Cooke County, Texas Genealogy

United States

Texas

Cooke County

Guide to Cooke 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: Gainesville Organized: 10 March, 1849 Parent County(s): Fannin Neighboring Counties Denton • Grayson • Love (OK) • Marshall (OK) • Montague • Wise See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

County Information

Description

The county was named for William Gordon Cooke, a soldier during the Texas Revolution. The county is located in the north-central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Cooke County Courthouse
101 Dixon St
Gainesville, TX 76240
Phone: 940-668-5500
Cooke County Website

County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage, probate, court and land records from 1850.
District Clerk has divorce records.

Cooke County, Texas Record Dates

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
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1903	1850	1903	1850	1850	1850	1829
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1903. General compliance by the 1930s.

Record Loss

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

Boundary Changes

Parent County(s): Created from Fannin County, on 20 Mar 1848. County Seat: Gainesville 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

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:

Cities
Callisburg Gainesville (county seat)	Lindsay Muenster	Valley View
Towns
Oak Ridge
Unincorporated communities
Bulcher Burns City Dexter Era Hood Leo	Lois Marysville Moss Lake Mountain Springs Myra Pioneer Valley	Prairie Point Rosston Sivells Bend Walnut Bend Woodbine
Census-designated places
Lake Kiowa

Resources

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Cooke County, Texas online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find a Grave TX Gravestones TX Tombstone Transcription Project BillionGraves Cemeteries of TX USGenWeb Archives TXGenWeb Interment.net Names in Stone
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find a Grave FamilySearch Places
See Texas Cemeteries for more information.

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	220		—
1860	3,760		1,609.1%
1870	5,315		41.4%
1880	20,391		283.7%
1890	24,696		21.1%
1900	27,494		11.3%
1910	26,603		−3.2%
1920	25,667		−3.5%
1930	24,136		−6.0%
1940	24,909		3.2%
1950	22,146		−11.1%
1960	22,560		1.9%
1970	23,471		4.0%
1980	27,656		17.8%
1990	30,777		11.3%
2000	36,363		18.1%
2010	38,437		5.7%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

• 1850 1850 Federal Tax Index - USGenWeb Archives Project
• 1860 1860 Federal Census - USGenWeb Archives Project

Church Records

• See Texas Church Records for more information.

• Christian Church Directory for Texas at ChurchFinder (by Town/City)
• Catholic Parishes in Texas

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
  

Directories

• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African American

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

Funeral Homes

Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home in Gainesville Meador Funeral Home in Gainesville Texoma Cremations in Gainesville

Land and Property Records

• See Texas Land and Property for more information.

• 1895-1924 Texas, Cooke County, Deeds, 1895-1924 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• Original Land Owners of Texas - USGenWeb Archives Project
• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Local Histories

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

• See Texas Local Histories for more information.

• Cooke County Bible Records - USGenWeb Archives Project
• Historical Markers in Cooke County - USGenWeb Archives Project
• 1913, 1914, 1916 Myra High School Graduations - USGenWebs Archive Project
• 1945-1991 County Officials- USGenWeb Archives Project
• 1849-1948 County Officials - USGenWeb Archives Project
• 1849-1991 County Commisioners - USGenWeb Archives Project

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Texas Land Survey Maps for Cooke County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
• 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 Records

• 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 and images at partner site
• 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
• Confederate Pension Applications Index - USGenWeb Archives Project
• Co A 2nd Texas Partisan Rangers USGenWeb Archives Project

World War I

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

Naturalization and Citizenship

• 1906-1989 Texas Naturalization Records, 1906-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Newspapers

• 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 ($)

Probate Records

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 ($)
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Social Security Records

• 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

• See Texas Taxation for more information.

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

Vital Records

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

• 1873-1876 Texas, Cooke County, Birth Records 1873-1876 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1903-1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and 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

• 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
• 1800-1990 Texas Probate Records, 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
• 1814-2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1837-1965 Texas Marriages, 1837-1965 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
• 1837-1965 Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1837-1973 Texas Marriages, 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1837-1977 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1849-1873 Marriages 1849-1873 - USGenWeb Archives Project
• 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)

Death

• 1890-1976 Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1903-1973 Texas Deaths and Burials, 1903-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 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 and images

Divorce

• 1968-2010 Divorces - USGenWeb Archives Project
• 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)

Research Facilities

FamilySearch Centers

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

• Denton Texas FamilySearch Center
• Gainesville Texas FamilySearch Center
• Denton Public Library - multiple locations - an affiliate library
• Sherman Public Library - an affiliate library

Museums

Morton Museum of Cooke County
210 S Dixon
Gainesville, TX 76240
Phone: 940-668-8900
Website

Societies

Crosstimbers Genealogical Society
PO Box 197
Gainesville, TX 76240
Website

North Central Texas College has a genealogical section in its library supported by Cross Timbers Genealogical Society.

Websites

• Cooke TX GenWeb, part of TX GenWeb.
• USGenWeb 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.

This table contains the dates the local or state government began recording in the county or county equivalent. Use substitute records for earlier dates. If you believe there is an error, email us at wikisupport@familysearch.org.

County boundary maps are currently unavailable. Download information instead.

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

Users should verify which locations and dates are included in this collection.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.

“Current” indicates records are available as recently as privacy laws allow. This date can change from year to year. To determine the exact dates available, contact the respective organization/repository.

FamilySearch affiliate libraries may have access to center-only databases, but do not always have all services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.