Zavala County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Zavala 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 Lorenzo de Zavala, Mexican politician, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, and first vice president of the Republic of Texas. The first permanent settlements occurred in the late 1860's. Zavala County was attached for judicial purposes to Uvalde, Maverick and Frio counties before it was separately organized. Zavala county was misspelled "Zavalla" when the county was created in 1858; the spelling error was not corrected by the Texas Legislature until 1929. [1] The county is located in the south-central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse
Zavala County Courthouse
200 E Uvalde St
Crystal City, TX 78839
Phone: 830-374-2331
Zavala County Website
County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, probtate and court records from 1884, land and military records. District Clerk has divorce records[3]
Zavala 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 |
| 1884 | 1884 | 1884 | 1884 | 1838 | 1884 | 1829 |
Record Loss
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
|
Populated Places
|
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog | |
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 | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Sources
Census Records
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 26 | ||
| 1870 | 138 | 430.8% | |
| 1880 | 410 | 197.1% | |
| 1890 | 1,097 | 167.6% | |
| 1900 | 792 | −27.8% | |
| 1910 | 1,889 | 138.5% | |
| 1920 | 3,108 | 64.5% | |
| 1930 | 10,349 | 233.0% | |
| 1940 | 11,603 | 12.1% | |
| 1950 | 11,201 | −3.5% | |
| 1960 | 12,696 | 13.3% | |
| 1970 | 11,370 | −10.4% | |
| 1980 | 11,666 | 2.6% | |
| 1990 | 12,162 | 4.3% | |
| 2000 | 11,600 | −4.6% | |
| 2010 | 11,677 | 0.7% | |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | |||
- 1850-1930 USGenWeb Census Project Texas
- 1860 Zavala County Census
- 1870 Zavala County Census
- 1880 Zavala County Census
- 1900 Zavala County Census
- 1910 Zavala County Census
Church Records
- See Texas Church Records for more information.
- Catholic Parishes in Texas
- 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 American
- 1865-1870 Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
Funeral Homes
Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
- See Texas Land and Property for more information.
- Zavala County Land Grant Index
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Zavala County and may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information.
- See Texas Local Histories for more information.
- Historical Notes on Zavala County, 1986, by Ernest Holdsworth, Zavala County Historical Commission.
- Now and Then in Zavala County, 1985, by the Zavala County Historical Commission.
- Zavala County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
Maps and Gazetteers
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
- 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 at Texas State Library and Archives Commission
- Zavala County Confederate Pension Claims
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 ($)
Obituaries
- USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project - Texas
- Obituary Daily Times - Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function at Ancestry ($).
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 ($)
- 1814-2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1837-1965 Texas Marriages, 1837-1965 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1837-1965 Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1837-1973 Texas Marriages, 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1837-1977 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 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
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
- 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry — index ($)
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
Libraries
Museums
Societies
Western Texas Genealogical Association
1918 23rd St
Snyder, TX 79549
Facebook
Southwest Texas Genealogical Society
c/o Ector County Library
321 West 5th St
Odessa, TX 79761
Phone: 432-332-0633 ext 2112
Website
Websites
- Zavala TX GenWeb part of TXGenWeb
- Zavala 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
- ↑ Handbook of Texas Online: Zavala County http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcz02
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Zavala, Texas" in "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zavala_County,_Texas. accessed 11/27/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Zavala County, Texas. Page 677 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Zavala 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.
- ↑ 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, "Zavala County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zavala_County,_Texas, Last accessed 30 August 2019.