TXGenWeb Counties

Texas originally had 22 municipios, set up under Spanish/Mexican governments and were largely the areas claimed by the American colonizers. These divisions became counties and have been divided into much smaller counties over the years. After independence, the Republic added 27 more counties and the remainder have been added since statehood. The last NEW county to be created was Kenedy in 1921 but Loving was abolished in 1897 and then reorganized in 1931.

Texas currently has 254 counties and there have been at least 32 other counties that no longer exist. We include them here in case you find them on a record somewhere.
County Date Formed Parent County County Seat Coordinators
Anderson 1846 Houston Palestine Laura Gregory Roberts
Andrews 1875 Bexar Andrews adoptable county
Angelina 1846 Nacogdoches Lufkin Carla & Billy Clifton
Aransas 1871 Refugio Rockport Jimmy Epperson
Archer 1858 Fannin Archer City Dorman Holub
Armstrong 1876 Bexar Claude Gina Heffernan
Atascosa 1856 Bexar Jourdanton Donna Schulte Loth
Austin 1837 Old Mexican Municipality Bellville T J Elias
Bailey 1876 Bexar Muleshoe adoptable county
Bandera 1856 Bexar, Uvalde Bandera Donna Schulte Loth
Bastrop 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Bastrop Tammy New
Baylor 1858 Fannin Seymour Dorman Holub
Bee 1857 Goliad, Live Oak, Refugio, San Patricio Beeville adoptable county
Bell 1850 Milam Belton Joe Deaver
Bexar 1836 Old Mexican Municipality San Antonio Jimmy Epperson
Blanco 1858 Burnet, Comal, Gillespie, Burnet Johnson City Catherine Schwarz
Borden 1876 Bexar Gail Norman Newton
Bosque 1854 McLennan, Milam Meridian Gayle Triller
Bowie 1840 Red River New Boston A J Aaron
Brazoria 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Angleton Clarissa Loyd
Brazos 1841 Robertson, Washington Bryan Trey Holt
Brewster 1887 Presidio Alpine Gina Heffernan
Briscoe 1876 Bexar Silverton adoptable county
Brooks 1911 Hidalgo, Starr, Zapata Falfurrias adoptable county
Brown 1856 Comanche, Travis Brownwood adoptable county
Buchanan 1858-1861 renamed Stephens in 1861 Breckenridge
Buchel 1887-1897 ** never organized **
Burleson 1846 Milam, Washington Caldwell Gayle Triller
Burnet 1852 Bell, Travis, Williamson Burnet adoptable county
fostered by Jane Keppler
Caldwell 1848 Gonzales Lockhart Virginia Sofge &
Nancy Hickman
Calhoun 1846 Jackson, Matagorda, Victoria Port Lavaca Donna Conner
Callahan 1858 Bexar, Bosque, Travis Baird adoptable county
Cameron 1848 Nueces Brownsville Gina Heffernan
Camp 1874 Upshur Pittsburg Anita Nolan
Carson 1876 Bexar Panhandle Eireann Brooks &
LaRae Halsey-Brooks
Cass 1846 Bowie Linden Anita Nolan
Castro 1876 Bexar Dimmitt adoptable county
Chambers 1858 Jefferson, Liberty Anahuac Carla & Billy Clifton
Cherokee 1846 Nacogdoches Rusk Gordon Bennett
Childress 1876 Bexar, Youngland District Childress Patsy Vinson
Cibilo 1869-1874 renamed Wilson in 1874
Clay 1857 Cooke Henrietta Patsy Vinson
Cochran 1876 Bexar Morton Helen McKnight
Coke 1889 Tom Green Robert Lee Brenda Hines &
Wanda Brewer
Coleman 1858 Brown, Travis Coleman Ralph Terry
Collin 1846 Fannin McKinney Paula Perkins
Collingsworth 1876 Bexar, Youngland District Wellington adoptable county
Colorado 1837 Old Mexican Municipality Columbus Rox Ann Johnson
Comal 1846 Bexar, Gonzales, Travis New Braunfels Donna Schulte Loth
Comanche 1856 Bosque, Coryell Comanche Chris Morton
Concho 1858 Bexar Paint Rock Donna Seago
Cooke 1848 Fannin Gainesville Norman Newton
Coryell 1854 Bell Gatesville Chris Morton
Cottle 1876 Fannin Paducah adoptable county
Crane 1887 Tom Green Crane Laura Gregory Roberts
Crockett 1875 Bexar Ozona adoptable county
Crosby 1876 Bexar Crosbyton Linda Hughes
Culberson 1911 El Paso Van Horn Gina Heffernan
Dallam 1876 Bexar Dalhart adoptable county
Dallas 1846 Nacogdoches, Robertson Dallas Jimmy Epperson
Davis 1861-1871 name changed to Cass in 1871
Dawson 1876 Bexar Lamesa adoptable county
Deaf Smith 1876 Bexar Hereford adoptable county
Delta 1870 Hopkins, Lamar Cooper Betsy Mills
Denton 1846 Fannin Denton adoptable county
DeWitt 1846 Goliad, Gonzales, Victoria Cuero Donna Schulte Loth
Dickens 1876 Bexar Dickens Linda Hughes
Dimmit 1858 Bexar, Maverick, Uvalde, Webb Carrizo Springs Tom Graham
Donley 1881 Jack Clarendon Eireann Brooks &
LaRae Halsey-Brooks
Duval 1858 Live Oak, Nueces, Starr San Diego adoptable county
Eastland 1858 Bosque, Coryell, Travis Eastland Wanda Brewer
Ector 1887 Tom Green Odessa adoptable county
Edwards 1858 Bexar Rocksprings Gayle Triller
El Paso 1850 Bexar El Paso Gina Heffernan
Ellis 1849 Navarro Waxahachie Joe Deaver
Encinal 1856 ** never organized ** incorporated into Webb County in 1899
Erath 1856 Bosque, Coryell Stephenville Debra Zitzelberger
Falls 1850 Limestone, Milam Marlin Clarissa Loyd
Fannin 1837 Red River Bonham Suzie Henderson
Fayette 1837 Bastrop, Colorado La Grange Rox Ann Johnson
Fisher 1876 Bexar Roby adoptable county
Floyd 1876 Bexar Floydada Gina Heffernan
Foard 1891 Cottle, Hardeman, King, Knox Crowell Rebecca Maloney
Foley 1887-1897 ** never organized **
Fort Bend 1837 Austin Richmond adoptable county
Franklin 1875 Titus Mount Vernon adoptable county
Freestone 1850 Limestone Fairfield Cheryl Burks
Frio 1858 Atascosa, Bexar, Uvalde Pearsall adoptable county
Gaines 1876 Bexar Seminole adoptable county
Galveston 1838 Brazoria Galveston Gina Heffernan
Garza 1876 Bexar Post Joe Lyman
Gillespie 1848 Bexar Fredericksburg Donna Schulte Loth
Glasscock 1887 Tom Green Garden City adoptable county
Goliad 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Goliad adoptable county
Gonzales 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Gonzales Donna Schulte Loth
Gray 1876 Bexar Pampa Eireann Brooks &
LaRae Halsey-Brooks
Grayson 1846 Fannin Sherman Susan Hawkins
Greer
historical site
1860-1896 Indian Territory Mangum Historical Site
Gregg 1873 Rusk, Upshur Longview Anita Nolan
Grimes 1846 Montgomery Anderson Vanessa Burzynski
Guadalupe 1846 Bexar, Gonzales Seguin Donna Schulte Loth
Hale 1876 Bexar Plainview Joe Lyman
Hall 1876 Bexar, Young Memphis Darren McCathern
Hamilton 1858 Bosque, Comanche, Lampasas Hamilton Chris Morton
Hansford 1876 Bexar, Young Spearman Eireann Brooks &
LaRae Halsey-Brooks
Hardeman 1858 Fannin Quanah Kimm Antell
Hardin 1858 Jefferson, Liberty Kountze adoptable county
Harris 1836 Harrisburg Municipality Houston Gina Heffernan
Harrisburg 1836-1839 renamed Harris in 1839
Harrison 1839 Shelby Marshall Anita Nolan
Hartley 1876 Bexar, Young Channing adoptable county
Haskell 1858 Fannin, Milam Haskell adoptable county
Hays 1848 Travis San Marcos adoptable county
Hemphill 1876 Bexar, Young Canadian adoptable county
Henderson 1846 Houston, Nacogdoches Athens Laura Gregory Roberts &
Jane Keppler
Hidalgo 1852 Cameron Edinburg Gina Heffernan
Hill 1853 Navarro Hillsboro Patsy Vinson
Hockley 1876 Bexar, Young Levelland Joe Lyman
Hood 1865 Johnson Granbury adoptable county
Hopkins 1846 Lamar, Nacogdoches Sulphur Springs Betsy Mills
Houston 1837 Nacogdoches Crockett Carla & Billy Clifton
Howard 1876 Bexar, Young Big Spring adoptable county
Hudspeth 1917 El Paso Sierra Blanca Gina Heffernan
Hunt 1846 Fannin, Nacogdoches Greenville Jeff Kemp
Hutchinson 1876 Bexar Stinnett Eireann Brooks &
LaRae Halsey-Brooks
Irion 1881 Tom Green Mertzon adoptable county
Jack 1856 Cooke Jacksboro Sue Tackel &
Dr David E Pitts
Jackson 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Edna Carol Gibbs
Jasper 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Jasper Carla Clifton &
Jane Keppler
Jeff Davis 1887 Presidio Fort Davis Gina Heffernan
Jefferson 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Beaumont adoptable county
fostered by Carla & Billy Clifton
Jim Hogg 1913 Brooks, Duval Hebbronville adoptable county
Jim Wells 1911 Nueces Alice adoptable county
Johnson 1854 Ellis, Hill, Navarro Cleburne Jimmy Epperson
Jones 1858 Bexar, Bosque Anson Dorman Holub
Karnes 1854 Bexar Karnes City Kimm Antell
Kaufman 1848 Henderson Kaufman Patsy Vinson
Kendall 1862 Blanco, Kerr Boerne Catherine Schwarz
Hal Harwell &
Kenedy 1921 Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy Sarita adoptable county
Kent 1876 Bexar, Young Jayton Gayle Triller
Kerr 1856 Bexar Kerrville Donna Schulte Loth
Kimble 1858 Bexar Junction adoptable county
King 1876 Bexar Guthrie adoptable county
Kinney 1850 Bexar Brackettville Gina Heffernan
Kleberg 1917 Nueces Kingsville adoptable county
Knox 1858 Bexar, Young Benjamin Shawn Hughes
La Baca 1842 Created AND abolished in 1842 then remade as La Vaca (Lavaca) in 1846
La Salle 1858 Bexar, Webb Cotulla Tom Graham
Lamar 1840 Red River Paris Betsy Mills
Lamb 1876 Bexar Littlefield Helen McKnight
Lampasas 1856 Bell, Travis Lampasas Donna Schulte Loth
Lavaca 1846 Colorado, Gonzales, Jackson, Victoria Hallettsville adoptable county
Lee 1874 Bastrop, Burleson, Fayette, Washington Giddings Jane Keppler
Leon 1846 Robertson Centerville Cheryl Burks
Liberty 1836 Old Spanish Municipality Liberty Carla & Billy Clifton
Limestone 1846 Robertson Groesbeck Cheryl Burks
Lipscomb 1876 Bexar Lipscomb Eireann Brooks &
LaRae Halsey-Brooks
Live Oak 1856 Nueces, San Patricio George West Vanessa Burzynski
Llano 1856 Bexar Llano adoptable county
Loving 1887 Tom Green Mentone Gina Heffernan
Lubbock 1876 Bexar, Crosby Lubbock Joe Lyman
Lynn 1876 Bexar Tahoka Jimmy Epperson
Madison 1854 Leon, Grimes, Walker Madisonville Pat Stephenson
Marion 1860 Cass Jefferson adoptable county
fostered by Jane Keppler
Martin 1876 Bexar Stanton adoptable county
Mason 1858 Gillespie Mason adoptable county
Matagorda 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Bay City Carol Gibbs
Maverick 1856 Kenedy Eagle Pass Gina Heffernan
McCulloch 1856 Bexar Brady adoptable county
fostered by Jane Keppler
McLennan 1850 Milam Waco adoptable county
McMullen 1858 Atascosa, Bexar, Live Oak Tilden adoptable county
Medina 1848 Bexar Hondo Donna Schulte Loth
Menard 1858 Bexar Menard Laura Gregory Roberts
Midland 1885 Tom Green Midland adoptable county
Milam 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Cameron Clarissa Loyd
Miller 1820-1836 ** claimed by Arkansas **
Mills 1887 Brown, Comanche, Hamilton, Lampasas Goldthwaite Rose Lee Head
Mitchell 1878 Bexar Colorado City adoptable county
Montague 1857 Cooke Montague Jeff Kemp
Montgomery 1837 Washington Conroe Jane Keppler &
Jean Huot Smoorenburg
Moore 1876 Bexar Dumas adoptable county
Morris 1875 Titus Daingerfield Gina Heffernan
Motley 1876 Bexar Matador adoptable county
Nacogdoches 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Nacogdoches Peggy Tebbetts
Navarro 1846 Robertson Corsicana Ed Williams
Navasota 1841-1842 name changed to Brazos in 1842 Boonville
Neches 1841-1842 ** never organized **
Newton 1846 Jasper Newton Eleanor Colson &
Carla Clifton
Nolan 1881 Bexar, Young Sweetwater Patsy Vinson
Nueces 1846 San Patricio Corpus Christi adoptable county
Ochiltree 1876 Bexar Perryton Eireann Brooks &
LaRae Halsey-Brooks
Oldham 1876 Bexar Vega adoptable county
Orange 1852 Jefferson Orange adoptable county
fostered by Carla & Billy Clifton
Palo Pinto 1856 Bosque, Navarro Palo Pinto Lela Evans
Panola 1846 Harrison, Shelby Carthage Gina Heffernan
Parker 1855 Bosque, Navarro Weatherford Lela Evans
Parmer 1876 Bexar Farwell adoptable county
Paschal 1841-1842 ** never organized **
Pecos 1871 Presidio Fort Stockton adoptable county
Polk 1846 Liberty Livingston Carla & Billy Clifton
Potter 1876 Bexar Amarillo Darren McCathern
Presidio 1852 Bexar Marfa Gina Heffernan
Rains 1870 Hopkins, Hunt, Wood Emory Patsy Vinson
Randall 1876 Bexar Canyon Darren McCathern
Reagan 1903 Tom Green Big Lake adoptable county
Real 1913 Bandera, Edwards, Kerr Leakey Rebecca Maloney
Red River 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Clarksville Patsy Vinson and
Debra Usry
Reeves 1883 Pecos Pecos adoptable county
Refugio 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Refugio adoptable county
Roberts 1876 Bexar Miami Eireann Brooks &
LaRae Halsey-Brooks
Robertson 1837 Milam Franklin Jane Keppler &
Jean Huot Smoorenburg
Rockwall 1873 Kaufman Rockwall Jeff Lowe
Runnels 1858 Bexar, Travis Ballinger adoptable county
Rusk 1843 Nacogdoches Henderson Gina Heffernan
Sabine 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Hemphill Peggy Tebbetts
San Augustine 1836 Old Mexican Municipality San Augustine Suzanne Sowell,
Connie Owens &
Jane Keppler
San Jacinto 1870 Liberty, Montgomery, Polk, Walker Coldspring Carla & Billy Clifton
San Patricio 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Sinton Jimmy Epperson
San Saba 1856 Bexar San Saba adoptable county
Schleicher 1887 Crockett Eldorado adoptable county
Scurry 1876 Bexar Snyder adoptable county
Shackelford 1858 Bosque Albany Gayle Triller
Shelby 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Center Suzanne Sowell &
Jane Keppler
Sherman 1876 Bexar Stratford adoptable county
Smith 1846 Nacogdoches Tyler Donna Conner
Somervell 1875 Hood, Johnson Glen Rose adoptable county
Spring Creek 1841-1842 ** never organized **
Starr 1848 Nueces Rio Grande City Gina Heffernan
Stephens 1858 Bosque Breckenridge Gayle Triller
Sterling 1841 Tom Green Sterling City adoptable county
Stonewall 1876 Bexar Aspermont adoptable county
Sutton 1840 Crockett Sonora adoptable county
Swisher 1876 Bexar, Young Tulia Sharon Bart
Tarrant 1849 Navarro Fort Worth adoptable county
Taylor 1858 Bexar, Travis Abilene adoptable county
Terrell 1905 Pecos Sanderson Gina Heffernan
Terry 1876 Bexar Brownfield Helen McKnight
Throckmorton 1858 Fannin Throckmorton Dorman Holub
Titus 1846 Bowie, Red River Mount Pleasant adoptable county
Tom Green 1874 Bexar San Angelo adoptable county
Travis 1840 Bastrop Austin Chris Morton
Trinity 1850 Houston Groveton Susanne Waller
Tyler 1846 Liberty Woodville Carla & Billy Clifton
Upshur 1846 Harrison, Nacogdoches Gilmer Anita Nolan
Upton 1867 Tom Green Rankin adoptable county
fostered by Carla & Billy Clifton
Uvalde 1850 Bexar Uvalde Donna Schulte Loth
Val Verde 1885 Crockett, Kinney, Pecos Del Rio Gina Heffernan
Van Zandt 1848 Henderson Canton Carla & Billy Clifton
Victoria 1836 Old Mexican Municipality Victoria adoptable county
Waco 1841-1842 ** never organized **
Walker 1846 Montgomery Huntsville adoptable county
Waller 1873 Austin, Grimes Hempstead adoptable county
fostered by Jane Keppler
Ward 1887 Tom Green Monahans adoptable county
Washington 1836 Texas Municipality Brenham Gayle Triller
Webb 1848 Bexar Laredo Gina Heffernan
Wegefarth 1873-1876 ** never organized **
Wharton 1846 Jackson, Matagordo Wharton T J Elias
Wheeler 1876 Bexar, Young Wheeler adoptable county
Wichita 1858 Youngland District Wichita Falls adoptable county
Wilbarger 1858 Bexar Vernon Rebecca Maloney
Willacy 1911 Cameron, Hidalgo Raymondville adoptable county
Williamson 1848 Milam Georgetown Kimm Antell
Wilson 1860 Bexar, Karnes Floresville Donna Schulte Loth
Winkler 1887 Tom Green Kermit adoptable county
Wise 1856 Cooke Decatur Sue Tackel &
Dr David E Pitts
Wood 1850 Van Zandt Quitman Carla & Billy Clifton
Yoakum 1876 Bexar Plains Joe Lyman
Young 1856 Bosque, Fannin Graham Dorman Holub
Zapata 1858 Starr, Webb Zapata Gina Heffernan
Zavala 1858 Maverick, Uvalde Crystal City Tom Graham