Ector County, Texas Genealogy

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

County Facts
County seat: Odessa
Organized: 6 January 1891
Parent County(s): Tom Green
Neighboring Counties
AndrewsCraneMidlandUptonWardWinkler
See County Maps
Courthouse
Texas, Ector County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Tx-ector.png

County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

The county was named for Mathew Ector, a Confederate general in the American Civil War. The county is located in the west-central area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Ector County Courthouse
300 N Grant Ave
Odessa, TX 79761
Phone: 432-498-4110
Ector County Website

County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, burial, probate, court and land records from 1896.
District Clerk has divorce records[2]

Ector 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]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1896 1896 1896 1896 1896 1896 1829
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1903. General compliance by the 1930s.

Record Loss[edit | edit source]

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

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

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
Unincorporated communities
Census-designated places
Ghost towns
  • Metz
  • North Cowden
  • Prairie Home
  • Scharbauer
  • Smith Chapel
  • Turnbaugh Corner

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

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]

Cemeteries of Ector County, Texas online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Texas Cemeteries for more information.


Census Records[edit | edit source]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1890 224
1900 381 70.1%
1910 1,178 209.2%
1920 760 −35.5%
1930 3,958 420.8%
1940 15,051 280.3%
1950 42,102 179.7%
1960 90,995 116.1%
1970 91,805 0.9%
1980 115,374 25.7%
1990 118,934 3.1%
2000 121,123 1.8%
2010 137,130 13.2%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".


Church Records[edit | edit source]

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Directories[edit | edit source]

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

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

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Genealogies[edit | edit source]

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

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

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Andrews CountyMartin CountyMidland CountyUpton CountyCrane CountyWard CountyWinkler CountyTX ECTOR.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration[edit | edit source]

Military Records[edit | edit source]

Mexican-American War

Civil War

World War I

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

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."

School Records[edit | edit source]

Social Security Records[edit | edit source]

Tax Records[edit | edit source]

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]

Marriage[edit | edit source]

Death[edit | edit source]

Divorce[edit | edit source]

Research Facilities[edit | edit source]

Archives[edit | edit source]

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

Libraries[edit | edit source]

  • Ector County Public Library
    321 West 5th Street
    Odessa, Texas 79761
    Phone: 432-332-0633
    Website

Museums[edit | edit source]

Societies[edit | edit source]

  • Permian Basin Genealogical Society
    c/o Ector County Library
    622 North Lee
    Odessa, TX 79761
    Website

Websites[edit | edit source]

Research Guides[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Wikipedia contributors, "Ector County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ector_County,_Texas. accessed 08/08/2019
  2. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Ector County, Texas. Page 663 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), Ector 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, "Ector County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ector_County,_Texas, accessed 4 April 2019.