Vital records, as their name suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their recent creation in the United States, are critically important in genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back into the nineteenth century. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, by Loretto Szucs and Sandra Luebking.
Texas Bureau of Vital Records
Texas Department of Health
PO Box 12040
Texas Birth Records
Between 1873 and 1876, some births were recorded by County District clerk’s. Many of these were included in early Texas birth, records, 1838 – 1878 (reprint. Easely, S. C.: Seven Historical Press, 1982) by Alice Duggan Gracy, Dane Duggan Sumner, and Emma Jean S. Gentry. Beginning in 1903 County Clerk’s began to register births and deaths, although compliance was not universal at first. Large cities with vital records offices maintained their own series of birth and death records. Justices of the peace also recorded births.
Mandatory recording of births and deaths began in 1903. Copies of records registered in the counties are maintained at Texas Department of Vital Records.
Probated or delayed birth registrations were sometimes submitted to the respective County Court for probate matters. These were then forwarded to the State Bureau Of Vital Statistics. Microfilm indexes to delayed birth records may have included Texas residents born elsewhere, many of whom were seeking Social Security registration. The bureau ended delayed birth registration in 1959.
- Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981
Name index to small sets of birth, baptism and christening records from a few states within the United States. - Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935
- Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997
Texas County Birth Records
Bexar County Birth Records
- Bexar County Birth and Death Records
The Office of the City Clerk maintains records of births, deaths, and fetal deaths that occur in the County of Bexar. Birth records are available from 1897, death records from 1873, and fetal death records from 1952. The Vital Records Division has been under the Office of the City Clerk since 2012.
Collin County Birth Records
- McKinney Newspaper Birth, Engagement and Marriage Index 1980-1989: Excel Format | PDF Format
- McKinney Newspaper Birth, Engagement and Marriage Index 1990-1993: Excel Format | PDF Format
Comanche County Birth Records
- Texas, Comanche County Records, 1858-1955
Records from Comanche County, Texas including births, marriages, divorce minutes, court records, probate records, and scholastic census records. This collection is being published as images become available.
Denton County Birth Records
- Denton County TX Register of Births & Deaths 1900 – 1930
The files below are digital photographs of the handwritten register of births and deaths for the City of Denton for various years 1900-1930. - Denton County Birth Announcements
Click on the decades to search the indexes for birth announcements posted in the Denton Record-Chronicle and other area publications. The “Before 1909” file is a work-in-progress last updated January 2012. Please contact the library for births in the 1980s. - Denton County Probate Birth Indexes
Birth records transcribed by the Denton County Genealogical Society of Denton County ledger books. The records represent births in Denton County before 1900. Contact the Denton County Clerk’s office for copies.
Dimmit County Birth Records
- Dimmit County Birth Index
The Dimmit County Texas Birth Index contains information about births registered in the county for individuals born before 1935 with additional births to 1950.
El Paso County Birth Records
- El Paso County TX Birth Indexes
For births in El Paso County (County Clerk)
Fannin County Birth Records
- Birth Records of Fannin County, TX
This table list the 7,160 records (1836–1934) contained in the birth records database. Records after 1934 are not available for public release.
Texas Marriage Records
Marriage records prior to 1836, if expand, maybe in custody of the Roman Catholic Church. Beginning with the date of organization most counties maintain marriage records. These are presently in the jurisdiction of the respective County Clerk where the license was issued. Statewide recording of marriages began in January 1966, but certified copies of records are not available through the state office. Marriage records for African-Americans were frequently recorded in separate volumes
Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) have compiled many marriage records for Texas
Marriage records prior to 1836,
- Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965
- Texas Marriages, 1837-1973
- Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977
- Texas, Church Marriages, 1839-1982
- Texas, Church Marriages, 1845-1957
- Texas Marriage Index 1966-2005
- Texas Marriages, 1966-2010
- Texas Marriages, 1966-2015
Texas County Marriage Records
Bexar County Marriage Records
Colorado County Marriage Records
- Marriage Records of Colorado County, 1837-1886Though the entries in it begin shortly after the county was established, the earliest known book of marriage records in Colorado County is designated as Book B. The tantalizing possibility that earlier records were kept has not been confirmed. Despite diligent searching, no Book A has ever been found. The marriage records presented here are from the county’s first six books, Books B, C, C2, D, E, and F. They include marriages from the years 1837 through 1886. However, the next book in the series, Book G, does not begin in 1886; paradoxically, it contains marriages from as early as 1879. This transcription is based on a list compiled by Angela Boswell, which was audited and expanded by Ernest Mae Seaholm and Bill Stein.
Comanche County Marriage Records
- Texas, Comanche County Records, 1858-1955
Records from Comanche County, Texas including births, marriages, divorce minutes, court records, probate records, and scholastic census records. This collection is being published as images become available.
Denton County Marriage Records
- Denton County Marriage Announcements
Click on the decades below to search the indexes for marriage announcements posted in the Denton Record-Chronicle and other area publications. The “Before 1909” file is a work-in-progress last updated January 2012. Please contact the library for marriages between 1908 and 1929 and in the 1970s. - Wedding Anniversaries and Family Reunions in the Denton Record Chronicle (DRC): 1930s-1970s
An index of wedding anniversaries and family reunions in the DRC from the 1930s-1970s
Dimmit County Marriage Records
- Dimmit County Marriage Index
The Dimmit County Texas Marriage Index contains information about marriages registered in the county from it’s organization in 1880 through the year 1930’s. This database is taken from the Male section of the Index and allows you to search for any name in the male last name column and to search for any name in the female column.
El Paso County Marriage Records
- El Paso County TX Marriage Records
Married in El Paso County (County Clerk)
Fannin County Marriage Records
- Marriage Records of Fannin County, Texas
This following table displays the 10,651 records (1966–2008) contained in our marriage records database.
Hale County Marriage Records
Texas Divorce Records
Divorce records have been maintained statewide by the Bureau of Vital Statistics since January 1968, but certified copies are not available from this facility. Divorce represent kept under the jurisdiction of the respective clerk of the District Court. During the first years of the Republic of Texas, divorces were granted by special acts of Congress, but in 1841 district courts to go over this responsibility, with some exceptions. After statehood, district courts had full jurisdiction over divorces.
Texas County Divorce Records
Comanche County Divorce Records
- Texas, Comanche County Records, 1858-1955
Records from Comanche County, Texas including births, marriages, divorce minutes, court records, probate records, and scholastic census records. This collection is being published as images become available.
Fannin County Divorce Records
- Divorce Records of Fannin County, TX
This table lists the 5,189 records (1968 – 2008) contained in the divorce records database.
Texas Death Records
Beginning in 1903 County Clerk’s began to register births and deaths, although compliance was not universal at first. Large cities with vital records offices maintained their own series of birth and death records. Mandatory recording of births and deaths began in 1903. Copies of records registered in the counties are maintained at Texas Department of Vital Records.
- Texas Deaths, 1890-1976
- Texas Death Index, 1903-2000
- Texas Deaths and Burials, 1903-1973
- Texas Death Index, 1964-1998
- Texas Deaths, 1977-1986
Texas County Death Records
Bexar County Death Records
- Bexar County Birth and Death Records
The Office of the City Clerk maintains records of births, deaths, and fetal deaths that occur in the County of Bexar. Birth records are available from 1897-1936, death records from 1873-1926, and fetal death records from 1952. The Vital Records Division has been under the Office of the City Clerk since 2012.
Colorado County Death Records
- Colorado County Deaths Surname Index
These pages list the names of some 23,000 persons who are known or who are strongly suspected to have been buried in Colorado County, Texas. It also provides information on the more than 130 cemeteries or burial sites which have been located in the county.
Comanche County Death Records
- Texas, Comanche County Records, 1858-1955
Records from Comanche County, Texas including births, marriages, divorce minutes, court records, probate records, and scholastic census records. This collection is being published as images become available.
Denton County Death Records
- Funeral Home records Aug. 29, 1899-July 1905
Shepherd Funeral Home records from Aug 29, 1899-July 1905 (missing Aug 18-Sept 28, 1902) The attached document is the transcription of a partial photocopy that was made in the 1970s. - Denton County Funeral Home Records
This index includes records from the Schmitz & Shepard Funeral Homes from 1905 to 1940 and the Coker Funeral Home in Sanger from the 1990s. These records were transcribed in the 1980s. - Denton County TX Register of Births & Deaths 1900 – 1930
The files below are digital photographs of the handwritten register of births and deaths for the City of Denton for various years 1900-1930. - Denton County TX Death Announcements
Click on the decades below to search the indexes for Obituaries and Death Notices posted in the Denton Record-Chronicle and other area publications. The “Before 1909” file is a work-in-progress last updated April 2013.
Dimmit County Death Records
- Dimmit County Death Index
The Dimmit County Texas Death Index contains information about deaths registered in the county from about 1903 through the year 1981.
El Paso County Death Records
- El Paso County TX Death Indexes
Deaths occuring in El Paso County (County Clerk)
Fannin County Death Records
- Death Records of Fannin County, TX
This table list the 6,789 records (1964-1984) contained in the death records database. Records after 1984 are not available for public release.