary Daily Times ~ Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function
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 at FamilySearch — images
- 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~ Ancestry.com (subscription)
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.
- 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at findmypast ($) — index and images
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Certified birth and death certificates or birth and death verifications can be ordered online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. Copies can also be obtained from the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred and are often less expensive.
Marriages records can be obtained from the county the marriage occurred. Only marriage verifications can be obtained from the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health.
See Texas Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Texas.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1903 - 1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - How to Use this Collection
- 1903 - 1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index only) - How to Use this Collection
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Online Marriage Indexes and Records
- 1800-1965 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records at Ancestry.com — index & images, ($)
- 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
- 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 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
- 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1966-2005 Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005 - 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 1903-1982 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.
- 1977 - 1986 Texas Deaths, 1977-1986 — index - How to Use this Collection
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005 - Hidden Ancestors
- 1968 - 2010 Texas Divorce Index 1968-2010 — index - How to Use this Collection
- 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1850-1930 USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850-1930
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Societies and Libraries[edit | edit source]
Museum of South Texas History
200 N. Closner Blvd.
Edinburg, Texas 78541
Telephone Number: 956-383-6911
The museum's Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archive holds an extensive collection of regional items, including maps, newspapers, books, genealogical material, audiovisual and digital material, and the largest collection of historical photographs within the lower Rio Grande Valley. The archive's holdings are a source of inspiration for the museum's exhibitions as well as for students, scholars, and others who conduct research here.
website
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Alamo Public Library
416 N Tower Rd
Alamo, TX 78516
Telephone Number: 956-787-6160
Facebook
Donna Public Library
301 S Main St
Donna, TX 78537
Telephone Number: 956-464-2221
Website
Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library
1906 S Closner Blvd
Edinburg, TX 78539
Telephone Number: 956-383-6246
Website
Elsa Public Library
711 N Hidalgo St
Elsa, TX 78543
Telephone Number: 956-262-3061
Website
Hidalgo Public Library
710 E Texano Dr
Hidalgo, TX 78557
Telephone Number: 956-843-2093
Website
La Joya Municipal Library
925 S Leo Ave
La Joya, TX 78560
Telephone Number: 956-581-4533
Website
McAllen Memorial Library
601 N Main St
McAllen, TX 78501
Telephone Number: 956-688-3300
Website
Mercedes Memorial Library
434 S Ohio St
Mercedes, TX 78570
Telephone Number: 956-565-2371
Website
Pharr Memorial Library
121 E Cherokee Ave
Pharr, TX 78577
Telephone Number: 956-787-3966
Website
Speer Memorial Library
801 E 12th St
Mission, TX 78572
Telephone Number: 956-580-8750
Website
San Juan Public Library
1010 S Standard Ave
San Juan, TX 78589
Telephone Number: 956-702-0926
Website
Weslaco Public Library
525 S Kansas Ave
Weslaco, TX 78596
Telephone Number: 956-968-4533
Facebook
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
- Hidalgo Texas Family History Center
- La Joya Texas Family History Center
- McAllen Texas Family History Center
- Mission Texas Family History Center
- Weslaco/Mercedes Texas Family History Center
Museums[edit | edit source]
Museum of South Texas History
121 E McIntyre
Edinburg, TX
Phone: (956) 383-6911
Fax: (956) 381-8518 website
Donna Hooks Fletcher Museum
129 S. 8th
Donna, Texas 78537
Phone: (956) 464-9989 website
Wed-Friday 10:00am - 1:00pm, Sat 10:00am - 3:00pm
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Hidalgo County Archives USGenWeb Archives Project
- Hidalgo County TXGenWeb Site
- TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
- Hidden Ancestors Information on Texas genealogy research as well as genealogy research in general.
- USGenWeb Texas Archives Vital statistics, maps, obituaries, Bible records, tombstone transcriptions and many other records
- 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]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Hidalgo County, Texas. Page 666 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ HistoricTexas.net: Hidalgo County http://www3.historictexas.net/hidalgo-county-texas
- ↑ TexasEscapes.com http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Edinburg_Texas/HidalgoCountyCourthouseEdinburgTexas.htm
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Hidalgo 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, "Hidalgo County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidalgo_County,_Texas, accessed 13 June 2019.
