Willacy County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Willacy County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Texas Online Genealogy Records

Description
The County was named for state senator John G. Willacy. The County is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Willacy County Courthouse Courthouse Annex Building 190 North 3rd Street Raymondville, Texas 78580 Phone: 956.689.2710 County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, probate and court records from 1921 and land records from 1891

County Clerk

540 W. Hidalgo St. Raymondville 78580 Phone: 956-689-2710

District Clerk

546 W. Hidalgo St. Raymondville 78580 Phone: 956-689-2532 Fax: 956-689-5713

Willacy County's first courthouse is now located in Kenedy County. When Willacy County was organized in 1911, Sarita was selected as the county seat. In 1917, construction began on a three-story Classic Revival style courthouse. In 1921, Kenedy County was organized out of the northern part of Willacy County; Sarita and the new courthouse were now part of Kenedy County. Raymondville was selected as the county seat; and construction began on a new courthouse, a Classic Revival style building is a grand three-story brick structure with limestone details. This courthouse continues to serve Willacy County.

Willacy County Courthouse County Clerk - Hon. Terry Flores 576 W. Main St. Raymondville, Texas 78580 Office (956) 689-2710 Fax (956) 689-9849 Willacy County Government Website

Parent County
1911--Willacy County was created 11 March 1911 from Hidalgo and Cameron Counties.
 * County seat: Sarita, 1911-1921; Raymondville, 1921-present.

Boundary Changes
1921 -- Northern part of Willacy County became Kenedy County.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Populated Places
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:

Neighboring Counties
Cameron •  Hidalgo  •  Kenedy

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Church
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Local Histories

 * Texas' Last Frontier: A Brief History of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, 1917; reprinted, 1962; by Frank Cushman Pierce, Rio Grande Valley Historical Society.
 * The Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, 1954, by J. Lee and Lillian J. Stambaugh.
 * A Century of Service: The History of the Catholic Church in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, 1979, by Gilberto Rafael and Martha Oppert Cruz.
 * Willacy County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.

Maps

 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site.
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Mexican-American War

 * 1845 - 1848 - US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry.com — index $

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Online Newspapers
 * Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Taxation

 * 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at findmypast ($) — index and images

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1840-1981 Texas, Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index)- FamilySearch
 * 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Marriage
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 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1966-2010 Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010  -  FamilySearch record collection
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death

 * 1890-1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 [with images] Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976. The name index has been created by Family Search and is tied to images of the Texas death certificates. Few certificates are available prior to 1903.
 * 1903-1973 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1964-1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.

Divorce

 * 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005  (index)  - Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Societies and Libraries
Reber Memorial Library 193 N 4th St Raymondville, TX 78580 Website

Websites

 * Willacy County TXGenWeb
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county
 * — The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.