Texas
Texas genealogy
Texas genealogy crosses Spanish and Mexican Texas, the Republic of Texas, Indigenous history, Tejano communities, German settlement, African American history, frontier migration and massive twentieth-century urban growth.
Texas vital records
Texas Vital Statistics can provide birth records filed from 1903 to the present.
Texas DSHS →Texas death records filed from 1903 to the present are maintained by Vital Statistics.
Death records →Marriage licenses are county-level records; state indexes cover marriages from 1966.
Marriage records →Digital indexes and earlier microfiche resources are available through Texas DSHS.
Indexes →Texas county-by-county
Texas has 254 counties. Each county can represent a distinct research environment, especially for land, probate, court, marriage and local records.
Texas historical research
Texas genealogy centers
Major twentieth-century migration, African American, Latino and international communities.
Spanish, Mexican, Tejano, military and German-Texan history.
State government, archives and central Texas research.
Urban migration, African American and business history.
Borderlands, Mexican American and migration research.
Port, immigration, Jewish and maritime genealogy.
Ethnic & community research
Caddo, Comanche, Kiowa, Apache, Tonkawa and other Indigenous histories.
Slavery, emancipation, Freedmen’s Bureau and migration.
Borderlands, Spanish/Mexican Texas and twentieth-century communities.
Settlement, churches, newspapers and community records.
Texas genealogy databases
State and local records, manuscripts and county resources.
Search →Historical records organized by place and collection.
Search →Official state indexes and historical microfiche guidance.
Open →Official county reference from Texas State Library.
Browse →Continue your Texas research
Identify the county, determine which jurisdiction existed at the time of the event, then search county records before moving to statewide databases and DNA evidence.
DNA Academy - Quick Answers
What formats are your free templates available in?
Our templates are available as downloadable Excel/Google Sheets files (for digital tracking).
How do I use a research log effectively?
A research log helps you track which records you’ve searched, what you found, and what’s still missing. We recommend filling it out as you go, it prevents duplicate searches and helps you identify patterns. Our template includes columns for date, source, location, and findings.
Are the templates available in languages other than English?
Currently, our templates are in English only. We are exploring translations into Swedish, Spanish, and German based on user requests. If you need a specific language, contact us and we’ll prioritize it.