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Guide to Hidalgo County, Texas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Hidalgo county was named for Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, 1753-1811. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest known as the "Father of Mexican Independence," was born on May 8, 1753, at his father's hacienda near Guanajuato, Mexico.

County Courthouse
Hidalgo County Courthouse 100 N Closner Blvd Edinburg, TX 78539 Phone: 956-292-7090 Hidalgo County Courthouse County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, probate, court and land records. District Clerk has divorce records

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:

History Timeline
Hidalgo County has had four county seats: Edinburgh, Hidalgo, Hidalgo, Chapin (Edinburg). In 1852, the town of La Habitacion was renamed Edinburgh and became the county seat. Later, the name of the town was changed to Hidalgo. After a severe flood in 1886, the town was moved two miles north. Later, Edinburgh was moved away from the Rio Grande River - the present site and town of Hidalgo. In 1908, the town of Chapin became the county seat. In 1911, the town's name was changed to Edinburg. The last county courthouse in Hidalgo is still standing. Built in 1886, the building was once two story with a cupola; after a fire in the early 1900s, the building was repaired and rebuilt as one story.

Census Records

 * See also Using the Census to find other records about ancestors

Church Records

 * Texas Christian Church Directory at ChurchAngel
 * 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

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African Americans
 * 1865-1870 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * African American Griots at USGenWeb
 * AfriGeneas American Ancestored Genealogy; select Records then a collection
 * Texas African American Genealogy at Access Genealogy

Land and Property Records

 * Land Survey Abstract Indicies at USGenWeb Archives Project

Local Histories
1750 and 1883 Spanish mission and settlements were established by 1750 and Anglo-American settlements by 1883.


 * The Centennial Celebration of the Organization of Hidalgo County in Texas, 1952, by the Hidalgo County Centennial Corporation
 * The Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, 1954, by J. Lee and Lillian J. Stambaugh.
 * Hidalgo County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
 * Texas Indexes (about 20 counties) at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 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

Military Records

 * 1838-1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry — index and images ($)

 Mexican-American War
 * 1845-1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War at Ancestry — index ($)

 Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
 * 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
 * Confederate Pension Applicatons at USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Confederate Indigent Families USGenWeb Archives
 * Union Texas Volunteers 1st Regiment Hidalgo County TXGenWeb site
 * 1890 Veterans Schedule Census for Hidalgo County Hidalgo County TXGenWeb site

 World War I
 * 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

 World War II
 * Hidalgo County World War II Casualties (Four pages of names, be sure to click "next" at the bottom of the page to reach the name you are looking for). Access Genealogy website

 Korean War
 * Hidalgo County Korean War Casualties at USGenWeb Archives Project

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

Obituaries

 * USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project Texas
 * Obituary Daily Times Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function

Probate Records

 * 1800-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * 1800-2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records at Ancestry ($)

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 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 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Tax Records

 * 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at Findmypast — index and images ($)

Birth

 * 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1903-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage — index ($)

Marriage

 * 1800-1965 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index ($)
 * 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; 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 ($)
 * 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)

Death

 * 1890-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1903-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1903-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1964-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Divorce

 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry — index ($)

FamilySearch Centers

 * Brownsville Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Harlingen Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Hidalgo Texas FamilySearch Center
 * La Joya Texas FamilySearch Center
 * McAllen Texas West FamilySearch Center
 * Mission Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Rio Grande City Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Weslaco/Mercedes Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Central West Libraries - Forbes Library Branch - an affiliate library

Libraries
Alamo Public Library 416 N Tower Rd Alamo, TX 78516 Phone: 956-787-6160 Facebook

Donna Public Library 301 S Main St Donna, TX 78537 Phone: 956-464-2221 Website

Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library 1906 S Closner Blvd Edinburg, TX 78539 Phone: 956-383-6246 Website

Elsa Public Library 711 N Hidalgo St Elsa, TX 78543 Phone: 956-262-3061 Website

Hidalgo Public Library 710 E Texano Dr Hidalgo, TX 78557 Phone: 956-843-2093 Website

La Joya Municipal Library 925 S Leo Ave La Joya, TX 78560 Phone: 956-581-4533 Website

McAllen Memorial Library 601 N Main St McAllen, TX 78501 Phone: 956-688-3300 Website

Mercedes Memorial Library 434 S Ohio St Mercedes, TX 78570 Phone: 956-565-2371 Website

Pharr Memorial Library 121 E Cherokee Ave Pharr, TX 78577 Phone: 956-787-3966 Website

Speer Memorial Library 801 E 12th St Mission, TX 78572 Phone: 956-580-8750 Website

San Juan Public Library 1010 S Standard Ave San Juan, TX 78589 Phone: 956-702-0926 Website

Weslaco Public Library 525 S Kansas Ave Weslaco, TX 78596 Phone: 956-968-4533 Facebook

Museums
Museum of South Texas History 200 N. Closner Blvd. Edinburg, TX 78541 Phone: 956-383-6911 Website
 * The museum's Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archive holds an extensive collection of regional items, including maps, newspapers, books, genealogical material, audiovisual and digital material, and the largest collection of historical photographs within the lower Rio Grande Valley.

Websites

 * Hidalgo TX GenWeb part of TXGenWeb
 * Hidalgo USGWArchives part of USGWArchives Texas Counties
 * Frontier Times Magazine
 * Historic Texas
 * – 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.