Texas, Concho County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of records from Concho County, Texas, including deeds, deeds of trust, Probate Court minutes, and Probate Court case files. This collection is being published as images become available. The records cover the years 1849 to 2008.

Counties began recording vital records, court records, and land transactions soon after they were formed. The records were used to establish legal rights and to help track the population for health and taxation purposes. The records are generally well preserved and the information is fairly reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant. Some transcription errors may have occurred.

Record Content
The content of the records varies between record types. You may find any of the following:


 * Date of the event, transaction, or recording with the county
 * Names of individual, witnesses, family members, sometimes neighbors
 * Ages
 * Relationships
 * Residences
 * Occupations
 * Signature or mark
 * Legal descriptions of land
 * Amount of money exchanged as part of business transactions

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual or individuals such as the names of the bride and groom, the infant, the deceased, or grantor and grantees
 * The type of event
 * The approximate date and place where the event occurred

Search the Collection
To search the collection ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Record Category" ⇒Select the "Record Type, Volume, and Year Range" category which takes you to the images

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:


 * Use the age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the names, ages, residence church and census records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records.
 * The name of the officiator at a christening, marriage, or burial may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been born, married, or died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * The information in the records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

For a summary of this information along with additional research suggestions based on record types see the wiki article: United States, How to Use the Records Summary (FamilySearch Historical Records).

Related Websites
Concho County Texas Free Public Records

Related Wiki Articles

 * Concho County, Texas Genealogy
 * Texas Genealogy

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Image citation: