Liberty County, Texas · 1867 voter registration
Liberty County, Texas: freedmen, slavery and the 1867 voter registration
Slavery in Liberty County
In 1860 the census counted 1,079 enslaved people in Liberty County, 34% of everyone living there. Seven years later 335 freedmen registered to vote there, 42% of the county's voters. Many were born in Alabama, Louisiana and Virginia.
- 1,079
- Enslaved in 1860
- 34%
- Of the county in 1860
- 792
- Registered voters
- 335
- Freedmen
- 42%
- Freedmen
- Alabama
- Largest birthplace
- 1 years
- Median time in Texas
- 20
- Register pages
Help finish Liberty County. 117 freedmen registered here in 1867 and their records are still waiting to be added.
Become a reviewerWhere Liberty County's freedmen were born
| Birthplace | Registrants | % |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 37 | 17% |
| Louisiana | 31 | 14% |
| Virginia | 30 | 14% |
| South Carolina | 27 | 13% |
| North Carolina | 21 | 10% |
| Georgia | 19 | 9% |
| Mississippi | 14 | 7% |
| Texas | 12 | 6% |
| Tennessee | 8 | 4% |
| Florida | 6 | 3% |
| Arkansas | 3 | 1% |
| Kentucky | 3 | 1% |
| Maryland | 2 | under 1% |
| Missouri | 1 | under 1% |
When they arrived in Texas
Decade each registrant reported arriving in Texas, as recorded in Liberty County.
| Decade | Registrants |
|---|---|
| 1860s | 2 |
Surnames of freedmen in Liberty County
Liberty County genealogy: search the register by name
The first 50 names in the Liberty County register, alphabetically. Each opens a search for that name.
Every freedman who registered in Liberty CountySearch Liberty County freedmen records by 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. Liberty County's entries fill 20 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 Liberty County records
How do I find African American ancestors in Liberty County, Texas?
Search the Liberty 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 Liberty County in 1867?
335 freedmen registered in Liberty County between 1867 and 1870, 42% of the county's 792 registered voters.
Where were Liberty County's freedmen born?
Alabama (37), Louisiana (31) and Virginia (30) were the birthplaces reported most often; 12 were born in Texas.
Was slavery widespread in Liberty County, Texas?
In 1860 the census counted 1,079 enslaved people in Liberty County, 34% of everyone living there. In 1867, 42% of Liberty County's registered voters were freedmen, 335 of 792.
Keep looking
Counties that share a boundary history with Liberty County: Chambers County, Hardin County, Jefferson County, Polk County, Tyler County, Walker County.
For African American genealogy beyond Liberty County, browse the register by birthplace, search it by name or follow the migration map.
All countiesBrowse by birthplaceSee the migration mapSearch Liberty County