Texas Vital Records

Introduction to Vital Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. United States Vital Records has additional research guidance on researching and using vital records. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.

Texas Birth, Marriage and Death Records Online
The following is a list of online resources useful for locating Texas Vital Records which consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths. Most online resources for Texas Vital Records are indexes. After locating a person in an index always consult the original record to confirm the information in the index.


 * 1858-1955 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1911-1958 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1841-1985 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1879-2012 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and images

Birth

 * 1840-1981 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; free
 * 1903-1935 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; free, includes images
 * 1903-1997 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; free
 * 1873-1876 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1878-1945 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1903-1997 Texas, U.S., Birth Index, 1903-1997 at Ancestry - index and images ($)
 * 1939-1957 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 1802-2010 United States Marriages – Texas, 1802-2010 ($) index and some images
 * 1817-1965 Texas, County Marriages, 1817-1965 - index and images at Ancestry ($).
 * 1837-2015 Texas, Select County Marriage Records, 1837-2015 ($) index and images
 * 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images.  ''Also at Ancestry - index with some images ($)
 * 1837-1965 Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records at Ancestry.com — index & images, ($)
 * 1837-1973 at FamilySearch. - How to Use this Collection; free
 * 1837-1977 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index.  Also at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1951-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Texas Marriage and Divorce

Death

 * 1890-1976 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; free
 * 1903-1973 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; free
 * 1903-2000 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; free
 * 1964-1998 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; free.  also at MyHeritage ($)
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch. - How to Use this Collection; free
 * The Vital Records Search and Information Directory for Texas - Free/$
 * Search the Texas Birth, Marriage and Death Records at Ancestry ($)
 * TXGenWeb.org - Free
 * Texas Genealogy and History - Free/$
 * Texas Death Indexes
 * Mortality Schedules
 * Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 ($) available online.


 * Order Texas Certificates ($) online from the State.

If you are aware of other online databases, please feel free to add them.

Obituaries

 * 1899-2012 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

City and County Records of Births and Deaths
As early as 1873 some cities and towns in Texas had authorized the registration of births and deaths. For a brief period from 1873 to 1876, the county recorders also recorded births. For records from early times to 1903, write to the clerk's office in the county where the event occurred. The records are open to public inspection.

State Records of Births and Deaths
Statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1903 with the formation of the Texas Department of Public Health. For copies of Death Records first search:

If not located online, write to:

Bureau of Vital Statistics Texas Department of Health 1100 West 49th Street Austin, TX 78756-3191 Telephone: 512-458-7111 Internet: Texas Vital Statistics

Only authorized personnel may search the records. The current fees for obtaining copies of the state's records are listed in Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces. Copies of this booklet are at the Family History Library and many family history centers.

The Texas State Library and Archives has indexes to birth, "probate births" (delayed registrations), and death records from 1903 to 1973. These are available for public searches.

Cause of Death

 * Causes of Death - use this resource when trying to interpret a disease or medical condition listed on a death record or certificate

Marriage Records
Prior to 1836, only the Catholic Church could legally solemnize marriages. As a result, many Protestants will be listed in the Catholic records. From 1837 to 1966, the county recorders issued marriage licenses and kept marriage registers. Copies of the records can be obtained by writing to the clerk of the county where the license was issued. For information from 1966 to the present, write to the Bureau of Vital Statistics (see address above).

The Family History Library has acquired copies of marriage records from many county courthouses. From the clerk of the county court in Bexar County, for example, the library has 49 microfilms of marriages and indexes for 1837 to 1925.

The Texas Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and other societies have compiled many early vital records. Examples of published transcripts of marriages are:


 * Marriage Records of Early Texas, 1824-1846.
 * 8,800 Texas Marriages, 1824-1850

Divorce Records
From 1837 to 1841, divorces were obtained by special acts of Congress. In 1841, the district courts were given jurisdiction, with some restrictions, over divorces. Since 1846, they have had jurisdiction over all cases. You can write to the clerk of the district court in the county where the decree was granted for copies of records.

Lost and Missing Records
Denton 1875, liberty 1874, Rusk 1878, Trinity 1876,

Substitute Records
Texas Church Records

Texas Cemetery Records

Texas Census

Texas Newspapers

Texas Obituaries

Texas Periodicals

Texas Military Records

Tips

 * Information listed on vital records is given by an informant. Learn the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) or the record. The closer the relationship of the informant to the subject(s) and whether or not the informant was present at the time of the event can help determine the accuracy of the information found on the record.
 * If you are unable to locate vital records recorded by governments, search for church records of christening, marrriage, death or burial. A family Bible may have been used to record births, marriages and deaths.
 * Privacy laws may restrict your access to some vital records. Copies of some records recorded in the last 100 years may be unavailable to anyone except a direct relative.
 * Search for Vital Records in the FamilySearch Catalog by using a Place Search and then choosing Vital Records. Search for Texas to locate records filed by the State and then search the name of the county to locate records kept by the county.

Archive, Libraries and Societies
Texas Archive and Libraries

Texas Societies

Inventory of Vital Records
You can learn more about the history and availability of the records in Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records in Texas.