Texas Census

Additional Information may be found on the United States Census Portal page.

Historical Background
1836--Texas declared independence from Mexico after a military confrontation. Municipalities were soon organized into counties. The Republic of Texas existed until 1845.

1845--The United States acquired Texas as the 28th state.

1846-1848--Mexico declared war on the United States in an effort to reclaim Texas and other territory claimed by both countries. Mexico gave up its claim to Texas.

1850--Texas relinquieshed its claims to Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma.

1861-1865--Texas seceded from the Union during the Civil War. In 1870 it was readmitted to the Union.

Web Sites
Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.com

Heritage Quest Online: http://www.heritagequestonline.com

Census Online: http://www.census-online.com/links/TX/

Genealogy Today: http://dir.genealogytoday.com/usa/tx/census.html

Access Genealogy: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/census/texas.htm

Bibliographic Citations
Texas Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1998, 2001.

Federal

Many federal census records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Research Outline provides more detailed information regarding these records.

The Family History Library has the U.S. federal censuses for the state of Texas from 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920. The 1890 census has been destroyed. The 1890 Union veterans schedule and index are available at the Family History Library and at the National Archives.

Statewide indexes are available for the 1850 and 1860 censuses in book and microfiche format. There are statewide indexes for 1870 and 1880 in book form. A Soundex (phonetic) index is available on microfilm for part of the 1880 and all of the 1900, 1910, and 1920 censuses. Many county indexes are available for the 1870 census.

Mortality schedules exist for the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses. The schedules for 1850, 1860,and 1870 are indexed in book format. The schedules and indexes are available at the Family History Library. The original records are at the Texas State Library. There are also copies at the National Archives.

Republic and State

Several censuses were taken in Texas prior to statehood, including censuses taken of many municipalities, and of some mission and military districts between 1792 and 1836. Many of the surviving records have been published, along with information from other records made at the time, in the following sources:

Mullins, Marion D. The First Census of Texas, 1829-1836: To Which are Added Texas Citizenship Lists, 1821-1845, and Other Early Records of the Republic of Texas. Washington, DC: National Genealogical Society, 1962. (FHL book 976.4 X2mm; film 844966.)

White, Gifford E. 1830 Citizens of Texas. Austin, Texas: Eakin Press, 1983. (FHL book 976.4 X2wh; fiche 6051297.)

Jackson, Ronald Vern. Texas, 1830-1839, Census Index. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1981. (FHL book 976.4 X2j 1830-1839.)

Jackson, Ronald Vern, et al. Texas, 1840-49. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1981. (FHL book 976.4 X2j 1840-1849.)

The available mission censuses have been translated and are available on microfilm at the University of Texas, Institute of Texas Cultures, San Antonio, Texas.

School censuses were taken in 1854 and 1855 by some counties. The original records are at the Texas State Archives. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of some school censuses. They are listed in the catalog under TEXAS, [COUNTY] - CENSUS.

Web Sites

http://www.archives.gov/

http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/

http://www.texancultures.utsa.edu/