Place Name Origin

The county gets its name from a strange underground rock formation

In 1851, farmers digging a well found a strange rock wall running underground. That formation gave the county and its county seat their names.

Rockwall County History & Culture

In the early 1850s, settlers near the East Fork Trinity River hit a rock wall while digging a well. The formation ran across the county and sometimes poked up above ground. Some people thought it was a prehistoric man-made structure. Geologists later said it was a natural feature.

The nearby community took the name Rockwall in 1854. When the county was created from Kaufman County in 1873, it took the same name. The rock wall formation is still a local point of interest. The Handbook of Texas documents the discovery and explains its role in naming the county.

Source to confirm: TSHA Handbook — Rockwall County

More Rockwall County notes

Property Tax Basics

Two offices handle your property taxes in Rockwall County

Rockwall County splits property tax duties between two separate offices, and knowing which does what saves you a wasted trip.

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Homestead Exemption

Homestead exemption cuts your school tax bill in Rockwall County

Texas law requires every school district to give homeowners a $140,000 exemption on their home's appraised value, which directly lowers your tax bill.

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Senior & Disability Exemption

Extra homestead exemption for seniors and disabled homeowners in Rockwall

Homeowners aged 65 or older, or those with a qualifying disability, get an extra $60,000 off their home's school district appraised value.

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Ag Valuation

Agricultural valuation can lower taxes on rural land in Rockwall County

Land used for farming, ranching, or wildlife management may qualify to be taxed on its farm productivity value instead of its market value, which is often much lower.

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