El Paso County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to El Paso County, Texas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information
Description
The county was named for "El Paso del Norte", which is Spanish for "The Pass of the North". It is named for the pass the Rio Grande creates through the mountains on either side of the river. The county is located in the west-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
El Paso County Courthouse
500 E San Antonio Ave
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: 915-546-2000
El Paso County Website
County Clerk has birth, death, and burial records from 1903, marriage records from 1880, military discharge records from 1919, probate and land records[3]
El Paso 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.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1903 | 1884 | 1903 | 1884 | 1884 | 1884 | 1829 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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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:[7]
| Cities | ||
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| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| American Indian Communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1860 | 4,051 | — |
| 1870 | 3,671 | −9.4% |
| 1880 | 3,845 | 4.7% |
| 1890 | 15,678 | 307.8% |
| 1900 | 24,886 | 58.7% |
| 1910 | 52,599 | 111.4% |
| 1920 | 101,877 | 93.7% |
| 1930 | 131,597 | 29.2% |
| 1940 | 131,067 | −0.4% |
| 1950 | 194,968 | 48.8% |
| 1960 | 314,070 | 61.1% |
| 1970 | 359,291 | 14.4% |
| 1980 | 479,899 | 33.6% |
| 1990 | 591,610 | 23.3% |
| 2000 | 679,622 | 14.9% |
| 2010 | 800,647 | 17.8% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1860 Census images - El Paso County at: Internet Archive
- 1870 Census images - El Paso County at: Internet Archive
Church Records
- See Texas Church Records for more information.
Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- El Paso
- El Paso Dist
- Emery
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records
Directories
- 1947 El Paso, Texas, City Directory, 1947 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
- 1909-1924 Texas, El Paso Alien Arrivals, 1909-1924 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1924-2954 Texas, Manifests of Permanent and Statistical Alien Arrivals at El Paso, 1924-1954 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1945-1952 Texas, El Paso, Applications for Non-Resident Aliens Border Crossing Identification Cards, 1945-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
- 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
Local histories are available for El Paso County and may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information.
- See Texas Local Histories for more information.
El Paso County is located in the far south western corner of Texas where the states of New Mexico and Texas, and the country of Mexico meet.
El Paso, Texas, is presently its largest city. Across the Rio Grande is Chihuahua's largest city, Ciudad Juarez. Today it is a major international port of entry, and from its earliest days has been a significant customs and immigrations checkpoint between the United States and Mexico.
- The City and county of El Paso, Texas : containing useful and reliable information concerning the future great metropolis of the Southwest ... 1886, El Paso Bureau of Information. Digital book online from archive.org.
- The Land Where We Live: El Paso del Norte, 1973, by Conrey Bryson.
- Pass of the North: Four Centuries on the Rio Grande, 2 vols., 1968, 1980, by Charles Leland Sonnichsen.
- El Paso: A Borderlands History, 1990, by W. H. Timmons.
- Souvenir of the city of El Paso, Texas. Photo-gravures. Digital book online at archive.org.
- San Elizario, 1973, by Eugene O. Porter.
- The El Paso Salt War, 1877, published in 1957 by Charles Leland Sonnichsen. Digital book on line at archive.org.
- Forty years at El Paso, 1858-1898; recollections of war, politics, adventure, events, narratives, sketches, etc., 1901by W. W. Mills Digital book online at The Portal to Texas History.
- El Paso County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- 1865 Best Route for the Movements of Troops from San Antonio to El Paso, Texas 1865 from the A.R. Roessler Collection, Texas State Archives.
- 1891-1939 El Paso - Fort Bliss Main Post Historic District, 1891-1939 from the Amon Carter Museum.
- 1897 El Paso County, 1897 with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
- 1908 El Paso Quadrangle 1908 Shows contour lines, elevations, rivers, creeks, towns, cities, roads, buildings, schools, and railroads. Covers part of El Paso County.
- 1920 El Paso 1920 Automobile Blue Book Map from the Amon Carter Museum.
- 1940 El Paso County General Highway Map 1940
- 1940 El Paso General Highway Map 1940 shows detail of the City of El Paso and vicinity.
- 1961 El Paso County General Highway Map 1961
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
- 1838-1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Mexican-American War
- 1845-1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry — index ($)
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
World War I
- 1917-1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- El Paso Herald, selected issues on line 1910-1914 from the Portal to Texas History.
- Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
Naturalization and Citizenship
- 1906-1989 Texas Naturalization Records, 1906-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Newspapers
- 1800s-Current Texas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries
Other Records
Periodicals
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 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — 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 — ($) index & images
Vital Records
Vital Records of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths were recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. Copies can be obtained from the County Clerk's office, or order certified copies online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. See Texas Vital Records for more information.
Birth
- El Paso County Birth Records Search from EPCounty.com, the official county government website.
- 1840-1981 Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1903-1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Key to Texas County Codes; Also at: Ancestry ($)
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926-1995 at MyHeritage — index ($)
Marriage
- 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- El Paso County Marriage Records Search from EPCounty.com, the official county government website
- 1814-2011 Texas Marriage Collection 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 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
Death
- El Paso County Death Records Search from EPCounty.com, the official county government website.
- 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 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1964-1998 Texas Death Index, 1964-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1977-1986 Texas Deaths, 1977-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Divorce
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1968-2011 Texas Divorces at Ancestry — index ($)
Research Facilities
Archives
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
- El Paso Texas FamilySearch Center
- El Paso Texas 1st & 3rd FamilySearch Center
- El Paso Texas Mount Franklin FamilySearch Center
- Hondo Pass Texas FamilySearch Center
- Mission Trail/Socorro Texas FamilySearch Center
Libraries
El Paso Genealogical Society
501 North Oregon
El Paso, Texas 79902
Phone: 915-543-5440
Website
El Paso County Historical Society
603 Yandell Drive
El Paso, TX 79940
Phone: 915-533-3603
website
San Elizario Gen. And Historical Society
1521 San Elizario Rd.
San Elizario, Texas
Phone: 915-851-1682
website
Museums
El Paso Museum of History
510 N. Santa Fe
El Paso, TX 79901
Phone: 915-351-3588
website
Societies
El Paso Genealogical Society
501 North Oregon
El Paso, Texas 79902
Phone: 915-543-5440
Website
El Paso County Historical Society
603 Yandell Drive
El Paso, TX 79940
Phone: 915-533-3603
website
San Elizario Gen. And Historical Society
1521 San Elizario Rd.
San Elizario, Texas
Phone: 915-851-1682
website
Websites
- El Paso TX GenWeb part of TXGenWeb
- El Paso 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
References
- ↑ https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm#EL%20PASO
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "El Paso County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Paso_County,_Texas. accessed 08/08/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), El Paso County, Texas. Page 663 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), El Paso 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.
- ↑ Newberry
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "El Paso County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Paso_County,_Texas, accessed 4 April 2019.