Texas Archives, Societies & Publications

It is a good idea to familiarize personally with just about any repository in Texas that you simply might travel to by communicating with to the best suited archive or library in advance.

Most, if not all, Texas repositories have written and published content that present its collections as well as research policy.

Texas archives and historical organizations usually have On-line sites that provide equivalent details. Several also contain down loadable data for some or parts of their collections.

List of Texas Archives

  • Texas State Library and Archives Commission, P.O. Box 12927, Austin, TX 78711-2927; Holdings under the auspices of the Texas State Library are divided. Most important for genealogical research are the Texas State Archives with its Local Records Department, the Records Management Division, and the Information Services Division, which includes a Genealogy Section and a Reference Department. The Genealogy Section maintains vertical ties that contain notes, clippings, pamphlets, and correspondence on Texas families. These files may be accessed in person, by phone (512-463-5463, forty-five minute limit), or through correspondence.
  • Texas State Archives, Regional Historical Resource Depository, University Archives, East Texas State University, Commerce, TX 75428-2810
  • Catholic Archives of Texas, P.O. Box 13327, 1600 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78811-3327
  • Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Julia B. Ideson Bldg., 500 McKinney St., Houston, TX 77002-2534
  • Stephen F. Austin State University, Special Collections Dept., Box 13055, SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3055
  • Texas Land Office, Archives & Records Division, Stephen F. Austin Bldg., 1700 North Congress, Austin, TX 78701-1495
  • The Tyrrell Historical Library Archives, 801 Pearl Street, Beaumont, TX  77701; Ph#409-981-5911

List of Texas Libraries & Museums

List of Texas Historical & Genealogical Societies

For almost every state there is a state genealogical society, a state genealogical council, or both.

In addition to their own work, Texas groups many times help coordinate the efforts of local societies throughout the Texas.

Their unique publications, newsletters and quarterlies, supplement those created through the area societies.

Regional and State Societies

County Societies

City, Town or Township Societies

Ethnic Societies

Religious Societies

  • Dallas Jewish Historical Society, 7900 Northaven Road, Dallas 75230
  • German – Texan Heritag Society, P.O. Box 684171, Austin 78768
  • Jewish Genealogical Society Of Austin, 11713 Jollyville Road, Austin 78759

Religious and Ethnic Societies

Texas Newspapers & Publications

Texas Genealogical publications (magazines, newsletters, periodicals, books, etc.) contain all types of invaluable information about specific ancestors, whole lineages and families, places in time, and about all sorts of genealogical records and repositories.

Newspapers

Texas newspapers can offer all sorts of hints about historical events, local history, court and legal notices, obituaries, and much more. A Name Index to Early Texas Newspapers has been created.

It covers names found in newspapers from 1830 to 1885.

The University of Texas Library in Austin is home to the original card file index for it. Copies can also be found at various repositories around the state on 43 rolls of microfilm.

The data included features newspaper titles, names, dates, and other information about the listings.

  • Texas Historical Newspapers
  • Texas Newspapers Directory Listings
  • Historical Newspapers from Texas (1813 – 1993) – Immediately find names and keywords / phrases in over 450 million publications, obituaries, marriage announcements, birth notices and also other items written in over 2,800 historical U.S. newspapers. Brand new articles and other content added on a monthly basis!
  • Texas Newspaper List
  • Texas Methodist Newspaper Abstracts (17 April 1850–17 Sept. 1881). 4 vols. Dallas: H. Lu, 1987. Also on microfiche.
  • Genealogical Abstracts from Central Texas Newspapers, 1885–1899. Temple, Tex.: the author, 1987.
  • Genealogical Abstracts from the Austin Texas State Gazette 1849–1859. Temple, Tex.: the author, 1988.
  • Miscellaneous Texas Newspaper Abstracts, 1856–1870. Temple, Tex.: the author, 1988.
  • Early Texas News 1831–1848, Abstracts from Early Texas Newspapers. St. Louis: F. T. Ingmire, 1984.

Periodicals

Genealogical journals provide you with plenty of sources of information and facts, they are generally overlooked by genealogy and family history researchers and genealogist in looking around for family history.

Many regional and county genealogical and/or historical societies produce periodicals which have records relating to the region or vicinity they operate.

Frequently these publications have articles involving records that are not obtainable somewhere else.

  • The Dallas Quarterly. Dallas Genealogical Society, 1955-present.
  • Footprints. Fort Worth Genealogical Society 1968-present.
  • Genealogical Record. Houston Genealogical Forum, 1958-present.
  • Stirpes. Texas State Genealogical Society, 1961-present.
  • Heart of Texas Records. Formerly Central Texas Genealogical Society
  • Bulletin. Central Texas Genealogical Society, 1958-present.
  • The Herald. Montgomery County Genealogical and Historical Society, 1978-present.
  • Newsletter. German Texas Heritage Society, 1979-present.
  • Nase Dejiny. Devoted to Czechs who settled in Texas. 1982-present.
  • Northeast Texas Genealogy and History. Genealogical Society of Northeast Texas, 1965-present.
  • Oak Leaves. Matagorda County Genealogical Society 1982-present.
  • PGST News. Polish Genealogical Society of Texas.
  • Our Heritage. San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society, 1959-present.
  • Yellowed Pages. Southeast Texas Genealogical and Historical Society, 1971-present.
  • Stalkin’ Kin. San Angelo Genealogical and Historical Society, 1973-present.
  • The Thorny Trail. Midland Genealogical Society, 1973-present.
  • The Roadrunner. Chaparral Genealogical Society, 1974-present.
  • Stalkin’ Kin. San Angelo Genealogical and Historical Society, 1973-present.
  • Stirpes. Texas State Genealogical Society, 1961-present.
  • The Thorny Trail. Midland Genealogical Society, 1973—present.
  • Yellowed Pages. Southeast Texas Genealogical and Historical Society, 1971-present

Books