Hidalgo County, Texas Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Hidalgo County Courthouse County Clerk's Office 100 N. Closner P O Box 58 Edinburg, TX 78540 Phone: (956) 318-2100

County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, probate, court and land records; Distric Clerk has divorce records

County Clerk

P.O. Box 58 Edinburg 78540 Phone: 956-318-2100 Fax: 956-318-2105

District Clerk

P.O. Box 487 Edinburg 78540 Phone: 956-318-2200

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.

The 1908 Courthouse at Edinburg served the county for nearly 50 years. It was torn down in 1954, after the opening of the current modern structure.

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

Parent County
1852--Hidalgo County was created 24 January 1852 from Cameron and Starr Counties.
 * County seat: Edinburg

The 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.

Record Loss
1886--Flood destroyed the town of Hidalgo, which at that time was the county seat. Presumably, the courthouse was also destroyed or heavily damaged.

Places / Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog



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:

Neighboring Counties
Brooks •  Cameron  •  Kenedy  •  Starr  •  Willacy

African American

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

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Sources


 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Cemetery Junction ~  Links to cemetery transcriptions

Church

 * Texas Christian Church Directory~ ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in Texas

Land

 * Land Survey Abstract Indicies ~  USGenWeb Archives Project

Local Histories

 * 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 Museums ~  List of all museums in Texas  ~  Hidden Ancestors

Maps

 * Historical Maps ~  From the Republic to the Turn of the Century  ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the Texas Genweb site

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * Military Resources ~ Links to research Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Fallen Heroes ~ Partial Index of casualties from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Honoring Our Veterans ~ Partial index of veterans from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors

Mexican-American War

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

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission
 * Civil War Pension Applications ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Confederate Census Applications 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 — 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 ~ USGenWeb Archives Project

Newspapers

 * Home Town News -  Texas Newspaper Index with links
 * Newslink -  Texas Newspaper List (sorted by publication frequency)
 * The Olden Times  -   Historic Texas News Online

Obituaries

 * Obituary Resources ~ Links to research and locate obituaries ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project ~  Texas
 * Afrigeneas ~ African American death notices, obituaries and funeral programs compiled by users from current newspapers and historical sources
 * Obituary Depot ~ Texas Newspaper Citations
 * Obituary Project ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Obituary Daily Times ~ Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~ Ancestry.com (subscription)

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1903-1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index) - FamilySearch

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 $
 * 1966-2005 Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005 - Hidden Ancestors
 * 1966-2010 Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010 - FamilySearch record collection

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890-1976 Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 [with images] Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976. The name index has been created by FamilySearch and is tied to images of the Texas death certificates. Few certificates are available prior to 1903.
 * 1903-1973 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1903-2000 Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - FamilySearch
 * 1964-1998 Texas Death Index 1964-1998 [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005 - Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $


 * 1850-1930 USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850-1930

Societies and Libraries
Museum of South Texas History 200 N. Closner Blvd. Edinburg, Texas 78541 Telephone Number: 956-383-6911 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. The archive's holdings are a source of inspiration for the museum's exhibitions as well as for students, scholars, and others who conduct research here. website

Libraries
Alamo Public Library 416 N Tower Rd Alamo, TX 78516 Telephone Number: 956-787-6160 Website

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mercedes Memorial Library 434 S Ohio St Mercedes, TX 78570 Telephone Number: 956-565-2371

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

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

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

Weslaco Public Library 525 S Kansas Ave Weslaco, TX 78596 Telephone Number: 956-968-4533 Website

Family History Centers

 * McAllen Texas Family History Center
 * Mercedes Texas Family History Center

Museums
Museum of South Texas History 121 E McIntyre Edinburg, TX Phone: (956) 383-6911 Fax: (956) 381-8518 website

Donna Hooks Fletcher Museum 129 S. 8th Donna, Texas 78537 Phone: (956) 464-9989 website Wed-Friday 10:00am - 1:00pm, Sat 10:00am - 3:00pm

Websites

 * Hidalgo County Archives USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Hidalgo County TXGenWeb Site
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
 * Hidden Ancestors Information on Texas genealogy research as well as genealogy research in general.
 * USGenWeb Texas Archives Vital statistics, maps, obituaries, Bible records, tombstone transcriptions and many other records
 * The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.