Fort Bend County, Texas Genealogy
(Redirected from Fort Bend County, Texas)
Guide to Fort Bend 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 a blockhouse at a bend of the Brazos River. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse
Fort Bend County Courthouse
1317 Eugene Heimann Cir
Richmond, TX 77469
Phone: 281-341-3710
Fort Bend County Website
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage and land records from 1838, probate records from 1836 and court records from 1876.[2]
Fort Bend 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 | 1838 | 1903 | 1876 | 1838 | 1836 | 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:[6]
| Cities | ||
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| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties.
±Former community annexed by Missouri City.
†Former community annexed by Sugar Land.
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
- Houston, Texas, Historic Hollywood Cemetery Records, 1895-2008 at Ancestry ($) - index & images.
Census Records
- 1850 Census Index by Surname at USGenWeb
- 1850 Census Pages at USGenWeb
- 1850-1930 USGenWeb Census Project Texas
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 16,538 | ||
| 1910 | 18,168 | 9.9% | |
| 1920 | 22,931 | 26.2% | |
| 1930 | 29,718 | 29.6% | |
| 1940 | 32,963 | 10.9% | |
| 1950 | 31,056 | −5.8% | |
| 1960 | 40,527 | 30.5% | |
| 1970 | 52,314 | 29.1% | |
| 1980 | 130,846 | 150.1% | |
| 1990 | 225,421 | 72.3% | |
| 2000 | 354,452 | 57.2% | |
| 2010 | 585,375 | 65.1% | |
Church Records
- See Texas Church Records for more information.
- Christian Church Directory for Texas at ChurchFinder
- 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
Court Records
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans
- African American Griots at USGenWeb
- Texas African American Genealogyat Access Genealogy
- 1865-1870 Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
- See Texas Land and Property for more information.
- Land Survey Abstract Indexes at USGenWeb
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Fort Bend County and may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information.
- See Texas Local Histories for more information.
- History of Fort Bend County,containing biographical sketches of many noted characters, 1904, by Andrew Jackson Sowell.
- The Book of Fort Bend County, 1926, compiled by S. A. McMillan.
- The History of Fort Bend County, 1822-1861, 1939 by Jim L. Bridges.
- Wharton's History of Fort Bend County, 1939, by Clarence Wharton.
- Fort Bend County Sesquicentennial, 1822-1972, 1972, by the Fort Bend County Sesquicentennial Association.
- The Jay Bird Democratic Association of Fort Bend County, 1979, by Pauline Yelderman.
- Fort Bend County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
Maps and Gazetteers
Click a neighboring county
for more resources
for more resources
- Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the Texas Genweb site
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
Texas Revolution
- 1835 - 1845 Index to the Military Rolls of the Republic of Texas 1835-1845 at Texas State Historical Association
- 1838-1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry ($) — index & images
Mexican-American War
- 1845-1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War at Ancestry ($) — index
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
- Civil War Indigent Families List at USGenWeb
- Confederate Pension Applications at USGenWeb
World War I
- 1917-1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- w3newspapers-Texas Newspaper Index with links
- Newslink-Texas Newspaper List (sorted by publication frequency)
- The Olden Times - Historic Texas News Online
- Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
- 1800s-Current Texas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries
- Fort Bend County Obituary Database searchable, online database of Fort Bend County related obituaries, from the Fort Bend County Libraries.
- USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project at Texas
- Obituary Daily Times, Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries at Ancestry
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 ($)— index & images
- Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records at Ancestry ($)
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
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
- 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 ($) — index
- 1814-2011 Texas Marriage Collection at Ancestry ($) — index
- 1837-1965 Texas Marriages, 1837-1965 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1837-1965 Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1837-1965 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 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 and images
- 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index at Ancestry ($) — index
- 1857-1965 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records at Ancestry ($) — index & images
- 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
Death
- 1890-1976 Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1903-1973 Texas Deaths and Burials, 1903-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates at Ancestry ($) — 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
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index
- 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1968-2011 [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8794 Texas Divorces at Ancestry ($) — 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
- Houston Texas FamilySearch Center
- Katy Texas FamilySearch Center
- Richmond Texas FamilySearch Center
- Shadowdale Texas FamilySearch Center
- Houston Public Library Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research - an affiliate library
Libraries
George Memorial Library
1001 Golfview Dr
Richmond, TX 77469
Phone: 281-342-4455
website
Museums
Societies
Sugar Land Historical Society
302 Oyster Creek
Sugar Land 77478-3225
Website
Websites
- Fort Bend TX GenWeb part of TXGenWeb
- Fort Bend USGWArchives part of USGWArchives Texas Counties
- Fort Bend County Libraries
- 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
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Fort Bend County, Texas," in https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Fort_Bend_County,_Texas_Genealogy. accessed 08/09/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Fort Bend County, Texas. Page 664 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Fort Bend 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.
- ↑ Handbook of Texas Online: Fort Bend County http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcf07
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Fort Bend County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Bend_County,_Texas, accessed 9 April 2019.