Family and Vital Records

Whether you are researching a famous Texan for a school project or climbing your personal family tree, thousands of records are available to you on the Internet.  The list below includes the largest sources of original Texas vital records and biographical information.  The number of documents available is increasing all the time, but in some cases local brick and mortar repositories are still the only places to find certain records.  If you don’t find what you are seeking, check the library, university archive, or courthouse in the area for more information.  The Fort Worth History Center is one great place to start your local research.  New to genealogy, but don’t know where to start?  Here’s a good primer for beginners.

  • Ancestry.com
    Collection of databases providing a wide selection of vital records, biographies, county histories, newspapers, and more.  Available free at many local libraries.
  • Family Search
    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has digitized and indexed millions of international records.  Of importance to Texas researchers are original images of births, deaths, and marriages; census pages; probate records; immigration details; and military records.
  • Find A Grave
    Find cemetery inventories, inscriptions, occasional obituaries, and some tombstone photographs all provided by volunteers.
  • Heritage Quest
    Series of databases including maps, census records, city directories, digitized books, Freedman’s Bank records, and more. Available free at many local libraries.
  • Portal to Texas History
    Digitized collections shared by Texas institutions.  Features yearbooks, newspapers, photographs, maps, and books not found elsewhere online.
  • Texas State Library and Archives Commission
    Rich statewide databases based on the TSLAC collections along with finding aids.  Vast collection of Texas research materials on-site.
  • TXGenweb
    Volunteer project organized to provide information about Texans.  Data provided varies from county to county.