Bandera County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Bandera County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. 

Description
The county was named for Bandera Pass, which in turn uses the Spanish word for flag. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
County District Clerk has birth and death records from 1904, m, div, land, pro, ct &amp; nat rec from 1856 &amp; mil dis rec from 1900 Bandera County has had two courthouses. The first one, built of limestone in 1869, is now a library. It is located on Maple Street, a block from the current courthouse. The current courthouse, also made from limestone, was built in 1890. Bandera County Courthouse County Clerk 500 Main Street P. O. Box 823 Bandera, Texas 78003
 * Bandera County Courthouse

Phone: 830-796-3332 Fax: 830-796-8323 Email: tandiem@banderacounty.org

District Clerk Bandera County Justice Center 3360 State Hwy. 173 North Suite 100 P.O. Box 2688 Bandera, Tx 78003-2688

Phone: 830-796-4606 Fax: 830-796-8499

Email: districtclerk@banderacounty.org The Bandera County Clerk's Office Inventory of the county archives of Texas : Bandera County, 1940. Inventory of records of housed in the Bandera County Courthouse as of 1936. Describes the records of the Commissioners Court, County Clerk as Recorder, District Court, County Court, Justice of the Peace Court, Sheriff, Tax Assessor-Collector, Board of Equalization, County Treasurer, County Board of School Trustees, County School Superintendent, County Surveyor, and Inspector of Hides and Animals (Defunct). Read the book online from The Portal to Texas History. History and Photographs of the Bandera County Courthouse

History
*The Flood of 1978

Parent County
1856--Bandera County was created 26 January 1856 from Bexar Land District.
 * County seat: Bandera

The county's name is derived from Spanish for "flag."

Bandera County History and Information

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Bandera County border changes.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Populated Places
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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Bandera County Towns and Geographical Places

Neighboring Counties
Bexar •  *Kendall •  Kerr •  Medina •  Real •  Uvalde

African American

 * 1865 - 1870 Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870(images) - FamilySearch
 * Texas African American Griots ~  USGenWeb
 * AfriGeneas ~  African Ancestored Genealogy

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Church

 * Churches, Organizations, Schools and Societies

Court

 * Crime and Punishment in Bandera County

Land

 * Bandera County Heritage Properties

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1906 - 1989  — index and images

Local Histories

 * Pioneer history of Bandera County : seventy-five years of intrepid history, 1922, by J. Marvin Hunter, A history of Bandera County from 1847 to 1922. Read the book online from The Portal to Texas History.
 * One Hundred Years in Bandera, 1853–1953, by J. Marvin Hunter.
 * History of Bandera County, Texas, 1986 by the Bandera County History Book Committee.
 * Bandera County History from The Handbook of Texas Online.
 * Families and People of Bandera County
 * Bandera County History
 * Old Photos of Bandera County Citizens
 * Bandera County Historical Photos from banderacounty.org
 * Trials and Tribulations on the Frontier

Maps

 * Bandera County Maps, Old and New

Military

 * Bandera County, TX Military Records and Databases

Mexican-American War

 * 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry.com — index $

Civil War
Online Records
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1838 - 1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

World War I

 * 1917-1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Off-line Newspaper Information

Online Newspapers


 * The Bandera Bulletin Newspaper
 * The Bandera County Courier Newspaper

Online Newspaper Abstracts

Newspaper Extracts and Abstracts in Book Form


 * Newspapers, Books and Libraries

Online Newspaper Archives

Wikipedia has a list of online newspaper archives for Texas.


 * Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has San Antonio newspapers from the late 1800's that may include residents from Bandera County.

Probate
Online Probate Records
 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * A Few Early Bandera County Probate Records
 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Vital Records

 * Bandera County Birth, Marriage, Divorce, Death and Obituaries

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1903 - 1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 1997 Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index only) - FamilySearch
 * A Few Early Bandera County Probate Records

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * 1802 - 2010 - Texas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1814 - 1909 and 1966 - 2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1837 - 1965 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1837 - 1973 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837 - 1977 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837 - 1977 - Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1966 - 2010 - Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010 - FamilySearch record collection

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890 - 1975 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 [with images]
 * 1903 - 1973 Texas Deaths and Burials 1903 - 1973 (index) -  FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 1973 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1964 - 1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 [no images]
 * 1977 - 1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $

Societies and Libraries
Lakehills Genealogy Society of Bandera County, Texas 7200 FM 1283 Lakehills, TX 78063 website

Medina Genealogy and Historical Society Medina Community Library PO Box 181 Medina, TX 78055 Telephone Number: 830-589-2825 website


 * Bandera County Libraries
 * Bandera Historical and Genealogical Societies

Websites

 * Bandera County TXGenWeb
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * USGenWeb Archives Project. Name indexes and other information.
 * The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
 * Cyndi's List - Links to state and county resources