Texas Deaths, 1977-1986 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
Images of Texas statewide death certificates, including delayed certificates, from the Texas Department of State Health Services in Austin. Additional certificates will be added to the collection as they become available.

For a list of records by dates and localities currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The certificates usually include the following:




 * Name of the deceased
 * Death date and place
 * Burial date and place
 * Birth date and place
 * Name of spouse
 * Names of parents
 * Name of informant
 * Marital status
 * Occupation

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know the following:


 * The place where the death occurred
 * The name of the person at the time of death
 * The death date

Search the Collection
To search the collection by name fill in your ancestor’s name in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about those in the list to what you already know about your own ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person.

To search the collection image by image ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Year" ⇒Select the appropriate "Certificate and County Range" which takes you to the images. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Make a photocopy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors.

The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find or verify their birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents (if the deceased is a child) to locate church and land records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records.
 * The name of the cemetery may be a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Others with the same last name could be children, siblings, parents, or other relatives of the deceased who may have died or been buried in the same county or nearby.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * The information in these records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for an index. The following index, Texas Death Index, 1964-1998, is available on FamilySearch.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

For a summary of this information see the wiki article: United States, How to Use the Records Summary (FamilySearch Historical Records).

Related Websites

 * Texas Death Records
 * Online Texas Death Records &amp; Indexes
 * Texas Vital Records Indexes

Related Wiki Articles

 * Texas
 * Texas Death Records, 1890-1976 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Texas, Death Index, 1964-1998 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Texas History
 * Texas Vital Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Texas Deaths 1890-1976," digital images, FamilySearch (familysearch.org: accessed 7 April 2011), 1978 &gt; vol 9, Jan, certificates 4001-4500, Milam-Smith Counties &gt; Image 543 of 543 images. Hilmar Willie Jonas, January 12, 1978; citing Death Records, FHL microfilm 2,073,674; Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics, Texas Department of Health, Austin, Texas. Digital images of originals housed at the State Registrar Office in Austin, Texas. FHL microfilm and digital images. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.