It is the purpose of this thesis to consider the growth and urbanization of the Texas population since 1880, with primary emphasis on changes which took place during the decade from 1940-1950. The problem involved, therefore, in the second part of this study is to determine the amount of urbanization which took place in Texas during the 1940-1950 decade, to determine the variations among the several regions and "size groups" of cities, and to describe some of the factors related to such increases and variations.

"The purpose of this thesis is to examine the age structure of the population of Texas as it existed in 1960, and insofar as possible to trace important changes and trends in the older group from 1900 to 1960. The qualification derives from the fact that at this time not all of the data from the 1960 census are available, and hence many trends can be described only through 1950. Where appropriate, the structure and trends characteristic of the total population will be described, usually for comparative purposes."-- leaf 1.

The primary purpose of this thesis is a description of some of the major changes which the population of Texas has undergone, particularly in the first half of the twentieth century. Other approaches are possible. For example, it is both possible and important to develop the relationship of population change to social problems. However, it is not the purpose of this thesis to investigate these relationships. It is the purpose here to view the population problem in almost entirely a factual sense, basing observations and interpretations on strictly demographic data.