Kleberg County, Texas

Kleberg County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 32,061.[1] The county seat is Kingsville.[2] The county was organized in 1913[3] and is named for Robert J. Kleberg, an early settler.

Not to be confused with Kleberg, Dallas.
Kleberg County
U.S. county
The Kleberg County Courthouse in Kingsville. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 10, 2010.
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 27°26′N 97°40′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1913
Named forRobert J. Kleberg
SeatKingsville
Largest cityKingsville
Area
 • Total1,090 sq mi (2,800 km2)
 • Land881 sq mi (2,280 km2)
 • Water209 sq mi (540 km2)  19%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total32,061
 • Density36/sq mi (14/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district34th
Websitewww.co.kleberg.tx.us

Kleberg County is part of the Kingsville, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also part of the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX Combined Statistical Area. Most of the county's land lies in the famed King Ranch, which also extends into neighboring counties.

Kleberg County is represented in the Texas House of Representatives by the Republican J. M. Lozano, a restaurateur in Kingsville and in Alice, Texas.

History

The county was organized in 1913[4] and was named for Robert J. Kleberg, an early settler (see below).

In 1997, the county commissioners officially designated "heaven-o" as the county's greeting.[5] The stated reason was that "hello" contains the word "hell".[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,090 square miles (2,800 km2), of which 881 square miles (2,280 km2) is land and 209 square miles (540 km2) (19%) is water.[7] It borders the Gulf of Mexico. Baffin Bay makes up a large part of the border with Kenedy County.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
19207,837—
193012,45158.9%
194013,3447.2%
195021,99164.8%
196030,05236.7%
197033,16610.4%
198033,3580.6%
199030,274−9.2%
200031,5494.2%
201032,0611.6%
2019 (est.)30,680[8]−4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1850–2010[10] 2010–2014[1]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 31,549 people, 10,896 households, and 7,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile (14/km2). There were 12,743 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 71.87% White, 3.70% Black or African American, 0.61% Native American, 1.47% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 19.00% from other races, and 3.25% from two or more races. 65.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,896 households, out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples living together, 13.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 22.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.30% under the age of 18, 15.70% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 19.00% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,313, and the median income for a family was $33,055. Males had a median income of $31,179 versus $19,494 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,542. About 21.20% of families and 26.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.50% of those under age 18 and 15.60% of those age 65 or over.

Robert Justus Kleberg

Kleberg county is named after Robert Justus Kleberg Sr. (1803–1888), a Prussian settler, was born on September 10, 1803, in Herstelle, Westphalia. His father was a merchant. Kleberg was educated in the classics and attended the University of Göttingen, where he received a J.D. degree. After graduating he was appointed a justice of assizes. He married Rosalie von Roeder near Paderborn, Prussia, in ...1834. They emigrated to Texas that year and settled in Cat Spring in 1836. In the Republic of Texas, Kleberg was associate commissioner and president of the Board of Land Commissioners (1837–38), justice of the peace (1841), and chief justice of Austin County (1846). In 1847 the Kleberg's moved to Meyersville, where Kleberg was elected county commissioner in 1848 and chief justice in 1853. Kleberg fought in the battle of San Jacinto in Capt. Moseley Baker's company and subsequently served as one of the Texas guards for Gen. Santa Anna. After the revolution, he volunteered for six months' duty in the Texas army in a campaign against the Indians on Escondido Creek. Kleberg supported the cause of the Confederacy. When the Civil War broke out he raised a company of militia but because of his advanced age was not received into active service. Robert and Rosa raised their own seven children in addition to several young Roeder relatives. Their youngest son, Robert Justus Kleberg Jr. married Alice Gertrudis King. Kleberg died on October 23, 1888, near Cuero and was buried there. His grave is marked by a monument in the form of a soldier's tent with the words "Remember the Alamo" carved at the base. Kleberg County was named in his honor in 1913; a marker at his home site near Cuero was erected in 1936.

Communities

Cities and towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Politics

Kleberg County has leaned Democratic for most of its history, but has become more competitive in the 21st century, voting thrice for either narrowly-winning or losing Republicans (George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, and Donald Trump in 2020).

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 50.3% 5,557 48.5% 5,359 1.1% 125
2016 45.6% 4,367 49.2% 4,716 5.3% 504
2012 45.6% 4,058 53.4% 4,754 1.1% 95
2008 46.0% 4,540 53.2% 5,256 0.8% 80
2004 53.8% 5,366 45.6% 4,550 0.6% 57
2000 49.2% 4,526 48.7% 4,481 2.0% 187
1996 37.7% 3,391 57.1% 5,136 5.3% 472
1992 36.9% 3,897 48.4% 5,109 14.8% 1,558
1988 44.7% 4,443 54.0% 5,367 1.4% 136
1984 53.5% 5,712 46.1% 4,924 0.4% 45
1980 45.8% 4,608 51.0% 5,125 3.2% 320
1976 39.1% 3,771 60.2% 5,803 0.8% 73
1972 54.2% 5,312 45.7% 4,481 0.1% 10
1968 33.8% 2,713 57.8% 4,633 8.4% 670
1964 26.5% 1,652 73.3% 4,568 0.2% 10
1960 35.7% 2,092 64.3% 3,773 0.0% 1
1956 46.4% 2,121 53.3% 2,436 0.3% 15
1952 38.9% 2,037 61.0% 3,193 0.0% 1
1948 24.3% 697 72.5% 2,083 3.2% 93
1944 21.5% 421 75.3% 1,473 3.2% 63
1940 20.8% 429 79.0% 1,631 0.2% 4
1936 9.1% 156 87.1% 1,488 3.8% 64
1932 10.2% 198 88.6% 1,727 1.3% 25
1928 51.9% 751 48.1% 695
1924 19.6% 226 62.4% 721 18.0% 208
1920 25.6% 172 67.6% 455 6.8% 46
1916 18.3% 106 73.9% 427 7.8% 45

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. Columbia-Lippincott Gazetteer, p. 959
  4. Columbia-Lippincott Gazetteer, p. 959.
  5. Kelley Shannon, "Say Goodbye to ‘Hello’ and Hello to ‘Heaven-o’", The Los Angeles Times, January 19, 1997.
  6. "Heaven-o", The Chicago Tribune, January 21, 1997.
  7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  8. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  10. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  12. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-07-26.

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