Tarrant County, Texas Genealogy - FamilySearch

United States Texas Tarrant County

Guide to Tarrant County, Texas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Texas Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Fort Worth Organized: August 5, 1850 Parent County(s): Navarro Neighboring Counties Dallas • Denton • Ellis • Johnson • Parker • WiseSee County Maps Courthouse Location Map

Contents

• 1 County Information
  • 1.1 Description
  • 1.2 County Courthouse
  • 1.3 Tarrant County, Texas Record Dates
  • 1.4 Record Loss
  • 1.5 Boundary Changes
  • 1.6 Populated Places
  • 1.7 History Timeline
• 2 Resources
  • 2.1 Bible Records
  • 2.2 Biographies
  • 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
  • 2.4 Cemeteries
  • 2.5 Census Records
  • 2.6 Church Records
  • 2.7 Court Records
  • 2.8 Directories
  • 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
  • 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
  • 2.11 Funeral Homes
  • 2.12 Genealogies
  • 2.13 Guardianship
  • 2.14 Land and Property Records
  • 2.15 Local Histories
  • 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
  • 2.17 Migration
  • 2.18 Military Records
  • 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
  • 2.20 Newspapers
  • 2.21 Obituaries
  • 2.22 Other Records
  • 2.23 Periodicals
  • 2.24 Probate Records
  • 2.25 School Records
  • 2.26 Social Security Records
  • 2.27 Tax Records
  • 2.28 Vital Records
    • 2.28.1 Birth
    • 2.28.2 Marriage
    • 2.28.3 Death
    • 2.28.4 Divorce
• 3 Research Facilities
  • 3.1 Archives
  • 3.2 FamilySearch Centers
  • 3.3 Libraries
  • 3.4 Museums
• 4 Societies
• 5 Websites
• 6 Research Guides
• 7 References

County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

The county was named for General Edward H. Tarrant of the Republic of Texas militia. The county is located in the north-central area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Tarrant County Courthouse100 E WeatherfordFort Worth, TX 76196Phone: 817-884-1195Tarrant County Website County Clerk has birth, marriage, land and probate records from 1876 and death records from 1903. District Clerk has divorce and court records, 1860 census missing.[2]

Tarrant County, Texas Record Dates[edit | edit source]

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]

Records	Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
Dates	1876	1876	1903	1876	1876	1876	1829
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1903. General compliance by the 1930s.

Record Loss[edit | edit source]

The courthouse had a fire in March 1876 that destroyed most early records. Some probate records of deceased individuals were saved. For details see 1876 Court House Fire For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see: Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle. When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog. Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. List of counties in the United States with Record Loss

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

Parent County(s): Created from Navarro County on December 20, 1849. County Seat: Fort Worth[4] Texas Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county Texas Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Texas county boundary changes

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
Arlington Azle‡ Bedford Benbrook Blue Mound Burleson‡ Colleyville Crowley‡ Dalworthington Gardens Euless Everman Forest Hill	Fort Worth‡ (county seat) Grand Prairie‡ Grapevine‡ Haltam City Haslet‡ Hurst Keller Kennedale Lake Worth Mansfield‡ Newark‡	North Richland Hills Pelican Bay Reno‡ Richland Hills River Oaks Saginaw Sansom Park Southlake‡ Watauga Westworth Village White Settlement
Towns
Edgecliff Village Flower Mound‡ Lakeside	Pantego Trophy Club‡	Westlake‡ Westover Hills
Unincorporated communities
Alliance‡ Avondale Boss	Eagle Acres Lake Crest Estates	Lake Forest Lake Shore Estates
Census-designated places
Briar‡ Pecan Acres‡	Rendon	Eagle Mountain‡‡
Historic communities
Belt Junction Bisbee Bransford	Center Point Ederville Garden Acres	Handley Johnsons Station
Ghost towns
Birds	Dido

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

‡‡ Previously considered a census-designated place

History Timeline[edit | edit source]

Resources[edit | edit source]

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

Biographies[edit | edit source]

Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Tombstone Transcriptions Online

• Find a Grave
• BillionGraves
• Tombstone Transcription Project
• TX Gravestones Photo Projec
• Cemeteries of TX
• USGenWeb Archives
• TXGenWeb
• Interment.net
• Names in Stone

Tombstone Transcriptions in Print

• FamilySearch Library
• WorldCat

List of Cemeteries in the County

• Find a Grave

Additional Cemetery Sources

• Johnson Station Cemetery at teafor2. Alphabetical listing with grave marker photos

Census Records[edit | edit source]

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	664	—
1860	6,020	806.6%
1870	5,788	−3.9%
1880	24,671	326.2%
1890	41,142	66.8%
1900	52,376	27.3%
1910	108,572	107.3%
1920	152,800	40.7%
1930	197,553	29.3%
1940	225,521	14.2%
1950	361,253	60.2%
1960	538,495	49.1%
1970	716,317	33.0%
1980	860,880	20.2%
1990	1,170,103	35.9%
2000	1,446,219	23.6%
2010	1,809,034	25.1%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

• 1850 1850 Census of Tarrant County at TXGenWeb
• 1880 1880 Tarrant County Mortality Schedules at TXGenWeb
• 1850-1930 USGenWeb Census Project — Texas

Church Records[edit | edit source]

• See Texas Church Records for more information.

• Catholic Parishes in Texas
• Christian Church Directory for Texas at ChurchFinder
• Catholic Parishes in Texas

• 1851-1981 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S., Episcopal Church Records, 1851-1981 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Directories[edit | edit source]

• 1878-1823 Fold3.com ($) has Dallas City Directories 1878-1823 (8 yrs. missing) available online.
• 1940 Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, City Directory, 1940 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1956 Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, City Directory, 1956 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]

African Americans

• 1865-1870 Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Alpha Crematory Cremation Service in Grand Prairie Alpine Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Fort Worth Angel Hills Funeral Directors in Arlington Azle & Lake Worth Funeral Home in Azle Baker Funeral Home, Inc. in Fort Worth Bedford Memorial Funeral Home in Bedford Biggers Funeral Home in Fort Worth Blessing Funerals & Cremations in Mansfield Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home & Memorial Park in Colleyville Brown Family Crematory in Fort Worth Brown Owens & Brumley Family Funeral & Crematory in Fort Worth Calvario Funeral Home & Cremations in Fort Worth Caring Hands Cremations in Mansfield Carrillo Funeral Home in Fort Worth Carrillo Funeral Home in Grand Prairie Celebration of Life-Funeral Memorial Service in Hurst Church Angels Funeral Home in Fort Worth DFW Arlington National Funeral Home in Fort Worth Golden Gate Funeral Home in Fort Worth Grand Prairie Funeral Home in Grand Prairie Greenwood Funeral Homes and Cremation in Fort Worth Gregory W. Spencer Funeral Directors in Fort Worth Guardian Funeral Home in Fort Worth Guerrero - Dean Funeral Home in Grand Prairie Harper & Lucas Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Fort Worth Harris Family Funeral Home in Fort Worth Hawkins Family Funeral Home in Fort Worth J.E. Foust & Son Funeral Directors in Grapevine Jim's Funeral Home in Hurst Keller's Old Town Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Keller Kramer Funeral & Cremation in Hurst Laurel Land Funeral Home & Memorial Park in Fort Worth Lone Star Cremation in Mansfield Lucas Funeral Homes in Burleson Lucas Funeral Homes in Grapevine Lucas Funeral Homes in Hurst Lucas Funeral Homes in Keller Lucy Mortuary and Cremation in Fort Worth Mansfield Funeral Home & Cremations in Mansfield Martin Thompson & Son Cremation & Funerals in Fort Worth Moore Bowen Road Funeral Home in Arlington Morris-Bates Funeral Home in Fort Worth My Funeral Home - Mid-Cities Chapel in Hurst Neptune Society in Fort Worth Noble Cremations in Pantego Nueva Vida Funeral Home in Arlington Roberts Family Funeral Home in Fort Worth Serenity Funerals & Cremations in Fort Worth Shannon Rose Hill Funeral Chapel & Cemetery in Fort Worth Shannon Rufe Snow Drive Funeral Chapel in Fort Worth Skyvue Funeral Home in Mansfield T and J Family Funeral Home in Fort Worth T and J Family Funeral Home in Hurst The Major Funeral Home & Chapel in Arlington The Major Funeral Home & Chapel in Grand Prairie Tree of Life Funeral Directors, LLC in Fort Worth Wade Funeral Home & Crematory in Arlington White's Funeral Homes in Azle Williams & Lucas Funeral and Cremation Services in Fort Worth Winscott Road Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Benbrook

Genealogies[edit | edit source]

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]

• See Texas Land and Property for more information.

Online Land Indexes and Records

• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

Local histories are available for Tarrant County and may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information.

• See Texas Local Histories for more information.

• 1841 Tarrant County, Texas is located directly west and is adjacent to Dallas and the largest community in the county today is Fort Worth. The first settlement was in 1841.
• Tarrant County Bibliography at TXGenWeb
• Weldon G Cannon History Files - collection of files of Euless and surrounding communities

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Click a neighboring county for more resources

• Texas Land Survey Maps for Tarrant County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
• Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the Texas Genweb site
• Map of 1897 Tarrant County, Texas with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration[edit | edit source]

Military Records[edit | edit source]

• 1838-1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry ($) — index & images

Mexican-American War

• 1845-1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry ($) — index

Civil War

• 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images at partner site
• 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images at partner site
• Confederate Pension Applications at Texas State Library and Archives Commission
• Muster Roll of the Tarrant County Hussars Mounted Infantry C.S.A., Tarrant County, Texas at TXGenWeb
• Civil War Veteran's of Tarrant County at TXGenWeb

World War I

• 1917-1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

• w3newspapers-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
• 1800s-Current Texas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

• Tarrant County Obituaries at TXGenWeb
• USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project - Texas
• Obituary Daily Times - Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function at Ancestry ($).

Other Records[edit | edit source]

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Probate records of Texas counties were kept by the probate clerk, usually in "probate minutes."

• See Texas Probate Records for more information.

• 1800-1990 Texas Probate Records, 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
• 1800-2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
• Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records at Ancestry ($)
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

School Records[edit | edit source]

Social Security Records[edit | edit source]

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry - index ($), click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records[edit | edit source]

• See Texas Taxation for more information.

• 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at Findmypast - index & images ($)

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

Vital Records of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths were recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. Copies can be obtained from the County Clerk's office, or order certified copies online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. See Texas Vital Records for more information.

Birth[edit | edit source]

• 1903-1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Key to Texas County Codes; Also at: Ancestry ($)
• 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926-1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Marriage[edit | edit source]

• 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index
• 1814-2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry ($) — index
• 1837-1965 Texas Marriages, 1837-1965 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1837-1965 Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1837-1965 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1837-1973 Texas Marriages, 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1837-1977 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry ($) — index
• 1876-1900 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records at Ancestry ($) — index & images
• 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1948 - Present Tarrant County Vital Records at Tarrant County — index & images
• 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death[edit | edit source]

• 1890-1976 Few certificates are available prior to 1903 and in many counties prior to 1910. Fold3.com ($) has Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 available online.
• 1903-2000 Texas Death Index, 1903-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1964-1998 Texas Death Index, 1964-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1977-1986 Texas Deaths, 1977-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Divorce[edit | edit source]

• 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Research Facilities[edit | edit source]

Archives[edit | edit source]

National Archives at Forth Worth1400 John Burgess DrFort Worth, TX 76140Phone:817-551-2051Email: [email protected]

FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

• FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• Arlington Texas FamilySearch Center
• Azle Texas FamilySearch Center
• Burleson Texas FamilySearch Center
• Fort Worth Texas FamilySearch Center
• Hurst Texas FamilySearch Center
• Grapevine Public Library - an affiliate library
• Fort Worth Public Library - an affiliate library
• Southlake Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries[edit | edit source]

Fort Worth LibraryWebsite

Museums[edit | edit source]

Societies[edit | edit source]

Fort Worth Genealogical SocietyBox 471789Ft Worth, TX 76147-1408 Website Tarrant County Black History and Genealogical SocietyFt Worth, TX 76105Website

Websites[edit | edit source]

• Tarrant TX GenWeb part of TXGenWeb
• Tarrant USGWArchives part of USGWArchives Texas Counties
• Frontier Times Magazine
• Historic Texas
• FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Tarrant, Texas" in "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarrant_County,_Texas. accessed 11/26/2019
2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tarrant County, Texas. Page 674 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tarrant County, Texas . Page 658-677 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library 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.
4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
5. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Tarrant County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarrant_County,_Texas, Last accessed 26 August 2019.