Hays County, Texas Genealogy

Guide to Hays 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 Coffee Hays. The County is located in the central area of the state.

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

County Clerk

712 S. Stagecoach Trail Ste 2008 San Marcos 78666 Phone: 512-393-7330 Fax: 512-393-7337

District Clerk

712 S. Stagecoach Trail Ste 2008 Ste2211 San Marcos 78666 Phone: 512-393-7660 Fax: 512-393-7674

History
1808, 1835, 1847, 1849--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

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

Places / Localities
Town/city records in the FamilySearch Catalog



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

Neighboring Counties
Blanco •  Caldwell  •  Comal  •  Guadalupe  •  Travis

African American

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

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery Sources


 * African American Cemeteries Online ~ Partial index/transcriptions of African American cemeteries
 * Cemetery Junction ~  Links to cemetery transcriptions

Census

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

Church
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Texas Christian Church Directory~ ChurchAngel
 * Catholic Parishes in Texas
 * FamilySearch Places

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

 * 1838 - 1900 - Texas Muster Roll Index Cards at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 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

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

World War I

 * 1917 - 1920 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Korean War

 * Korean War Casualties ~ USGenWeb Archives Project

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

Online Probate Records


 * 1800 – 1990 at FamilySearch — images
 * 1800 – 2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * Search Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills Records ~ Ancestry.com (subscription)

Birth
Online Birth Indexes and Records


 * 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 $
 * 1966-2005 Texas Marriage Records 1966-2005 - Hidden Ancestors
 * 1966-2010 Texas, Marriages, 1966-2010 - FamilySearch record collection

Death
Online Death Indexes and Records


 * 1890-1976 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.
 * 1903-1973 at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * '1903-2000 Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000'' (index) - FamilySearch.
 * 1964-1998 Texas Death Index 1964 to 1998 [no images] Name index to Texas Statewide Death Certificates or four million people who have died since 1964.
 * 1977-1986 at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

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


 * 1850-1930 USGenWeb Census Project Texas 1850-1930

Societies and Libraries
Hays County Gen. Society PO Box 503 San Marcos 78666

Kyle Community Library 409 W Blanco St Kyle, TX 78640 Telephone Number: 512-268-7411 Website

San Marcos Public Library 625 E Hopkins St San Marcos, TX 78666 Telephone Number: 512-393-8200 Website

Buda Public Library 303 N Main St Buda, TX 78610 Telephone Number: 512-295-5899 Website

Dripping Springs Community Library 501 Sportsplex Dr Dripping Springs, TX 78620 Telephone Number: 512-858-7825 Website

Wimberley Village Library 400 Fm 2325 Wimberley, TX 78676 Telephone Number: 512-847-2188 Website

Family History Centers

 * San Marcos Texas Family History Center


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

Websites

 * 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.
 * USGenWeb Texas Archives Vital statistics, maps, obituaries, Bible records, tombstone transcriptions and many other records.
 * The catalog is genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) This catalog is different than the indexed Historical Records.