Harris County, Texas Genealogy

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

Texas Online Genealogy Records

Description
The county was named for John Richardson Harris, who founded the town of Harrisburg on Buffalo Bayou in 1826. The County is located in the east-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Harris County Courthouse 1001 Preston 4th Floor Houston, TX 77251-1525 Phone:713.755.6405 County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage and land records from 1836, probate records form late 1800’s, court  records from 1920’s and immirgration records 1880-1890; District Clerk has divorce records

County Clerk

P. O. Box 1525 Houston 77251 Phone: 713-755-6438

District Clerk

Physical Address 201 Caroline, Suite 420 Houston, Texas 77002

Mailing Address P.O. Box 4651 Houston 77210 Phone:713-755-5715

Parent County
1836--Harris County was created 17 March 1836 from Old Mexican Municipality.
 * County seat: Houston

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Harris County border changes.

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

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 ±Water surface only; land in adjacent county

Neighboring Counties
Brazoria •  Chambers  •  Fort Bend  •  Galveston  •  Liberty  •  Montgomery  •  Waller

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Sources


 * At Rest: A Historical Directory of Harris County, Texas Cemeteries (1822-2001) Including Burial Customs and Other Interesting Facts, With a Listing of Past and Present Communities, Funeral Homes and Monument Companies, by Trevia Wooster Beverly, Houston: Tejas Publications &amp; Research, c. 1995; 2001.
 * Glenwood Cemetery established in 1871 by the Houston Cemetery Company
 * Washington Cemetery established in 1887 by the Deutsche Gesellschaft von Houston
 * Houston &amp; Texas Death Records Webpage
 * 1895-2008 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Court

 * Harris County District Clerk

Education

 * Rice University Yearbooks: 1916-1935

Local Histories

 * Houston Public Library/Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research

Maps

 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site
 * 1897 Map of 1897 Harris County, Texas with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)

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

 * Houston Chronicle Newspaper
 * Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has Texas newspapers including Galveston from the early 1800's.

Probate
Online Probate Records


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

Vital Records

 * Harris County Clerk Searchable Indexes http://www.cclerk.hctx.net/applications/websearch/

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 1840-1981 Texas, Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1935 Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 (images and index) - FamilySearch
 * 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (index)-FamilySearch

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 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 $

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890-1976 (FamilySearch) - The name index was created by FamilySearch and is tied to images of the Texas death certificates. Few certificates are available prior to 1903 and in many counties prior to 1910. Fold3.com also has Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 ($) available online.
 * 1903-1973  at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1964-1998 (FamilySearch) - Index to Texas statewide death certificates covering 4 million deaths since 1964.
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1968-2005 Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005 (index) -  Hidden Ancestors
 * 1968-2010 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $

Societies and Libraries
Harris County Genealogical Society PO Box 391 Pasadena 77501

Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research 5300 Caroline Houston, Texas Part of the Houston Public Library system it is on its own two full city block complex with multiple buildings. One of the nations' "top ten," and the "jewel" in Houston's genealogy crown. *website

Baytown Historical Preservation Association PO Box 1244 Baytown TX 77522-1244 Website

Living History Museum Complex at the Republic of Texas Plaza  5117 North Main St.

Humble Area Genealogical Society Website Following ancestral footsteps in and around Atascocita, Crosby, Huffman, Kingwood, New Caney, Porter, Splendora, and Humble, Texas.

Chaparral Genealogical Society 310 North Live Oak PO Box 606, Tomball TX. 77377-0606 Telephone Number: 281-516-7417 Website Library Hours: Mon.- Wed. 10-2 Sat. 10-2 Closed 4th Sat. of every month.

Atascocita-Kingwood Genealogical Society PO Box 5214 Kingwood, TX 77325 Website

Family History Centers

 * Baytown Texas Family History Center
 * Clear Lake Texas Family History Center (Houston)
 * Houston Texas Family History Center
 * Houston Texas North Family History Center
 * Katy Texas Family History Center
 * Kingwood Texas Family History Center
 * Klein Texas Family History Center
 * Pasadena Texas Family History Center
 * Pine Trails Texas Family History Center (Houston)
 * Shadowdale Texas Family History Center (Houston)
 * Tomball Texas Family History Center

Websites

 * Harris County Family History and Genealogy, a part of the TXGenWeb and USGenWeb projects.
 * 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.