Matagorda County, Texas Genealogy

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

Texas Online Genealogy Records

Description
The county was named for the canebrakes that once grew along the coast (Matagorda is a Spanish word meaning "thick bush"). The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Matagorda County Courthouse 1700 7th Street Bay City, TX 77414 Phone: 979.244.7680

County Clerk has birth records from 1903, marriage records from 1838, death records from 1917, land records from 1827, probate records form late 1800’s, military records from 1919 and court records from 1981



County Clerk

1700 Seventh St. 202 Bay City 77414 Phone: 979-244-7680 Fax: 979-244-7688

District Clerk

1700 Seven St. Room 307 Bay City 77414 Phone: 979-244-7621

Matagorda County Courthouse - today

County Clerk 1700 7th Street, Room 202 Bay City, TX 77414-5094 (979) 244-7680

District Clerk 1700 7th Street, Room 307 Bay City, TX 77414 (979) 244-7621

History
Part of Stephen F. Austin's Colony.


 * The Handbook of Texas Online - Matagorda County

Parent County
1836--Matagorda County was created 17 March 1836 from an Old Mexican Municipality.


 * County seat: Bay City

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

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

Places / Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog

Populated Places

 * Towns and Communities==== 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
Brazoria •  Calhoun  •  Jackson  •  Wharton

African-American Information

 * Matagorda County
 * Texas Slavery Project
 * Texas Domestic Slave Trade Project

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

Census

 * 1850 1850 Index
 * 1870 1870 African-American Families
 * 1870 1870 Palacios Point
 * 1880 1880 Search at FamilySearch
 * 1910 1910 Collegeport Community

Churches
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Matagorda County Churches
 * FamilySearch Places

Court

 * Brands and Marks
 * Early Probate Records
 * Naturalizations
 * Records on Microfilm

Historical Markers

 * Matagorda County Historical Markers
 * Texas Settlement Region

Local Histories

 * History Maker Biographies
 * Family Histories

Maps

 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the Texas Genweb site
 * Texas Historical Commission Atlas
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * General Military Links
 * War Casualties
 * Gold Star Mothers

Texas Revolution

 * Republic of Texas

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
 * Texas in the Civil War
 * Confederate Military Information

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Bay City Tribune
 * Matagorda County Advocate
 * Palacios Beacon
 * Newspapers Available at Matagorda County Museum
 * Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
 * Celebrations - Articles about events

Obituaries
For current obituaries see newspaper sites above


 * Obituaries -  Matagorda TXGenWeb

Photographs

 * Matagorda County Photographs - Matagorda TXGenWeb

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records


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

Schools

 * 1923-1946 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Matagorda Schools - Matagorda TXGenWeb
 * Texas, Matagorda County, School Census Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Taxation

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

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1840 - 1981 Texas, Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 - FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903 -1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903 - 1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index) - FamilySearch
 * 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index

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 at FamilySearch
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

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.
 * 1903 - 1973  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1964 - 1998 [no images]
 * 1977 - 1986  at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1986 - 2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005 (index) Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968 - 2010  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968 - 2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Voting

 * 1867 Voters' Registration
 * Women's Suffrage and 1918 Registration

Societies, Libraries and Museums
Matagorda County Genealogical Society 1100 Seventh Street Bay City, TX 77414-4915 E-mail:[mailto:mcgs@yahoo.com carolsgibbs@yahoo.com] Website

Matagorda County Historical Records PO Box 275 Blessing, TX 77419-0275 Website

Bay City Public Library 1100 7th St. Bay City, TX 77414 Website

Palacios Library 326 Main St. Palacios, TX 77465 Website

Matagorda County Museum 2100 Avenue F. Bay City, TX 77414 Website

City By the Sea Museum 401 Commerce Street Palacios, TX 77465 Website

Family History Centers

 * Alvin Texas Family History Center
 * Bay City Texas Family History Center
 * Beeville Texas Family History Center
 * Galveston Texas Family History Center
 * Lake Jackson Texas Family History Center
 * Yorktown Kenedy Texas Family History Center


 * Joe Barnhart Bee County Library - an affiliate library
 * Nesbitt Memorial Library - an affiliate library
 * Rosenberg Library - an affiliate library
 * Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center - an affiliate library

Websites

 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county
 * TXGenWeb - Matagorda County
 * Texas Historical Commission
 * — The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.