Karnes County, Texas Genealogy

United States Texas  Counties K  Karnes County

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

County Courthouse
Karnes County Courthouse 101 N Panna Maria Street Karnes City, TX 78118 Phone: 830.780.3938 County Clerk has birth, death and court records from 1900, marriage records from 1875, probate records from 1870 and land records from 1854; District Clerk has divorce records from 1858

Parent County
1854--Karnes County was created 4 Febrary 1854 from Bexar, De Witt, Goliad, and San Patricio Counties. County seat: Karnes City

Record Loss
1865--Courthouse and most records of the county clerk were destroyed by fire in July 1865.

Places / Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog

Neighboring Counties
Atascosa • Bee • De Witt • Goliad • Gonzales • Live Oak • Wilson

African American

 * Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870(images) - FamilySearch
 * Texas African American Griots ~  USGenWeb
 * AfriGeneas ~  African Ancestored Genealogy
 * Texas African American Genealogy ~  Access Genealogy

Additional Cemetery Sources

 * Karnes County Cemeteries ~  TXGenWeb
 * Runge Cemetery ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * New Bremen Cemetery ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Butler Family Cemetery ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Choate Cemetery ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Gillett Cemetery ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Tombstone Transcription Project ~ Partial transcription of cemetery tombstones ~ USGenWeb
 * Texas Historic Cemeteries ~ Partial indexes to historic cemeteries
 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Texas Escapes Listing of Texas cemeteries with transcriptions and lots of pictures.

Census

 * 1880 Karnes County Census (Polish areas) ~  USGenWeb Archives Project

Church

 * Texas Christian Church Directory~ ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in Texas

Land

 * Land Survey Abstract Indices of the Original Land Owners of Texas ~  TXGenWeb

Local Histories

 * Karnes County Biographies ~  TXGenWeb
 * Texas Museums ~  List of all museums in Texas  ~  Hidden Ancestors

Maps

 * Historical Maps ~  From the Republic to the Turn of the Century  ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site

Military

 * 1838 - 1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1845 - 1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission
 * Karnes County Military Records ~  TXGenWeb
 * 1890 Union Soldiers from Karnes County ~  UsGenWeb Archives Project
 * Civil War Pension Applications ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Confederate Indigent Families ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Military Resources ~ Links to research Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Fallen Heroes ~  Partial Index of casualties from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Honoring Our Veterans ~ Partial index of veterans from Civil War to Operation Enduring Freedom ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 - FamilySearch
 * Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 - FamilySearch

Newspapers

 * Home Town News -  Texas Newspaper Index with links
 * Newslink -  Texas Newspaper List (sorted by publication frequency)
 * The Olden Times  -   Historic Texas News Online

Obituaries

 * Karnes County Obituaries ~ USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Karnes County Obituaries~ TXGenWeb
 * Obituary Resources ~ Links to research and locate obituaries ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project ~  Texas
 * Afrigeneas ~ African American death notices, obituaries and funeral programs compiled by users from current newspapers and historical sources
 * Obituary Depot ~ Texas Newspaper Citations
 * Obituary Project ~ Hidden Ancestors
 * Obituary Daily Times ~ Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function

Probate

 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~  Ancestry.com  (subscription)
 * Texas, Probate Records, 1800-1990 (images) - FamilySearch

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


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

Original Birth Records on Microfilm

Marriage
Online Marriage Indexes and Records


 * Texas Marriage Records 1966 - 2005  -  Hidden Ancestors
 * Texas County Marriage Records, 1837-1977 - FamilySearch. Index to a variety of marriage records (registers, licenses, intentions to marry, etc.) from select counties in Texas.
 * Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973  -  FamilySearch record collection
 * Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010  -  FamilySearch record collection
 * 1814 - 1909 and 1966 - 2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1837 - 1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry.com — index $

Original Marriage Records on Microfilm

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records

Original Death Records on Microfilm
 * Texas Death Records 1890 – 1976 [with images] 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.
 * Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000 (index) - FamilySearch
 * Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 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
 * 1903 - 1973 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903 - 1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Divorce

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


 * USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850 - 1930

Societies and Libraries
Karnes County Historical Society & Museum PO Box 162 Karnes City, TX 78118 (830) 780-3210

South Texas Genealogical Society, Inc. PO Box 754 Beeville, TX 78104-0754 GenealogyInc

Kenedy Public Library 303 W Main St Kenedy, TX 78119 Phone: (830) 583-3313

Falls City Public Library 206 N Irvin Falls City, TX 78113 Phone: (830) 254-3361

Karnes City Public Library 302 S Panna Maria Ave Karnes City, TX 78118 Phone: (830) 780-2539

Runge Public Library 311 N Helena St Runge, TX 78151 Phone: (830) 239-4192

Family History Centers

 * Society Hill Links and addresses to Texas genealogical and historical societies

Web Sites

 * Karnes County Archives ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Karnes County ~  TXGenWeb
 * TXGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the county.
 * Hidden Ancestors Information on Texas genealogy research as well as genealogy research in general.
 * USGenWeb Texas Archives Vital statistics, maps, obituaries, Bible records, tombstone transcriptions and many other records.