Texas Business and Company Research (2025)

Introduction

Researching the history of a company can involve compiling information from a variety of sources. The Texas State Library and Archives collections contain business information produced or gathered by local, state, and federal government agencies. The resources below may be helpful as you develop your research strategy.

Texas Business and Company Research (1)

Texas. Secretary of State. Biennial report of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas. Austin, 1904

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Corporate Filings

The Texas Secretary of State (SOS) Corporations Section collects information on corporations, limited liability partnerships, and non-profit associations.

  • SOS Business ServicesTexas Business and Company Research (3)provides instructions and forms for requesting current corporation information.
  • Use the Texas Comptroller of Public AccountsTaxable Entity SearchTexas Business and Company Research (4)to find public company information filed with the Texas SOS, such as mailing address, SOS registration date, management, ownership, and registered agent.

Texas Secretary of State biennial reports include lists of corporations or associations filed with the Corporations Section. The information in these lists becomes more detailed over the years, however these reports do not contain the text of the charters.

  • Digitized copies of reports covering 1881-1930 are available fromHathiTrust Texas Business and Company Research (5). Not all reports or years are digitized or available.
  • Print copies for 1882-1934 are available through TSLAC. Contact your local library for assistance with borrowing these publications or requesting scans through interlibrary loan (ILL).
  • The WorldCat record Texas Business and Company Research (6)lists libraries that may have print copies of these reports. You can confirm availability with these libraries directly.

Indexes and registers of corporations dated 1871 to 1928 are part of the Texas State Archives collections. To request a search of these volumes, send an email to ref@tsl.texas.gov with the company name you would like us to search.

Most public companies in the United States are required to file annual shareholder reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Detailed financial and operational information can sometimes be found in these reports.

Business Directories

Directory of Texas Manufacturers (1932-1999)

Lists Texas manufacturers by a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code, which describes a company’s primary business activity. Listings include contact information, number of employees, and sales figures. Produced by the Bureau of Business Research, University Texas at Austin.

  • Print copies for 1932-1999 (not inclusive) are available through TSLAC.
  • The WorldCat record Texas Business and Company Research (10)lists libraries near you that may have available copies.

Thomas Register of American Manufacturers (print editions 1905-2006)

Business listings with financial ratings arranged by product and state.

  • Some digitized editions are available to view or search from HathiTrust Texas Business and Company Research (11).
  • The WorldCat record Texas Business and Company Research (12)lists libraries near you that may have available copies.

Search current Texas manufacturer and supplier listings by industry or company name throughThomasNet online Texas Business and Company Research (13).

Texas Almanac (1857-present)

Features include business listings, state business and manufacturer information, and industry statistics.

  • Digitized issues of the Texas Almanac Texas Business and Company Research (14)for 1857 to 2004-2005 (not inclusive) are available on the Portal to Texas History, hosted by the University of North Texas.
  • Print copies of the Texas Almanac for 1857-current issue(not inclusive)are available for on-site use at TSLAC.
  • WorldCat Texas Business and Company Research (15)lists libraries near you that may have available copies.

Texas Business Review (1927-2011)

Data and analysis for Texas manufacturers, with supplements on special subjects related to Texas business and economy. Published by the Bureau of Business Research, University of Texas at Austin. Search or browse full-text issues through Texas ScholarWorks Texas Business and Company Research (16).

There are other general business directories for specific types of industry and businesses. Often these directories are national in coverage and arranged by state. You can search for business directories in our online library catalog or through WorldCat Texas Business and Company Research (17).

Contact your local public or academic library for information about general business or industry directories, or access to reference databases and materials. Several business reference databases are available through the TexShare Databases program. Access to the TexShare Databases is available at our library in Austin, Texas, and to registered TSLAC patrons. Check with your local library about available databases.

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Company History

Corporate websites may include detailed company information such as recent financial and annual reports, press releases, and corporate contacts. If you know the name of the company and it is currently in operation, you can search for company websites using your preferred search engine or business directory.

Historical newspapers and city directories from the area you are researching may include business listings and advertisements. Our Newspaper Research and City Directory Research guides include resources available at TSLAC and other repositories, and online databases that can be searched by name and keyword.

Published area histories can include information about local businesses and industries. Search for county or area histories in our online library catalog or WorldCat.orgTexas Business and Company Research (19). Contact your local library about borrowing or requesting scans from publications of interest through ILL. Find a Texas Library in the area of your research and inquire about local history collections and research services.

Other state agencies may provide information about specific Texas businesses:

  • The Handbook of Texas from the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) includes articles on many historical Texas businesses. Search the Handbook Texas Business and Company Research (20)by business or founder’s name or browse entries by category Texas Business and Company Research (21). Check the bibliography at the end of each article for additional sources to consider.
  • The Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) Texas Historic Sites Atlas Texas Business and Company Research (22)may include historical markers for Texas businesses. Use the keyword search to find businesses by name.
  • THC has a list of Texas Treasure Business Award recipients Texas Business and Company Research (23)that includes hundreds of Texas businesses and the year each business was established.
  • The Portal to Texas History Texas Business and Company Research (24), hosted by the University of North Texas, provides digital copies of many historical resources including newspapers, publications, and maps. Search results can be narrowed down by location, time period, and resource type.

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Property History

Property records, including surveys and deeds, may be available from the Office of the County Clerk where the property is located.

  • Find County Clerks on the County and District Clerks’ Association of Texas website Texas Business and Company Research (26).
  • Some county property records may have been transferred to a Regional Historical Resource Depository (RHRD). Each county differs in how older records were handled.
  • Early county property and tax records may be on microfilm. Visit our County Records on Microfilm research guide to find records for the county you are researching. Some early county records are also available on the FamilySearch Texas Business and Company Research (27)website.
  • For later years, TSLAC hasTexas County Tax Rolls on microfilm through the late 1970s available for on-site use.

Historical maps may show the location of a business or include building or area details during a specific time period.

  • Search our Map Collection database for state and county maps held by TSLAC. Our Map Collection Introduction describes the collection.
  • Fire insurance maps created either by the Sanborn Map Company or the Texas Fire Insurance Department (TDI)are available through ourFire Insurance Maps Custom Searchpage.
  • Find more Sanborn mapsin the ProQuest database "Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867–1970",available throughthe TexShare Databases program.
  • Digitized Sanborn Fire Insurance MapsTexas Business and Company Research (28)for 1872-1922 are also available from the Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin.

Our Land and Property Researchguideprovides a variety of state and local sources that can help with researching the history of a property or structure.

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Industry Data

Texas business and industry statistics are available from the following state and federal sources:

Business research guides may be helpful for general business and industry research:

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Other Resources

The Library of Congress Historical Company research guide Texas Business and Company Research (37)includes helpful details about searching historical print and digital collections. While not specific to Texas, this guide can help you with strategies for business research in your own community.

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Texas Business and Company Research (2025)

FAQs

Why is Texas considered a business friendly state? ›

With no corporate or personal income tax, companies doing business in Texas enjoy one of the lowest overall tax burdens in the country. In addition, Texas offers lower business operating cost when compared to other U.S. states.

How to do a business research on a company? ›

A company's website, blog and social media are great ways to learn about it, but you'll also want to get an external perspective. Search for general news coverage and specific industry publications for recent updates about the company and its competitors.

How to find out if a company is an LLC or corporation in Texas? ›

If you want to search for an LLC you can do so in a method that is almost identical to a corporation search. In the state of Texas, you should go to the taxable entity search. Here you can find all the LLCs registered in the state of Texas.

What is Texas number 1 in? ›

Texas is No. 1 in number of Fortune 500 companies

Texas is the state with the most Fortune 500 companies, according to the 68th Fortune 500 annual list of the largest U.S. corporations, with 53 Fortune 500 corporate headquarters that call the Lone Star State home. With the June 2022…

Is it legal to run a business from home in Texas? ›

At the state level, there is no specific ban on running a business from home in Texas. It is, however, very important to check your local zoning laws to verify whether you are permitted from running a business from your home. The good news is that, most of the time, you can operate a business out of your home.

Is TX a good state for an LLC? ›

Texas also has a larger body of legal precedent than most other states. This means that Texas courts have a vast amount of experience and expertise in deciding business disputes. Which, in turn, means more certainty and reliability for business owners.

How do you research an existing business? ›

Researching a company for investment involves leveraging various types of data. Then another crucial piece is Information about the key employees of the company, and it ranges from contact and professional to leisure and interest data. Further on we want to evaluate the growth trends and potential.

How much does an LLC cost in Texas? ›

The average filing fee for a Texas LLC is $300. It costs $25 for nonprofit organizations and $750 for foreign companies.

How to get an LLC in Texas for free? ›

ZenBusiness, a Texas-based company, stands out with its Starter plan that starts from $0. This pricing means you can technically start your LLC for free in Texas, though the state filing fee of $300 to the Texas Secretary of State is still mandatory.

What is the difference between an LLC in Texas and an S Corp? ›

LLCs can have an unlimited number of members; S corps can have no more than 100 shareholders (owners). Non-U.S. citizens/residents can be members of LLCs; S corps may not have non-U.S. citizens/residents as shareholders. S corporations cannot be owned by corporations, LLCs, partnerships or many trusts.

How do you check if a business already exists? ›

In addition to checking the federal trademark register, it's a good idea to check your state's trademark database. The state register is often part of the secretary of state's office, though in some states it has a department of its own. Check with your secretary of state or corporations division for more information.

References

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