County · code 48121
Denton CountyTexas
Denton County is a Texas county created in 1846 with its seat in Denton. It was named for John B. Denton.
- Founded1846
- County seatDenton
- Named forJohn B. Denton
- Land area879 sq mi + 73 sq mi water
- Population906,422 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped384,308 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Denton on the map of Texas
Texas has 254 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1846 from Collin County and Grayson County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Denton was created on April 11, 1846, from parts of Collin and Grayson counties and fully organized three months later. In 1848, Denton retained control of a disputed area that ended an overlap with Grayson County. Exchanges with Cooke and Grayson counties in 1852 adjusted its boundaries.
- 1846Denton County created Denton created from parts of Fannin Land District attached to both Collin and Grayson; resulted in an overlap with Grayson (see Overlap Area 1). Denton not fully organized. · Texas Laws 1846, 1st leg./p. 57
- 1846Changed Denton fully organized. · Kennedy, 84
- 1848Changed Overlap Area 1 between Denton and Grayson ended; Denton retained control of disputed area. · Texas Laws 1847, 2d leg., ch. 11/p. 9
- 1852Exchanged territory Denton exchanged with Cooke, lost to Grayson. · Texas Laws 1851, 4th leg., reg. sess., ch. 41/p. 32
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Denton
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 384,308 parcels from Denton County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 409,342 in all from Texas Geographic Information Office (TxGIO, formerly TNRIS), a division of the Texas Water Development Board; StratMap program.
checked 14 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Denton by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Records
- Clerk of court: deeds and plats
Civil Clerks
Permits
Zoning and code
GIS and maps
County government
- County government
The official website of Denton County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Denton County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Denton County
- When was Denton County founded?
- Denton County was founded in 1846, formed from Collin County and Grayson County, and named after John B. Denton.
- What is the county seat of Denton County?
- The county seat of Denton County is Denton.
- Is there an online parcel map for Denton County?
- Yes. Denton County publishes a parcel map of 384,308 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Denton County's boundary or name changed?
- Denton County was created in 1846 from Collin County and Grayson County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 3 later changes, chiefly involving Grayson County and Cooke County.
- Who issues building permits in Denton County?
- The county's page on building permits: Building & Development Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Who issues septic and well permits in Denton County?
- The county's page on septic systems and wells: Contact the Mental Health Treatment Court.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Denton County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby