Starr County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Starr County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Starr County, Texas | |||||||||
| Map | |||||||||
 Location in the state of Texas, United States Genealogy | |||||||||
 Location of Texas in the U.S. | |||||||||
| Facts | |||||||||
| Founded | February 10, 1848 | ||||||||
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| County Seat | Rio Grande City | ||||||||
| Courthouse | |||||||||
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for James Harper Starr, who served as Secretary of the Treasury of the Republic of Texas. The County is located in the south-central area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Starr County Courthouse
Rm 201
Rio Grande City, TX 78582
Phone: 956.487.2101
County Clerk has birth records from 1880, death
records from 1903, marriage records from 1858,
probate records from 1853, land records from 1848,
court records from 1932, naturalization records
1883-1898 and military discharge records from 1919[2]
County Clerk
100 N. FM 3167 Ste. 204
Rio Grande City 78582
Phone: 956-716-4800 (Ext: 4827)
Fax: 956-716-8161
District Clerk
401 N. Britton Ave. Rm. 304
Rio Grande City 78582
Phone: 956-716-4800
Starr County, Texas Record Dates[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1880 | 1858 | 1903 | 1932 | 1848 | 1853 | 1829 |
General compliance by the 1930s. | ||||||
History[edit | edit source]
1753--The first settlement was in 1753, and was part of Jose de Escandion's Colony.
Parent County[edit | edit source]
1848--Starr County was created 10 February 1848 from Nueces County.
- County seat: Rio Grande City. [4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
1852 - Large portion of eastern Starr County became Hidalgo County.
1860 - Part of the western portion of Starr County became Zapata County.
1911 - Part of northern Starr County became Brooks County. [5]
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
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]
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Brooks • Hidalgo • Jim Hogg • Zapata
Resources[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
- 1865 - 1870 Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870 - FamilySearch (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) | Names in Stone | |
| TXGenWeb | FamilySearch Places | |
| See Texas Cemeteries for more information. | ||
Additional Cemetery Sources
- Texas Historic Cemeteries
- Texas Escapes Listing of Texas cemeteries with transcriptions and pictures.
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 2,406 | ||
| 1870 | 4,154 | 72.7% | |
| 1880 | 8,304 | 99.9% | |
| 1890 | 10,749 | 29.4% | |
| 1900 | 11,469 | 6.7% | |
| 1910 | 13,151 | 14.7% | |
| 1920 | 11,089 | −15.7% | |
| 1930 | 11,409 | 2.9% | |
| 1940 | 13,312 | 16.7% | |
| 1950 | 13,948 | 4.8% | |
| 1960 | 17,137 | 22.9% | |
| 1970 | 17,707 | 3.3% | |
| 1980 | 27,266 | 54.0% | |
| 1990 | 40,518 | 48.6% | |
| 2000 | 53,597 | 32.3% | |
| 2010 | 60,968 | 13.8% | |
| 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.
- List of Starr County Churches ~ TXGenWeb
- Texas Christian Church Directory ~ ChurchAngel
- Catholic Parishes in Texas
Lutheran[edit | edit source]
- Records of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Escobares, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
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.
- Starr County Land Grant Applications ~ TXGenWeb
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Starr 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.
- Starr County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
- Texas Museums ~ List of all museums in Texas ~ Hidden Ancestors
Maps[edit | edit source]
- 1851 Map of Starr County ~ TXGenWeb
- 1878 Map of Starr County ~ TXGenWeb
- 1895 Atlas Starr County TX ~ TXGenWeb
- Historical Maps ~ From the Republic to the Turn of the Century ~ Hidden Ancestors
- Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenweb 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 1838-1900 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 1845-1848 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
- List of Civil War Pension Applications ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
- 1862 - Confederate Citizens of Starr County 1862 ~ TXGenWeb
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]
- WWII Casualty List ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
Korean War[edit | edit source]
- Korean War Casualties ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Additional newspapers abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Starr County, Texas Genealogy newspapers in online catalogs like:
- TX Newspaper Abstracts (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
- Do a Starr County, Texas Genealogy Place-name search for these and other records in the FamilySearch Catalog (For instructions see FamilySearch Catalog Places Search).
- Starr County Historical Newspaper Abstracts ~ TXGenWeb
- 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 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — images
- 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 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 ($) — index and images
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents.
Certified birth and death certificates or birth and death verifications can be ordered online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. Copies can also be obtained from the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred and are often less expensive.
Marriages records can be obtained from the county the marriage occurred. Only marriage verifications can be obtained from the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health.
See Texas Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Texas.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Online Birth Indexes and Records
- 1903 - 1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 - FamilySearch (images and index) - How to Use this Collection
- 1903 - 1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 - FamilySearch (index only) - How to Use this Collection
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Online Marriage Indexes and Records
- 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 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 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1837-1973 Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — index
- 1837-1977 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — index
- 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 - 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 - FamilySearch 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 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1903 - 2000 Texas Death Index, 1903-2000 - FamilySearch (index) - How to Use this Collection
- 1964-1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 Texas Death Index, 1964-1998 - FamilySearch Historical Records Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
- 1977-1986 Texas Deaths 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005 Hidden Ancestors
- 1968 - 2010 Texas Divorce Index 1968-2010 - FamilySearch — 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]
Starr County Historical Society
301 East 4th
Rio Grande City, TX 78582
Website
Rio Grande City Public Library
591 E Canales St
Rio Grande City, TX 78582
Telephone Number: 956-487-4389
Website
Society Hill ~
Links and addresses to Texas genealogical and historical societies
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
Websites[edit | edit source]
- TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
- 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]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Starr, Texas" in "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starr_County,_Texas. accessed 11/26/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Starr County, Texas. Page 674 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Starr 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).
- ↑ Handbook of Texas Online: Starr County
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Starr County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starr_County,_Texas, Last accessed 22 August 2019.
