Step-by-Step Texas Research, 1880-Present

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Step 1. Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records.
Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.

What are the best questions to ask?
In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :
 * Fifty Questions for Family History Interviews What to Ask the Relatives
 * Genealogy: 150 questions to ask family members about their lives
 * Creating Oral Histories

What documents should be collected or copied?
Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.

Step 2. Find ancestors in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.
A census is a count and description of the population of a country, state, county, or city for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day. For each person living in a household you might find (depending on the year) their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military.

Using home clues to lead to census record searches.
In this 1940 census, the family appears to be fairly young. '''In the 1930 census, Russell (Elmo) and Nadine, are fairly newly married, with a 7-month old baby, Russell. Notice that Russell seems to prefer to use his middle name, Elmo.'''

Finding the next older generation.
'''The obituary lists Russell Elmo's parents, still surviving at the time of his death, as Mr. P.L. Barlow and Mrs. A.B. Bilger (apparently remarried). In the 1920 and 1910 censuses, Russell could be listed in his parents' family, approximately 10-12 years old.''' '''Trying various combinations of names in the 1920 census index failed to bring up the family. This 1910 census record shows them as a young family, with Elmo as a baby.'''

Finding even another older generation.
The 1910 census gives Perry Barlow's birth year as 1875 in Texas. The next step would be to look for him as a 25 year old man in the 1900 census, probably not married yet, possibly still in his parents' home. Then the next step would be to look for him as a 5 year old child in his parents' home in Texas in the 1880 census. Searches in these census records did not produce any good matches.

Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for ancestors and their children.
States, counties, or (even towns in some states) recorded births, marriages, and deaths.
 * In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations. *A marriage certificate might list the parents of the bride and groom.
 * A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.

Using the census clues to lead to a birth certificate.
Census information gives approximate birth years and probable birth places, and that information leads to finding important birth records. In addition to basic birth date and place, a birth certificate can give age, birthplace, occupation, etc. about the parents.

Using the census clues to lead to a marriage certificate.
One main purpose for locating records for is to establish the identity of the wives--their maiden names. In some cases the names of the parents of the bride and groom are given

Using the census clues to lead to a death certificate.
[By studying the census records, and assuming that most people lived to be 65-70 years old, you can decide the time frame where you would expect to see a death certificate. '''It is very important to send for death certificates. Even though you might feel that knowing a death date is not high priority, the death certificate is important because of all the secondary data: birth date and place of the deceased, maiden name of the wife, names of the deceased's parents, birth places of the deceased's parents. '''Example of a death certificate. Notice the birth date and place and the parents' names.''' [[File:Texas record98.png]]

How to Find the Records
There are basically three ways to find these indexes or full original certificates:
 * online databases
 * writing to a county courthouse (prior to state civil registration beginning in 1867)
 * purchasing them through the mail

Records at the County Courthouse.
These records were originally created by county clerks, and then copies were sent to the state. County clerks can be willing to help find all the birth records for one family or perform other searches that the state would not do. To contact county clerks by e-mail or telephone, go to the Wiki article for each county. Links to the county Wiki articles are found at the end of this page or by clicking here: Texas Counties.

Order Certificates from Texas Vital Records Department.
Almost always the full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).


 * Where to Write for Texas Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records

For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Texas, see How to Find Texas Birth Records, How to Find Texas Marriage Records, and How to Find Texas Death Records.

Step 4: Try to find additional details about ancestors in obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records online.
There are additional record collections available, based upon a person's death: obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records. These are a great source for more details about a person. Here are some examples; notice the level of details.

Obituaries

 * Online Texas Death Records &amp; Indexes
 * ObituaryHelp Texas
 * GenealogyBuff Texas
 * Texas Obituaries
 * ObitsArchive Texas
 * ObituariesHelp.org Texas
 * ObituaryLinks Texas
 * — index and images

Cemeteries

 * Online Texas Death Records &amp; Indexes
 * Texas Cemetery Records at Interment.net
 * Findagrave.com Texas Cemetery Records
 * Billiongraves.com Texas Cemeteries
 * USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project
 * Linkpendium Search by county.
 * USGenWeb Tombstone Photos
 * Access Genealogy
 * Texas Cemetery Records
 * I Dream of Genealogy Texas Cemeteries
 * Texas Gravestone Project, index
 * Texas Gravestone Project, index

U.S. Social Security Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

 * The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
 * The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
 * You can search these records online at
 * Also at Ancestry.com, ($), index.
 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process.
 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process.


 * If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.

For more information, see Texas Obituaries and Texas Cemeteries.

Step 5: Search military records: World War I and World War II draft cards.
There are many different types of military records: draft records, enlistment records, service records, pension records, etc. Information in military records can vary from a simple lists of name, age, and residence, to more detailed records including name, residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, number of dependents, pensions received, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and other information. - Example of a World War I draft card. - Example of a World War II draft card.



'''Search the World War I and World War II Draft Collections for male relatives.
- For more information and additional collections, see Texas Military Records.
 * , index and images.
 * , index and images.

Step 6: Look for church records.
Church records function as vital records. Church records are particularly helpful prior to the advent of civil registration.
 * An infant christening or baptism record documents a birth.
 * Many, if not most, people are married in a church, and then a record is created by the minister.
 * Likewise, ministers presided over funerals, then creating a burial record, which documents a death.



FamilySearch

 * Texas, Church Records, 1852-1994 - index and images, very incomplete
 * 1840-1981 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index only.
 * 1837-1973 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index only.
 * 1903-1973 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index only.

Dutch Reformed

 * 1856-1970 U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Vital Records, 1856-1970, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * 1856-1970 U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Membership Records, 1856-1970, index and images, incomplete.($)

Episcopal

 * Episcopal Diocese of Arizona church records : jurisdiction of New Mexico and Arizona, 1889-1971

Lutheran

 * 1781-1969 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969, index and images, incomplete.($)

Methodist

 * New Mexico and Texas, Select United Methodist Church Records, 1870-1970 ($)

Presbyterian

 * 1701-1970 U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970, index and images, incomplete.($)

Roman Catholic

 * 1700-1996 Texas, U.S., Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio Sacramental Records, 1700-1996 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

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 * For help with church records kept in Texas, see Texas Church Records.
 * To search records by denomination, if you know your ancestors religion, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Step 7: Search for online wills and probate packets.

 * County probate records include '''probate proceedings, petitions, affidavits, orders for sales, reports of sales, administrators' and executors' bonds, guardianship papers, wills, and letters of administration.
 * In a will book, usually just a transcription of the will is recorded. But all of these other records are kept in a probate packet.
 * Administrations are probate proceedings that handled an estate if no known will existed.



Search these indexes and images for probate records.

 * United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search: Texas
 * Texas, Wills and Probate Records, 1800-2000, ($), index and images, incomplete.
 * Images.

Probate Information in County Wiki Articles
Each Texas county Research Wiki page lists additional probate sources, including where to write for records: Texas Counties

For more information, see Texas Probate Records and United States Probate Records.

Step 8: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.
The census records may show that an ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in the country of origin. Searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records would be the next step.



Texas Immigration Records

 * United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records
 * Galveston, Texas, Jewish Immigration Records, 1901-1917 Index and images ($)
 * A New Land Beckoned:German Immigration to Texas, 1844-1847 Book ($)
 * A New Land Beckoned:German Immigration to Texas, 1847-1861 Book ($)
 * Texas, Passenger Lists, 1893-1963 Index and images ($)
 * — index and images
 * , index and images.
 * , index and images.
 * Images only.
 * Index and images. Also at FindmyPast, ($), index
 * Images only.
 * Aransas, Texas Crew Lists, 1912-1965 Index and images ($)
 * Images only.
 * Image only.
 * , index
 * , images/no index
 * Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild Galveston Arrivals Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Vol. 4, Vol. 5
 * OliveTree Genealogy, Ships Passenger Lists to Texas
 * Galveston Immigration Database 1846-1948, index

Texas Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records
- For more information, see Texas Emigration and Immigration and Texas Naturalization and Citizenship.
 * United States Naturalization and Citizenship Online Genealogy Records
 * Texas, Naturalization Records, 1881-1992 ($)
 * Images. Also at Ancestry.com, ($), index

Local Histories

 * Published histories of towns, counties, and states sometimes contain biographies and accounts of early or prominent families.
 * Here are several websites that feature online copies of printed county histories: Texas; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"
 * Google Books. Use keywords "Texas" and the county name. Hits will list online readable books, lists of libraries that carry the book, and purchasing opportunities.
 * Family History Books
 * Internet Archive.Use keywords "Texas" and the county name.
 * Ancestry.com, ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use Texas and the name of the county.

FamilySearch Collected Local Histories

 * Local histories are extensively collected by the FamilySearch Library, public and university libraries, and state and local historical societies.
 * If you have access to the FamilySearch Library or a FamilySearch center, you can find local histories by:
 * Go to the FamilySearch Catalog.
 * In the "Place" field, type the name of your county and click "Search".
 * A list of subheadings for the county will appear. Local histories containing genealogies and biographies will be found under Biography, Genealogy, History, or History - Indexes.

Biography Collections
These collections of biographies can be searched online. Most have a table of contents and an index. Or use the "Find" function on a computer.
 * County and Town histories with biographies
 * Texas, Index Card Collections, 1800-1900, ($), index
 * The Handbook of Texas, index

Step 10: Contact a county historical or genealogical society.
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 * County historical societies have collections that are frequently little known and often overlooked.
 * Many have a surname file, where they have collected genealogies, newspaper clippings, old photographs, etc.
 * Many have a sort of "pioneer ancestor" program, where people can submit pedigrees to prove they are the descendants of an early resident of the county.
 * Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia than you.
 * Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia than you.


 * If you can find the society on the internet, they may list their holdings. Or call them on the phone, find out what they have, and find out what arrangements can be made to search their collection. Frequently, you can hire one of their members to search the collection for you.

This online directory by GenealogyInc. lists historical and genealogical societies by county: Click on the map to select a county, then scroll down to the historical or genealogical society listings. Here is an example of an internet website for a local genealogical society.

Historical Images
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
 * Texas, United States Historical Images, New Version
 * Texas, United States Historical Images, Old Version

Texas Online Genealogy Records
Search any other online records listed in Texas Online Genealogy Records. The steps given here are intended to list record sources which can most efficiently identify descendants. Many other online records which might or might not mention descendants are listed in the Texas Online Genealogy Records page, including immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, and probate records, and others. These can be records that cover a smaller group within the population, such as men who served in the military, etc.
 * Texas Online Genealogy Records

Step 12: Study the Research Wiki pages for any county in Texas.
This article focused more on Texas state or state-wide records. There is a separate Wiki article for each county in Texas. These articles give information, office addresses, and links to county records.