Hays County, Texas Genealogy

United States Texas  Counties H  Hays County

Guide to Hays County Texas genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Courthouse
Hays County Courthouse 137 N Guadalupe Street San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: 512.393.7330 County Clerk has probate records from 1839, birth records from 1865, marriage, court, and land records from 1848 and military records from 1919; District Clerk has divorce records from 1897

History
The first Anglo-American arrived around 1835, the first church was organized in 1847 and the first school was organized in 1849. A Spanish settlement was in the area from 1808 to 1812. Mexican land grants date as early as 1831.

Parent County
1848--Hays County was created 1 March 1848 from Travis County. County seat: San Marcos

Neighboring Counties

 * Blanco
 * Caldwell
 * Comal
 * Guadalupe
 * Travis

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

 * Hays County Cemeteries ~  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
 * Cemetery Junction ~  Links to cemetery transcriptions

Individual cemeteries


 * Wimberley Cemetery, Wimberley BillionGraves

Census

 * 1850 Federal Census ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1860 Federal Census ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * 1880 Federal Census ~  USGenWeb Archives Project

Church

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

Land

 * Original Land Owners of Texas ~  USGenWeb Archives Project

Local Histories

 * 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

 * Confederate Pension Applications ~ Texas State Library and Archives Commission
 * Confederate Pension Applications Index ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Confederate Indigent Families ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Korean War Casualties ~  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

 * 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.

Original Marriage Records on Microfilm

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 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 [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.

Original Death Records on Microfilm

Divorce

 * Texas Divorce Records 1968 - 2005   ~  Hidden Ancestors
 * USGenWeb Census Project ~ Texas 1850 - 1930

Societies and Libraries
Kyle Community Library 409 W Blanco St Kyle, TX 78640 Phone: (512) 268-7411 Website

San Marcos Public Library 625 E Hopkins St San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512) 393-8200 Website

Buda Public Library 303 N Main St Buda, TX 78610 Phone: (512) 295-5899 Website

Dripping Springs Community Library 501 Sportsplex Dr Dripping Springs, TX 78620 Phone: (512) 858-7825 Website

Wimberley Village Library 400 Fm 2325 Wimberley, TX 78676 Phone: (512) 847-2188 Website

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * San Marcos Texas Family History Center

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

Web Sites

 * Hays County Archives ~  USGenWeb Archives Project
 * Hays 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.