Kenedy County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Kenedy 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 Mifflin Kenedy, an early area rancher and steamboat operator. The County is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Kenedy County Courthouse PO Box 37 Sarita, TX 78385 Phone: 361.294.5220 County Clerk has birth records from 1926, marriage records from 1923, death records from 1929, divorce and court records from 1914, probate and land records

County and District Clerk

P.O. Box 227 Sarita 78385 Phone: 361-294-5220

''Inventory of county records, Kenedy County Courthouse, Sarita, Texas. ''Digital book online from the Portal to Texas History.

Parent County
1921--Kenedy was organized and created 2 April 1921 from Willacy, Hidalgo, and Cameron Counties.
 * County seat: Sarita

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:

Neighboring Counties
Brooks •  Hidalgo  •  Kleberg  •  Willacy

Local Histories

 * The King Ranch, 1957, 2 volumes, by Tom Lea.
 * Texas' Last Frontier: A Brief History of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, 1917, reprinted 1962; by Frank Cushman Pierce, Rio Grande Valley Historical Society.
 * Kenedy County History from the Handbook of Texas Online.

Maps

 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site.

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry.com — index and images $

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

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index) - FamilySearch
 * 1803-1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1840-1981 Texas, Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 - 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 $
 * 1966-2010 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 $
 * 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

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

Websites

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