How Tarrant County Got Its Name

The county was carved out of what was known as the Peters Colony — a land grant territory in north Texas. It was one of 26 counties created from that colony in 1849. General Tarrant led militia forces at the Battle of Village Creek in 1841, a major engagement with Native tribes in the region.

The county's first settlers were small in number — the 1850 census counted just 664 residents. Fort Worth became county seat after a competitive election in 1860. The county now holds more than 2 million people.