McLennan County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to McLennan County Texas ancestry, family history, and genealogy research page. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Texas Online Genealogy Records

Description
The county was named for Neil McLennan, an early settler. The County is located in the central area of the state.

County Courthouse
McLennan County Courthouse 501 Washington Avenue Waco, Texas 76701 Phone: 254.757.5078 County Clerk has birth and death records from 1929, marriage, probate, court and land records from 1850; District Clerk has divorce records

County Clerk

P.O. Box 1727 Waco 76703 Phone: 254-757-5188

District Clerk

P.O. Box 2451 Waco 76703 Phone: 254-757-5054

History
1842--The area was originally part of the Robertson Colony but was occupied exclusively by Waco Indians in the 1802's and 1830's. A trading post was set up near the present site of Waco in 1842.

Parent County
1850--McLennan County was created 22 January 1850 from Milam, Limestone, and Navarro Counties.
 * County seat: Waco

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Places / Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog



Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Neighboring Counties
Bell •  Bosque  •  Coryell  •  Falls  •  Hill  •  Limestone

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often reveal birth, marriage, death, relationship, military, and religious information.

Additional Cemetery Sources


 * Central Texas Genealogical Society, Inc. (CTGS)
 * US Gen Net - Click on cemeteries top of page.

Church
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Maps

 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the Texas Genweb site
 * Texas Land Survey Maps for (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Mexican-American War

 * 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War at Ancestry.com — index $

Civil War

 * 1861 - 1865 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1861 - 1865 at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Online Newspapers
 * Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History

Obituaries

 * Central Texas Genealogical Society, Inc. (CTGS) - Click on Archives at top.
 * TXGenWeb - McLennan - Click on the Obituaries to go to the list. ( left side of page )
 * US Gen Net - Click on obituaries top of page.

Probate
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images

Taxation

 * 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at Findmypast ($) — index and images

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1840-1981 Texas, Births and Christenings - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1935 Texas, Birth Certificates (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index (index)- FamilySearch
 * 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926 - 1995 at MyHeritage ($) — index

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 Texas Marriage Collection at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1878-2019 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records at Ancestry.com — index & images, ($)
 * 1966-2010 at FamilySearch
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records '


 * 1890-1976 Texas Death Records with images undefined Name index and images of statewide death certificates, 1890-1976 The name index has been created by FamilySearch and is tied to images of the Texas death certificates. Few certificates are available prior to 1903.
 * 1964-1998 Texas Death Index at FamilySearch.org Texas, Death Index, 1964-1998 - FamilySearch Historical Records Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records (index) - Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage ($) — index

Societies and Libraries
Central Texas Genealogical Society, Inc. Waco-McLennan County Library 1717 Austin Avenue Waco, Texas 76701 Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Athens Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Corsicana Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Killeen Texas FamilySearch Center
 * Waco Texas FamilySearch Center


 * Central Library, Waco - an affiliate library
 * East Waco Library - an affiliate library
 * Nellie Pederson Civic Library - an affiliate library
 * South Waco Library - an affiliate library
 * Temple Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Waco-McLennan County Library - an affiliate library

Websites

 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
 * — The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.
 * USGenWeb - May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.