Real County, Texas Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Real County Courthouse PO Box 656 Leakey, TX 78873-0656 Phone: 830.232.6888 County Clerk has birth, marriage, death, divorce, probate and land records from 1913

County and District Clerk

P.O. Box 750 Leakey 78873 Phone: 830-232-5202

Real County has been home to two courthouses. A temporary courthouse was erected on the town square in 1913 after Real County was organized. In 1917 construction began on the current Real County Courthouse. The Ransom Courthouse Annex was opened in 1978, housing some of the county's government functions.

Real County Courthouse County Clerk - Bella A. Rubio P. O. Box 750 Leakey, TX 78873 830-232-5202 Fax: 830-232-6888

Real County Government Website

History
1762--Comanche, Apache and Lipan-Apache settlements preceded the establishment of the Spanish Mission of San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz in 1762. Anglo-American settlement began in 1857.

Real County is named for Julius Real (1860-1944), a former member of the Texas State Senate.

Parent County
1913--Real County was created 3 April 1913 from Bandera, Kerr, and Edwards Counties.
 * County seat: Leakey

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

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:

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

Neighboring Countes
Bandera •  Edwards  •  Kerr  •  Uvalde

African American

 * 1865-1870 Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records (images) - FamilySearch

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

Additional Cemetery Sources


 * Leakey Floral Cemetery Booklet available from the Real County Historical Museum. Rio County Cemetery Books - may also still be available from the Real County Historical Museum - Book One: Frio Canyon Cemeteries (within Real County), 1864-1997; Old small cemeteries in Real County; Book Two: Leakey Floral Cemetery; Book Three: Rio Frio Cemetery.
 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Texas Escapes Listing of Texas cemeteries with transcriptions and lots of pictures.

Church

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

Land

 * Land Survey Abstract Indicies ~ USGenWeb Archives Project

Local Histories

 * Wagons Ho, A History of Real County, 1995, by Marjorie Kellner. A history of Real County. Available from the Real County Historical Museum
 * Tragedy at the McLaurin Ranch, by Margaret McLaurin Henderson. Available from the Real County Historical Museum
 * Old Timers by Florence Fenley Book. Available from the Real County Historical Museum
 * Breaks of the Balcones, 1967, by Allan A. Stovall.
 * Nueces Headwater Country, 1959, by Allan A. Stovall.
 * Real County Bibliography Books written about Real County from the Real County TXGenWeb site.
 * Real County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.
 * Real County Historical Museum website
 * Texas Museums ~  List of all museums in Texas  ~  Hidden Ancestors

Maps

 * 1915 Real County 1915 Land Office Map online from the Portal to Texas History
 * Historical Maps ~ From the Republic to the Turn of the Century ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 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 1845-1848 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

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Korean War

 * Real 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 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — 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 to 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

 * 1968-2010 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
Real County Public Library 225 Main St Leakey, TX 78873 Telephone Number: 830-232-5199 Website

Camp Wood Public Library 106 Nueces St Camp Wood, TX 78833 Telephone Number: 830-597-3208

Real County Historical Museum Located 1/2 block North of the Real County Courthouse on Evergreen Street in Downtown Leakey PO Box 852 Leakey, TX 78873 Telephone Number: 830-232-5330 E-mail:[mailto:realmuseum@hctc.net realmuseum@hctc.net] Website


 * Society Hill ~  Links and addresses to Texas genealogical and historical societies

Websites

 * Real County Archives ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Real County TXGenWeb Site
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
 * 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.