Census

1820 - 1839

These are not true census indexes in that they don't actually index an official census, but rather primary and secondary sources where individual people are named or stated to be in Texas at a particular time period. The sources indexed are listed in the books.

Located in the general stacks, Willis Library

Texas 1820 - 1829 Census Index F385 .T4812 1981
Texas 1830 - 1839 Census Index F385 .J15 1982
Texas 1840 - 1849 Census Records, Volume 1 F385 .T4814 1981 v.1

1840 - 1920

The following printed indexes for the Texas censuses are available for the years 1850 through 1880 at the Microforms Reference Desk, Lower Level, Willis Library.

Texas 1850 Census Index Microforms RefDesk F385 .T4815 1984
Texas 1860 Census Index Microforms RefDesk F385 .T482 1985
Texas 1870 Microforms RefDesk F385 .J17 1987
Texas 1880 Federal Census Index Microforms RefDesk F385 .T4828 1989

Located on the Internet

This is a free resource available to any one on any computer with access the Internet.

Family History Library's 1880 U.S. Census Index  <http://www.familysearch.org>
"Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and others volunteered to do the indexing for the1880 U.S. Census, which took 17 years" and was previously only available on CD-Rom.

Located in Rare Books, 4th floor, Willis Library.

1890 Texas Census Index of Civil War Veterans or Their Widows Rare Books Ref E494 .D585 1992
Note: The UNT Libraries do not own the actual 1890 census, just this index.

Soundex - Texas

Where to find the Soundex for Texas What is the Soundex:

For the years 1880 through 1920, a special index was created called the Soundex - a system that groups surnames by sound rather than by spelling. All Soundex codes have an initial letter followed by three numbers. The 1880 Soundex includes only families with children under 10 years of age. In 1910, some states use a Miracode index rather than the Soundex. The Miracode is just a modified version of the Soundex with the difference being that the Miracode shows visitation numbers of the household rather than the line and page number shown on the Soundex. Note: All Soundex and Miracode indexes are only available on microfilm.

The Soundex for the 1900 and 1910 Texas census is available in the Microforms area of Willis Library, located on the Lower Level. Note: The UNT Libraries only owns the partial 1920 Soundex for Texas. There is no Soundex for the 1930 Texas census.

Soundex Guides and Conversion Programs

How to decipher the Soundex

Located in Government Documents, 3rd floor, Willis Library Using the Census Soundex GovDocs Ref AE 1.113:55/997

Located on the Internet

These are free resources available to any one on any computer with access to the Internet

RootsWeb's Soundex Converter  http://resources.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/soundexconverter

Yet Another Soundex Converter (YASC)  http://www.bradandkathy.com/genealogy/yasc.html

Texas Census Records available at UNT

Texas related census type records available here.

1790 - 1840

Though the federal decennial census began in 1790, there are no federal censuses available for Texas before 1850 because Texas didn't become a state until 1845. No censuses were taken under the Republic of Texas (1836-45) although tax rolls can serve as a substitute for those years. Consult Ancestry's Red Book Ref CS49 .A55 1991 for a discussion of the various censuses taken under the Spanish and Mexican governments. These volumes also serve as substitutes for these years. Much like the indexes for this time period, these volumes take names from primary and secondary sources other than actual census records.

Published records for this period

Located in Rare Books, 4th floor, Willis Library

1830 Citizens of Texas Rare Books Ref F385 .W52 1983
1840 Census of the Republic of Texas Texana F390 .W59
Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families: From the Originals in the General Land Office, Austin, Texas Rare Books Ref F385 .A895 1996

Located in General Stacks, 2nd floor, Willis Library

Citizens of the Republic of Texas Ref F385 .C57 1979

1850 - 1930

Available on microfilm in the Microforms department, lower level, Willis Library.

1850, Free Schedules, M432, Rolls 908 - 916
1860, Free Schedules, M653, Rolls 1287 - 1308
1870, M593
1880, T9
1900, T623; Soundex, T1073
1910, T624; Soundex, T1277
1920, T625; Soundex, M1589
1930, T626

Slave schedules

1850, M432, Rolls 917 - 918
1860, M653, Rolls 1309 - 1312

Accessible from the Electronic Resources database
Note: If you are not currently affiliated with UNT, you must be on campus to use this database.

HeritageQuest Online
Currently HeritageQuest Online has the census images for the state of Texas for the years 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragments), 1910, 1920, and 1930. Not all censuses are available for searching but all are available for browsing.

 Non-Population Census Schedules for Texas, 1850 - 1880

"Non-population census schedules consist of agricultural, mortality, industry/manufactures, and defective, dependent, and delinquent classes schedules as well as social statistics. The Bureau of the Census did not take all of these censuses in all years. All but social statistics include names." The UNT Library does not own any of the 1850 - 1880 mortality schedules for the state of Texas.

Agricultural

Data about farms that met certain dollar value production; includes the name of the owner, agent or tenant along with information about acreage, livestock, and produce

1850, T1134, Rolls 2 - 3 No Roll 1 exists for microfilm publication T1134
1860, T1134, Rolls 3 - 7
1870, T1134, Rolls 7 - 12
1880, T1134, Rolls 13 - 44

Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes

Data collected only in 1880 about the insane, "idiots", deaf-mutes, the blind, homeless children in institutions, prisoners, and paupers and indigents.

1880, T1134, Rolls 49 - 52 UNT does not own roll 53 which completes the series

Industry/Manufacturers

Data about various manufacturing, mining, fishers and other mercantile, commercial and trading businesses; type of institutions enumerated and information collected varied from year to year.

1850, T1134, Roll 45
1860, T1134, Rolls 45 - 46
1870, T1134, Rolls 47 - 49

Social Statistics

Generally provide data on crime, real estate, wages, churches, schools, newspapers, libraries, and public debt. No names are included.

1850, T1134, Roll 44
1860, T1134, Rolls 44 - 45
1870, T1134, Roll 45

Other State's Census Records available at UNT

Other states microfilmed census records available and Electronic resources access.

The UNT Libraries own some census records for other states for the years 1790 – 1820 only. The Microfilm may be found in the Microforms deparment, lower level, Willis Library and the print resources may be found in the Government Documents department Location, 3rd floor, Willis Library, GovDocs Reference C.311: Additionally other states' census records may be found through HeritageQuest Online.

Connecticut (1790 – 1820 Microfilm; 1790 Print)
Delaware (1800 – 1820 Microfilm)
District of Columbia (1800, 1820 Microfilm)
Georgia (1820 Microfilm)
Illinois (1820 Microfilm)
Indiana (1820 Microfilm)
Kentucky (1810 – 1820 Microfilm)
Louisiana (1810 – 1820 Microfilm)
Maine (1790 – 1820; Microfilm; 1790 Print)
Maryland (1790 – 1820 Microfilm; 1790 Print)
Massachusetts (1790 – 1820 Microfilm; 1790 Print)
Mississippi (1820 Microfilm)
New Hampshire (1790 – 1820 Microfilm)
New York (1790 – 1820 Microfilm; 1790 Print)
North Carolina (1790 – 1820; Microfilm; 1790 Print)
Ohio (1820 Microfilm)
Pennsylvania (1790 – 1820 Microfilm; 1790 Print)
Rhode Island (1790 – 1820 Microfilm; 1790 Print)
South Carolina (1790 – 1820 Microfilm; 1790 Print)
Tennessee (1810 – 1820 Microfilm)
Vermont (1790 – 1820 Microfilm; 1790 Print)
Virginia (1810 – 1820 Microfilm; 1790 Print)

Abstract of All Original Texas Land Titles Comprising Grants and Locations to August 31, 1941 GovDocs Ref TxD L600.8 Ab89
The major guide to land records in Texas.

Abstract of All Original Texas Land Titles...: Supplement GovDocs Ref TxD L600.8 Ab89 Suppl
UNT owns supplements A - E and I.

Texas Land Grant Maps.
Search under the title "Land Grant Maps Tex" to locate all 271 county maps in the online catalog. These maps may be used with Abstracts of All Original Grants and Locations Comprising Texas Land Titles and its supplements.

Guide to Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in South Texas. TxD L600.5 G941s 1988
Revision of V. Taylor's Index to Spanish and Mexican Land Grants; includes an index to grants by family and ranch names.

Texas Family Land Heritage Registry. TxD A900.5 F21 12 vols.
Documents histories of farms and ranches that have been in continuous agricultural operation by the same family for at least 100 years.

Bounty and Donation Land Grants of Texas, 1835 - 1888 Ref UB374 .T4 M5
Name index to military bound and donation land grants of Texas. Those from 1835 through 1846 are available online at <http://www.mindspring.com/~dmaxey/home.htm>.

This is a free resource available to any one on any computer with access to the Internet.

Texas Land Grants
<http://www.glo.state.tx.us/archives/landgrant.html>
Comprehensive information about the types of land grants offered by Texas throughout history.

The Public Lands of Texas, 1519-1970 HD243 .T4 M55
Background information on the public lands in Texas.

They Also Served: Texas Service Records From Headright Certificates F385 .T53 1991
Texas veterans eligible for First Class Land Grants in 1838.

Other States

Located in the general stacks, Willis Library

The New American State Papers: Public Lands HD171 .A222 1973 8 vols.

Drawn together from the original American State Papers published between 1832 and 1861, the serial volumes of the official documents of the U.S. Congress, and the Legislative Records Section of the National Archives and Records Administration.

Federal Land Series KF5675 .A73 S6 4 vols.
"A Calendar of Archival Materials on the Land Patents issued by the United States Government, with subject, tract, and name indexes." Catalogs and describes over 14,000 documents created between 1788 and 1835 and indexes over 35,000 individuals named in those records. Primarily covers Ohio but also includes patents for settlers in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, and Tennessee.

The Susquehanna Company Papers F157 .W9 S97 10 vols.
The Company dealt with Connecticut's distribution of land in Pennsylvania to over 5,000 settlers; documents are drawn form public and private sources and each volume is individually indexed.

Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in California HD211 .C2 A93 1973

Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico and Colorado HD211 .N6 S67

The Promised Land: The History of the South Carolina Land Commission, 1869-1890 F266 .T7 no.1
Explanation of records produced by this commission that assisted approximately 14,000 black families settle in South Carolina.

HD211 English Crown Grants for Parishes of St. David, St. Patrick, St. Thomas [and] St. Mary in Georgia, 1755-1775 .G4 H45

The Preston and Virginia Papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts 977.5 W753pc v.1
Taken from a calendar from the Draper Manuscripts Collection; frequently notes land records.

English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records 975.5 D455e
Lists the 1704 quitrents of Virginia among other records.

The Vestry Book of the Upper Parish, Nansemond County, Virginia,1743-1793 975.5 Up6v

First Settlers of South Carolina, 1670-1680 F266 .S6 no.1
Table of names taken from a variety of sources; when available, the information includes names, family members, occupation and title, servants and slaves, and plaice of origin and date of arrival.

Located in Government Documents, 3rd floor, Willis Library

The Territorial Papers of the United States S 1.36:4 and S 1.36:5
Official records of various Federal territories that eventually became states. The types of items of interest to genealogists include letters, maps, postal schedules, muster rolls, appointments, voter lists, jury lists, and petitions to Congress. The Territorial Papers cover areas that had a sparse population and where there may be no local records. Additionally, they cover a time period before federal census records. Texas is not covered in this series, but territories covered that may be of interest include Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri, as well as many others.

Located on the Internet

This is a free resource available to any one on any computer with access to the Internet.

The Official Federal Land Patents Records Site (General Land Office Records at the Bureau of Land Management)
<http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/>
Access to Federal land conveyance records for the Public Land States with image access to more than two million Federal land title records for Eastern Public Land States, issued between 1820 and 1908. Images of Serial patents (land titles issued between 1908 and the mid-1960's) are currently being added to this web site. Due to organization of documents in the GLO collection, this site does not currently contain every Federal title record issued for the Public Land States. A source of information on the initial transfer of land titles from the Federal government to individuals. In addition to verifying title transfer, this information will allow the researcher to associate an individual (Patentee, Assignee, Warrantee, Widow, or Heir) with a specific location (Legal Land Description) and time (Issue Date).