Brazoria County, Texas · 1867 voter registration
Brazoria County, Texas: freedmen, slavery and the 1867 voter registration
Slavery in Brazoria County
In 1860 the census counted 5,110 enslaved people in Brazoria County, 72% of everyone living there. Seven years later 1,331 freedmen registered to vote there, 82% of the county's voters. Most were born in Virginia, Louisiana and Texas, and 1,320 reported reaching Texas before 1865.
- 5,110
- Enslaved in 1860
- 72%
- Of the county in 1860
- 1,618
- Registered voters
- 1,331
- Freedmen
- 82%
- Freedmen
- Virginia
- Largest birthplace
- 18 years
- Median time in Texas
- 41
- Register pages
Where Brazoria County's freedmen were born
| Birthplace | Registrants | % |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 255 | 19% |
| Louisiana | 220 | 16% |
| Texas | 211 | 16% |
| South Carolina | 184 | 14% |
| Georgia | 107 | 8% |
| North Carolina | 97 | 7% |
| Mississippi | 89 | 7% |
| Tennessee | 62 | 5% |
| Kentucky | 53 | 4% |
| Maryland | 29 | 2% |
| Florida | 17 | 1% |
| Missouri | 9 | under 1% |
| Arkansas | 4 | under 1% |
| District of Columbia | 2 | under 1% |
| Illinois | 2 | under 1% |
| New Jersey | 2 | under 1% |
When they arrived in Texas
Decade each registrant reported arriving in Texas, as recorded in Brazoria County.
| Decade | Registrants |
|---|---|
| 1810s | 1 |
| 1820s | 45 |
| 1830s | 112 |
| 1840s | 517 |
| 1850s | 419 |
| 1860s | 249 |
Surnames of freedmen in Brazoria County
Brazoria County genealogy: search the register by name
The first 50 names in the Brazoria County register, alphabetically. Each opens a search for that name.
Sources and county history
Figures come from the 1867 to 1870 Texas voter registration held by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The 1860 population figures come from Population of the United States in 1860, printed by the Census Office in 1864. Brazoria County's entries fill 41 pages of the handwritten register. Race was recorded for part of the statewide register, so the freedmen count is the number identified.
Questions about the Brazoria County records
How do I find African American ancestors in Brazoria County, Texas?
Search the Brazoria County records by surname, then open the entry to read the original handwritten register page. Each entry gives the man's name, his birthplace and the year he reached Texas. Spellings vary, so try the sound of a name as well as its spelling, and names appear in the order men came to register, so a family can sit pages apart.
How many freedmen registered to vote in Brazoria County in 1867?
1,331 freedmen registered in Brazoria County between 1867 and 1870, 82% of the county's 1,618 registered voters.
Where were Brazoria County's freedmen born?
Virginia (255), Louisiana (220) and Texas (211) were the birthplaces reported most often; 211 were born in Texas.
Was slavery widespread in Brazoria County, Texas?
In 1860 the census counted 5,110 enslaved people in Brazoria County, 72% of everyone living there. In 1867, 82% of Brazoria County's registered voters were freedmen, 1,331 of 1,618. 1,320 of them reported reaching Texas before 1865.
Keep looking
For African American genealogy beyond Brazoria County, browse the register by birthplace, search it by name or follow the migration map.
All countiesBrowse by birthplaceSee the migration mapSearch Brazoria County