Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County. making it the 35th-largest metropolitan area in the United States.The area was settled in the 1830s on the banks of the Colorado River by pioneers who named the village Waterloo.Residents of Austin are known as "Austinites" and include a diverse mix of university professors, students, recent immigrants, politicians, musicians, state employees, high-tech workers, blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, a large gay community and hipsters. Even today, many Austin businesses use the term "violet crown" in their name.