Texas, Matagorda County, School Census Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of school census records for Matagorda County, Texas for the years 1923 to 1946. The records are arranged by race, "colored" and "white", and then alphabetically by surname.

The listing of school-aged children is a common practice throughout the United States. The records are usually compiled on a yearly basis. School records helped local governments determine funding needs for individual schools. The information is usually reliable although the ages are sometimes off by a year and legal guardians may be confused with parents.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Name of county, town and school district
 * Surname and Christian name of child
 * Child's date of birth, age and gender
 * Names of parents or guardians
 * Parents' residence or post office address

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the child
 * The approximate years they attended school

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record, if you can, to verify the information and to find additional information.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your record
 * Use the ages listed to determine approximate birth dates and find the family in additional censuses
 * Use the information found in the record to find church and vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Texas.
 * Texas Guided Research
 * Texas Record Finder
 * Texas Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Texas Research, 1880-Present

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.