Austin County, Texas Genealogy
Guide to Austin County, Texas ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information
Description
The county was named for Stephen F. Austin, who facilitated the Anglo-American colonization of Texas and is known as the "Father of Texas". The county is located in the southeast area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse
Austin County Courthouse
1 E Main St
Bellville, TX 77418
Phone: 979-965-5911
Austin County Website
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1903, marriage, land and probate records from early 1800’s, cemetery, court, military discharge and naturalization records.
Discharge Court has divorce records[2]
Austin County, Texas Record Dates
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1903 | 1824 | 1903 | 1824 | 1826 | 1827 | 1829 |
Record Loss
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Boundary Changes
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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:[6]
| Cities | ||
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| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Ghost towns | ||
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‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 3,841 | ||
| 1860 | 10,139 | 164.0% | |
| 1870 | 15,087 | 48.8% | |
| 1880 | 14,429 | −4.4% | |
| 1890 | 17,859 | 23.8% | |
| 1900 | 20,676 | 15.8% | |
| 1910 | 17,699 | −14.4% | |
| 1920 | 18,874 | 6.6% | |
| 1930 | 18,860 | −0.1% | |
| 1940 | 17,384 | −7.8% | |
| 1950 | 14,663 | −15.7% | |
| 1960 | 13,777 | −6.0% | |
| 1970 | 13,831 | 0.4% | |
| 1980 | 17,726 | 28.2% | |
| 1990 | 19,832 | 11.9% | |
| 2000 | 23,590 | 18.9% | |
| 2010 | 28,417 | 20.5% | |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | |||
Church Records
- See Texas Church Records for more information.
- Austin County, Texas Churches at Austin County, TXGenWeb
- Early Church Records of Austin County at Austin TX GenWeb partial record listing.
- Christian Church Directory for Texas at ChurchFinder
- Catholic Parishes in Texas
Lutheran
- Records of Trinity Lutheran Church, New Ulm, in Evangelical Lutheran Church in America database at Archives.com ($).
- 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images, ($)
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Court Records
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African American
- 1865-1870 Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1870 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
- Texas African American Griots at USGenWeb
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
- See Texas Land and Property for more information.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
Local histories are available for Austin County and may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information.
- See Texas Local Histories for more information.
- Austin County History
- Pioneers of Austin County at Austin County TXGenWeb
- Austin County History
- Texas Indexes (about 20 counties) at EveryNameIndex.com — Select the county
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- Texas Land Survey Maps for Austin County (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
- Texas Counties Map. Click on the county to go to the TXGenWeb site
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
- 1916-1990 Texas, Various Counties, Military Discharge Records, 1916-1990 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Texas Revolution
- 1835 - 1845 Index to the Military Rolls of the Republic of Texas 1835-1845 at Texas State Historical Association
Mexican-American War
- 1845-1848 US American Volunteer Soldiers Mexican War 1845-1848 at Ancestry — index ($)
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
- 1861-1865 Texas, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images at partner site
- Confederate Pension Applications at Texas State Library and Archives Commission
- 1838-1900 Texas Muster Roll Index Cards 1838-1900 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
World War I
- 1917-1920 Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Naturalization and Citizenship
- 1906-1989 Texas Naturalization Records, 1906-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Newspapers
- Sealy News, serving Sealy and Austin County.
- Daily Texan
- Texas Digital Newspaper Program at The Portal to Texas History
- 1800s-Current Texas, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries
- 1966-1978 Pete E Etlinger Funeral Home of Bellville Notices 1966 - 1978 at Complete Index at Austin County, TXGenWeb
- Obituaries of Austin County, Texas Partial listing of obituaries published in Austin County, Texas at Austin County, TXGenWeb
- USGenWeb Archives Obituary Project at Texas
- Obituary Daily Times at Citations to over 15,000,000 obituaries including interactive search function
Other Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
Probate records of Texas counties were kept by the probate clerk, usually in "probate minutes."
- See Texas Probate Records for more information.
- 1800-2000 Texas Wills and Probate Records 1800-2000 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1903-1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
Social Security Records
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
- See Texas Taxation for more information.
- 1846-1910 Texas, County Tax Rolls 1846-1910 at Findmypast ($) — index & images
Vital Records
Vital Records of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths were recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. Copies can be obtained from the County Clerk's office, or order certified copies online or by mail at the Texas Vital Records State Department of Health. See Texas Vital Records for more information.
Birth
- 1840-1981 Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1903-1935 Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1903-1997 Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index; Key to Texas County Codes; Also at: Ancestry ($)
- 1926-1995 Texas Births, 1926-1995 at MyHeritage — index ($)
Marriage
- 1802-2010 Texas, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 1814-1909 and 1966 - 2011 Texas Marriage Collection 1814-1909 and 1966-2011 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1824-1920 Early Marriages of Austin County, Texas 1824-1920 Complete Index Austin County, TXGenWeb
- 1837-1965 Texas Marriages, 1837-1965 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
- 1837-1965 Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1837-1973 Texas Marriages, 1837-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1837-1977 Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1837-1977 Texas Select County Marriage Index 1837-1977 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1966-2010 Texas Marriages, 1966-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
Death
- 1903-1973 Texas Deaths and Burials, 1903-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1903-1982 Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1903-2000 Texas Death Index, 1903-2000 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1964-1998 Texas Death Index, 1964-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1977-1986 Texas Deaths, 1977-1986 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
Divorce
- 1850-1930 USGenWeb Census Project — Texas 1850 - 1930
- 1968-2010 Texas Divorce Index, 1968-2010 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1968-2011 Texas Divorces 1968-2011 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1966-2016 Texas Marriages and Divorces at MyHeritage — index ($)
Research Facilities
Archives
FamilySearch Centers
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Bear Creek Texas FamilySearch Center
- Bear Creek Texas West FamilySearch Center
- Katy Texas FamilySearch Center
- Houston Texas FamilySearch Center
- Houston Public Library Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research - an affiliate library
- Nesbitt Memorial Library - an affiliate library
Libraries
Bellville Public Library
12 W Palm St
Bellville, TX 77418
Phone: 979-865-3731
Website
Virgil and Josephine Gordon Memorial Library
917 N Circle Dr
Sealy, TX 77474
Phone: 979-885-7469
Website
Museums
Societies
The Bellville Historical Society
Concordia Hall, 953 S. Tesch Street
PO Box 67
Bellville, Texas 77418
Email address:BellvilleHistoricalSociety.com
Website
Genealogical Society
PO Box 1507
Austin 78767-1507
Website
Websites
- Austin TXGenWeb part of TXGenWeb project
- USGenWeb Archives Project. Name indexes and other information.
- Cyndi's List Austin
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides
References
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Austin County, Texas," in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_County,_Texas. accessed 24/07/2019
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Austin County, Texas. Page 658 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Austin County, Texas . Page 658-677 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 655-665.
- ↑ GenDisasters.com - Bellville, TX Courthouse Fire, Apr 1960 http://www.gendisasters.com/texas/10017/bellville-tx-courthouse-fire-apr-1960
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Austin County, Texas," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_County,_Texas, accessed 26 March 2019.
