Texas Counties: History and Information

Find a brief history of Texas Counties

Texas is a state in the South and Southwest regions of the United States. It joined the United States in 1845 as the 28th state, after nine years of self governing.

The state name derives from a word in a Caddoan language of the Hasinai, táysha (or tejas, as the Spaniards spelled it), meaning friends or allies. Spanish explorers mistakenly applied the word to the people and their location.

With an area of 268,820 square miles (696,241 km²) and a population of 22.5 million, Texas is the second largest US state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous 48 states in area. (Alaska is the largest US state in area and California is the most populous.) Texas has historically had a "larger than life" reputation, especially in cowboy films.

Of Texas 254 counties, 42 bear Indian, French, or Spanish names. Stephen F. Austin is honored by 10 counties. Washington, Clay and other American patriots are honored by 12 counties. Men like Glasscock who fought in the Texas War of Independence or at the Alamo are honored by 96 counties, 15 of those dying at the Alamo, signed the Declaration of Independence or served as statesmen in the Republic of Texas. Twenty-three have the names of frontiers men and pioneers. Eleven honor American statesmen who worked for the annexation of Texas. Ten leaders in Texas since statehood, including jurist, ministers, educators, historians, statesmen, and 36 men were prominent in the Confederacy during Civil War. Midland and 8 others have geographical names. San Jacinto and Val Verde were named for battles, Live Oak and Orange, for trees, and Mason for a fort.